10 Questions With… NFL Player And Creative Stefon Diggs

Stefon Diggs Talks Design, Work-Life Balance And More

Interior Design: How did you go about building fluency in the language of design?

Stefon Diggs: As a creative, I’ve always had a need to express myself—whether that was [through] clothes or curating my surroundings. In anything I’ve ever done, I always start with the foundation, for me that was knowledge that came by way of collecting and consuming. Buying clothes, collecting art and furniture, and making sure in my free time—when I’m not playing football or training—that I’m consuming as much information and inspiration as I possibly can. From there, the fluency kind of came naturally.

ID: Who are some of your personal design icons? What do you most admire about their work or sense of style?

SD: Paulin [furniture brand Paulin, Paulin, Paulin] is a huge one, for me, in the design space, especially because we have such a close relationship and he’s taught me a lot. Otherwise I try to pull inspiration from eras and shapes, more so than people specifically. I love the design that came out of the ’70s and ’80s; I admire the freedom and textures in a lot of it, felt really intentional.

ID: For your furniture brand, Si Vis Pacem, what was the starting point? How did that initial idea translate into finished pieces?

SD: Like I mentioned before, I was a consumer and a collector for quite some time before that translated into physical pieces. After awhile, I had this urge and need to create my own pieces rather than just filling spaces in my home. I always had ideas flowing, and then decided it was time to bring them to life. The intention was always to create a space for myself that was a reflection of what makes me feel safe and inspired. We started with a sofa in the same form as the H bench—that was the beginning, then we continued building from there.

ID: Your artist statement asserts that you “go to war every day,” which drives your desire for peace at home. Could you share more about what this statement means to you and how the collection embodies the concept of peace?

SD: My life is very demanding, I don’t exactly get the opportunity to wake up and think about myself. There’s a list of people and things that I have to nurture before I really get that space to just sit with myself. Between football, my kids, family, other career endeavors and everyday life stuff, that’s my form of getting up and going to war. When its finally the end of the day, or sometimes the week, and I get that small second to sit down with myself, It’s really important to me that that space feels inspiring and safe so I can get a second to ground myself and feel at peace. It was vital to me that this collection reflected that, that’s why I wanted everything to feel smooth and welcoming, nothing harsh. Just peaceful.

ID: Would you walk us through your approach to materials—what matters most to you in terms of tactility, durability, sourcing, or symbolism?

SD: I’m a texture guy, for sure. I love materials that can reflect my intention. For example, I wanted The Hill chair to feel like you’re laying on a bed of grass. So the materials had to reflect what that meant to me, which was something that could be soft, but still hold the structure, and then upholstery could mimic grass and kinda take you to that place.

ID: Ideas of nature, home, and an imagined paradise seem to anchor the forms. How did you name the items in this collection?

SD: When we went through the naming process, I wanted everything to genuinely reflect what my intention was when I was creating that specific piece. Things you can literally find in nature, and embody that in your home.

ID: Logistically, how do you balance your football career with your design endeavors?

SD: I’m big on making time for things I’m passionate about, during the season it’s not as easy but I still make it happen. It’s also super important to have people around you who understand you and your creative process. I’m thankful to have a very, very small team because I like to be involved and in control of every part of the process—that extension of me to hold it down is vital. During the off season, all my free time goes to my kids and my design process. I’ve definitely found my own way to balance it all.

ID: Do you ever find design inspiration on the field? Where do you often turn for fresh ideas?

SD: Yeah of course, actually that’s part of what drives me to create the way I do. The dedication and commitment I have to football is what formed the foundation of my design work. Football is its own art form. Although I’m great at compartmentalizing the two, it’s impossible to separate them.

ID: Looking ahead, how do you see your design practice evolving—are you interested in expanding your furniture collection or exploring a new area of design?

SD: I think the creative process is endless, so if you’re devoted enough, evolving is inevitable. 100% working on expanding my furniture collection, and always trying to incorporate new areas of design into both Si Vis Pacem and Liem. For sure, got a couple surprises up my sleeve. You’ll have to keep an eye out 😉