A woman with curly dark hair, wearing a black top, sits and smiles at the camera. She is in a modern office setting with a computer monitor, white desk, and papers on the wall in the background. The lighting is bright and natural.
A woman with curly dark hair, wearing a black top, sits and smiles at the camera. She is in a modern office setting with a computer monitor, white desk, and papers on the wall in the background. The lighting is bright and natural.

Jahlay Rae

ASSOCIATE, INTERIORS STUDIO DIRECTOR

“I love making connections with each client to understand how they want to live, so we can elevate their ideas to the highest level. Having an understanding of architecture and art is an important foundation for meaningful interior design and when we see a project through — both the architecture and the decoration — we’re able to create something truly special for our clients.”

It was Interiors STUDIO Director Jahlay Rae’s deep-seated interest in art that led her to architecture and interior design. After graduating with her Bachelor of Arts in Art History with a concentration in architecture from New York University, she worked in art galleries and as an art buyer, honing her eye and developing her traditionally informed aesthetic. It was during this time that she decided to pursue a career in interiors, and after getting a second degree from the New York School of Interior Design, she worked at a number of prestigious firms in Manhattan and Brooklyn. 

She joined Schafer & Co, then G. P. Schafer Architect, in 2008, and in the years since, has worked hand-in-hand with Gil leading the interior design of a number of the firm’s major, award-winning projects, including our New Residence in Southern Georgia, a Family Compound in Coastal Maine, and our design of the The American Boat House.

Jahlay’s passion for art and architecture informs all of her work. “One of my favorite parts of a project is helping clients with art and antiques. Sometimes that means incorporating a client’s existing furniture, and sometimes it’s helping them find completely new, or new-to-them, pieces. In both cases, their personality guides the process as we strive to make each house a reflection of the people who live there.”

Jahlay lives in Maplewood, New Jersey, with her husband and their rescue dog. They often travel with their college-age son, and during weekends at home, Jahlay can be found taking in museums and art exhibitions in New York City.