January 12, 2017
After requisite formal training (undergraduate work at the University of Florida and an advanced degree from the University of Pennsylvania) and plenty of time broadening her perspective overseas (in Vicenza, Italy, and the American University of Paris), Jane Snyder now orchestrates a team of creative professionals, Mosaic Architects & Interiors. With offices in Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Napa Valley, Vail, and Boulder, they specialize in custom homes, estates, and interior design, among other services.
Above all, Snyder maintains a deep love for the process of design and enjoys helping people feel comfortable in their homes by bringing their creative visions to life. And as you’ll see below, Snyder also has a warm place in her heart for Italian hillsides, optimism in general, and a certain man in a red suit.
G&C: What drew you to architecture early on?
Snyder: The blend between art, space, and materials.
What has been your favorite architectural field trip or vacation?
Definitely exploring the hill towns in Italy.
What is your favorite public building in Santa Barbara?
The Courthouse. I always notice something new each time I visit.
Where do you find design inspiration outside of architecture?
In the color and texture palettes in nature.
What do you most like about your job?
Working with craftsmen on custom pieces, furniture, light fixtures, details.
What do you most dislike about your job?
The long timeframe from start to move-in.
Go back in time and pick another profession.
Set designer and painter.
What is your current state of mind?
Enjoying the wisdom that comes from experience.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
A balance of work and play.
What is your greatest fear?
That our projects won’t get built.
What is your greatest extravagance?
A daily dose of dark chocolate.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Hard to say.
Which talent would you most like to have?
A good singing voice.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
More patience.
What is your most treasured possession?
My sketchbooks.
Which living person do you most admire?
Eckhart Tolle.
Which living person do you most despise?
Let’s just say that I am a Democrat.
What do you most value in your friends?
Honesty.
Who is your favorite fictional character?
Santa Claus.
Who are your heroes in real life?
Parents.
On what occasion do you lie?
I try to speak my truth with gentle words.
What is your most marked characteristic?
My optimism.
What word or phase do you most overuse?
“Really?”
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Building a fun, multitalented design firm in five locations.
(By Keith Hamm, with photo by Jim Bartsch)