Franca4design Offers Creative Spark for Our Clients

Growing up, Franca Conway had a creative aunt who lived in New York City and worked in fashion design, traveling throughout Europe to assist with runway shows. She also renovated her own four-story Brooklyn brownstone. 

Franca was inspired by her aunt’s sophistication and artistry, so in college, she took drafting, drawing, and art history classes, loving it all. She was also good at math, science, and geometry, though, and decided to put herself on a path to succeed economically, graduating with a bachelor’s in management information systems.

For almost 19 years, Franca worked in big tech in management and consulting, but her passion for interior design and a desire for creative freedom won out, and, in February 2021, she took the leap to become an entrepreneur. 

“I wanted the chance to work closely with clients and build more meaningful relationships than I could in the corporate world,” she says. “I went down the path of interior design.”

Combining forces with Laplante Construction

Long before Franca made the shift, we built a home for her in East Longmeadow in 2004. She was traveling extensively then and wasn’t involved much in the design of her home. Over the years, she helped friends with their renovations and the interior design of their homes. Then she built a new home in Longmeadow with us in 2016. 

Bill Laplante, our president, was impressed with the creative touches Franca brought to the design and asked if he could return after the build was complete to take photos. “Bill was always an advocate for me to go into this business,” Franca says. “He told me, ‘You can definitely do this.’ He was supportive and helpful.”

When Franca4design launched in Longmeadow in 2021, customers of ours who were gearing up to build a home saw the photos Bill had taken of Franca’s kitchen, which also featured cabinetry by Vartanian Custom Cabinets. They hired Franca to assist with their home’s finish selections. 

And so began a nice partnership that continues still.

“Leaving the structured, hierarchical tech world for entrepreneurship has given me the opportunity to shape every detail of my work, define my own aesthetic priorities, and build meaningful relationships with clients,” Franca says. “I’m inspired by how interior design merges artistry with practical problem-solving, transforming ideas into beautiful, functional spaces while allowing my skills to continually evolve.”

Bringing clients’ ideas to life

Franca’s focus is on interior design and decor for renovations and new construction projects throughout the New England area. She helps clients bring their ideas to life by selecting the details that make a house feel like home—paint colors, wood stains, wallpaper, plumbing fixtures, lighting, cabinet hardware, tile, decorative accents, and fabric choices for window treatments. 

She loves blending elements from different eras and repurposing clients’ existing pieces in fresh ways when designing their spaces. 

“Many clients know the look they want but need guidance to visualize and pull the concept together,” she says. “My process includes creating custom, scaled design renderings, concept boards, and detailed room layouts, along with 3D furniture plans featuring curated furnishings.”

She always comes prepared with finish samples to help clients see and feel the creativity. 

For people who live outside Franca’s service area, she creates eDesigns and works remotely, creating detailed vision boards and curated shopping lists so clients can confidently implement the design on their own.

“Every client is completely unique, with their own story, taste, and inspiration to uncover,” Franca says. “I take time to truly listen to what excites them, then think, research, and imagine the perfect piece, color, or trim detail that will bring their style to life.”

A creative partnership

So far, Franca and Laplante Construction have partnered on eight projects. 

She has helped our clients choose countless finish selections, including all of the usuals—paint and stain colors, wallpaper, lights, plumbing fixtures, and fabrics—as well as exterior brick work and doors.

Because she gets involved early on in a project, Franca can collaborate with the Laplante team during the design phase and then work closely with subcontractors, including framers, roofers, finish carpenters, and plumbing crews as a home is being built. 

“I’ve learned so much from the tradespeople,” she says. “They gave me a deeper appreciation for their craft and ultimately made me a better designer.”

Franca also appreciates the level of customer service Laplante provides, and their collegiate, respectful relationships with everyone involved in a project. She says the Laplante team is genuinely passionate about what they do, standing by their work and always striving to do what’s best for the client. 

“As designers, we often bring imaginative ideas and bold visions to the table, and Laplante is always open to exploring those possibilities without overpromising feasibility,” she says. “When a design option isn’t within budget or timeline, they go the extra mile to collaborate with both the designer and the client to find creative, practical alternatives.”

She adds, “They’re really nice. They’re amazing.” 

Find Franca at Franca4design.com.