Her ‘need’ to create filled designing unique spaces

Julie A. Lancia has been the principal of ALX Group Inc., in North Providence, since it opened 12 years ago. “The ALX Group was started as a vehicle for me to start creating some different interior spaces, creating different pieces of furniture or cabinetry to fulfill the need that I had to create,” Lancia said.
Her design firm has earned the reputation of being unique in its use of creative materials.
She goes to great efforts to find material across the globe. She travels to many countries several times each year to see the latest styles and trends, inspiring even more creative work. “I was in Portugal about two months ago working with a furniture designer. It’s good to get out of the box and take a look around,” Lancia said.
But that doesn’t stop her from paying close attention to what is going on stateside, especially in the Ocean State. With more than a decade of experience she has developed relationships with some of the best artisans, contractors and craftsmen in the area. “Mostly I try to use Rhode Islanders, I try to keep everything local,” she said. “There’s an unbelievable group of craftsmen here in Rhode Island.”
The company is willing to take on any commercial or residential project. Recently the work has been more residential. “There are a lot of times when we will take a raw space and have to transform it, it’s what I prefer to do,” she said. Other facets of the company’s expertise include remodeling.
It is a versatile practice, able to design space in a high-rise in downtown Providence – a space that was recently featured in Design New England Magazine – to a mill on the Blackstone River in Pawtucket. The mill space was constructed of stone, brick and wood, but Lancia never feels compelled to use the same materials. “I try to do a complete juxtaposition of what’s there. There’s a great way to make a harmonious marriage between a brick wall and a contemporary, hi-gloss fixture or a couch or a kitchen,” she said. In one recent brick mill installation, the floor had electrodes that sparkled and moved as people crossed the room. “These are the kinds of things that I like to incorporate in spaces, something that is completely different, something totally unexpected,” Lancia said.
She also has used electronic kitchen cabinets and a lot of unusual hardware, including hanging doors. Some of her designs have included mosaic tile, one even in the shape of a UPC bar code.
“For every project, we try to find new and inventive ways to use space. In this project the doors were a perfect example. Using custom doors that slide on exposed steel bars and rollers provide more space while adding a very unique look,” Lancia said.
Multiple showerheads, body jets and a ceiling-mounted showerhead complete with multicolor, LED light therapy and rainfall are just a few of the bathroom options.
At the same time she is also the creative director for Symmetry International Inc. in Lincoln. “It’s just another thing that I do. ALX was started to branch out and do some of the things that I wanted to do for design,” she said. “Taking space and redefining it is what we do best.”
The Rhode Island native first went to school in Boston but quickly changed her studies to design and earned a ticket to the Parsons School of Design in New York City at the right time, according to Lancia. Years later she returned to work at Symmetry. There, her horizons broadened when projects included not only residential space, but hotels, restaurants, cruise ships, private residences, retail stores and spas. Many clients have also commissioned them to create custom furniture and to provide product and object design and development, that special element that can make all the difference. There are several people on staff full-time at ALX, but much of the work is done through private contractors. “Especially in today’s economy, it’s best to outsource a lot of the work. All of the selections, design and CADD drawings, that all comes from my office,” Lancia said.
Her clients, she says, have appreciated her vision.
“They’ve been willing to come in the car with me and take a great ride. I strive to have things that when someone walks into your home – or office or wherever – they say ‘Hey I’ve never seen anything like that before.’ We like the wild factor but it doesn’t mean that it’s outrageously expensive, either. We’ve managed to achieve some great and unusual things without any extreme costs. We have to stay within people’s budgets.”
A lot of time and thought is put into the planning phase, with Lancia occupying the space morning, noon and night to observe the light passing through. Much of it, however, is spent with the client, learning how they live and what they do. “I need to make sure that I supply my clients with the best possible living situation.”
Lancia believes each project is individual and she treats it as such, thus she has no particular style. Each space must be adapted to the building, but more importantly, the client.
She said that paying attention to the details is also very important, including the increasing use of power stations for lighting, computer tablets, music stations and telephones. The design also uses green materials whenever possible. And no matter what, it must be made in America.
Looking to the future, she intends to step up her Internet activity, providing a blog on the latest news. Another website featuring items she has procured that are for sale is also in the works.
“It has been a difficult economy but overall things are going very well,” he said. •