10 Questions With… Louis Schump of Rapt Studio
Though Midwest born and raised, Louis Schump, account executive and creative director of Rapt Studio, is really a Cali guy, having spent the last 35 years in San Francisco. There, he developed a wicked sense of style honed by his personal motto: “Life’s too short to be bored.” Translating his experience in architecture and design to clothing, he goes for things that say something about fabric and shape and pairs them with basics. Watch out; he’s usually better dressed than we are.
Stay tuned for a feature story on Dropbox’s San Francisco headquarters by Rapt Studio in our October issue.
Interior Design: Where did you grow up, and how did it influence your work?
LS: I grew up in “Chicagoland” and went to university in St. Louis. The Midwestern propensity for clear, direct communication coupled with an agrarian work ethic has persisted, even after 35 years in California.
ID: Which project are you most proud of?
LS: I am most proud of the Gunderson Dettmer project we did in Silicon Valley almost 10 years ago. I believe it may be the first truly newsworthy project I worked on, and the client is amazing.
ID: Which person, place, or thing—inside the industry or out—inspires you?
LS: My gallerist husband Todd Hosfelt. Another Midwesterner who has helped me enjoy life and see the world in ways I never imagined.
ID: Latest design obsession?
LS: SteelMaster buildings.
ID: First app checked in the morning?
LS: I admit it, Facebook. Sometimes the weather and the news are too daunting.
ID: Most recently download app?
LS: Walk-in Theater.
ID: A secret source you’re willing to share?
LS: Dennis Luedeman, the man of steel.
ID: Best thing about your job?
LS: I get to build the future.
ID: If you hadn’t been a designer, you’d have been?
LS: A priest, if the Kuder assessment is to be believed.
ID: What’s your favorite thing to do with your daughter, Helen?
LS: Listening to her view of things—on an insect, a stuffed animal she just made, a person, or taillight design.