V*Starr is the physical manifestation of the creative energy that surges through Venus Williams. In 2002, at one of the busiest points in her tennis career, Venus became a Licensed Interior Decorator and founded V*Starr, a full-service residential and commercial design firm.

It is a small but growing company and Venus finds herself wearing many different hats: business development, management, and, of course, overseeing the design. Formerly a residential-focused firm, V*Starr began designing for commercial clients in 2011 and has created spaces for Howard University in Wash. D.C., Buffalo State College in New York, and the chain of Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts.

The principles of V*Starr closely mirror Venus’ own creative ethos: to develop striking yet functional spaces that serve the needs of the client while taking their breath away. It merges practicality with playfulness, business with pleasure.

Venus maintains a “boots on the ground” approach to design, and is hands-on from the drawing board to execution. Ideally, she prefers to generate creative strategies while in the same room with her team. If the logistics of her professional tennis career make that difficult at times, the highly qualified V*Starr staff will confer with Venus and, using her guidance, develop a direction for the project that is loyal to the V*Starr philosophy.

“I love design,” says Venus. ““It is a lot of work, but if I could, I would be involved in all kinds of design.”