30 Years of Artistry, and We're Just Getting Started
Thirty years ago, Segreto began as something deeply personal. It was rooted in the love of art, architecture, design, people and home. I believed then, as I do now, that finishes can do far more than cover a surface. They can transform a space, tell a story, and bring soul into the places where life unfolds.
PLASTER, GOLD LEAF SCULPTED BUTTERFLY
I did not arrive at this work through a traditional fine arts or design path. After earning a business degree, I began my career in corporate America, working across marketing, sales, and management.
MURAL | MELANIE AUSTIN INTERIORS | KERRY KIRK PHOTOGRAPHY
Still, imagination was always present-quiet, constant, and hard to ignore. What started as curiosity slowly became a commitment to creating beauty that endures, shaped by craft, intention, and time.
PLASTER | ELEANOR CUMMINGS | ROBERT DAME DESIGNS | MEMORIAL BUILDERS INC. | WADE BLISSARD PHOTOGRAPHY
From an early age, I explored making instinctively-building playhouses and furniture for my dolls and later for my children, constructing forts with architectural details, crafting and painting furniture, and illustrating and writing stories.
WOOD CEILING | MEG LONERGAN INTERIORS | TOM WILSON & ASSOCIATES | PINTAIL CONSTRUCTION | PÄR BENGTSSON PHOTOGRAPHY
At the time, they felt like small acts of imagination. In retrospect, they were early expressions of a lifelong curiosity about space and texture.
PLASTER, PAINTED FLOORS | CREATIVE TONIC DESIGN | ERIN STETZER HOMES | NEWBERRY ARCHITECTURE | JULIE SOEFER PHOTOGRAPHY
I began at a small worktable in my garage, mixing colors and experimenting with plaster. What started as a passionate hobby-an intuitive exploration of materials, color, and form-slowly grew into something more. I couldn’t have known then that those early experiments would go on to shape my life’s work, or the lives of so many who would eventually work alongside me.
While the work began with materials, it was always shaped by people. Growing up in a family-owned restaurant business taught me early on the importance of showing up, serving people well, and creating experiences that bring joy and leave a lasting impression.
PLASTER | KARA CHILDRESS INTERIOR ATELIER | SHELTON BUILDERS INC.
In those early years, Segreto grew alongside my family. Job sites often doubled as lessons in creativity, hard work, and possibility, and work and life were naturally intertwined. Throughout it all, my husband was an unwavering partner-supporting the business while fully showing up for our family and helping make it possible for both to grow together.
GOLD LEAF, DECORATIVE PAINTING | NICOLAS VINCENT DESIGN | ALLAN EDWARDS BUILDER INC. | DOUGLAS FRIEDMAN PHOTOGRAPHY
I wasn’t alone in spreading the word. The other Leslie-“Little Lee,” as we called her-went from job site to job site with me, telling anyone who would listen what we were building and why it mattered, helping introduce Segreto to designers, builders, and homeowners along the way.
PLASTER, SCULPTURAL RELIEF | LADCO RESORT DESIGN GROUP | DILLON KYLE ARCHITECTS | DL DOYLE CONSTRUCTION | KERRY KIRK PHOTOGRAPHY
Designers began calling. Homeowners invited us into their spaces. Trust was built, project by project. With that trust, Segreto grew into a community of artisans, designers, and collaborators whose work now reaches homes across the country.
CABINET GLAZING | LUCAS/EILERS DESIGN ASSOCIATES LLP | K&C CLASSIC HOMES | JULIE SOEFER PHOTOGRAPHY
Segreto has never been built by one set of hands. Over the years, so many people have shaped this work-some for five years, others for ten, fifteen, twenty, even twenty-five. Many have built their entire careers here, growing alongside the company and leaving their mark on everything we do. Their talent, dedication, and shared values are the foundation of Segreto, and this story belongs to all of them.
AGED WOOD FINISH
Some of the most pivotal moments in our history came from listening closely and trusting our instincts. Twenty years ago, I was asked to faux finish the walls of a home built from reclaimed stone and aged wood. At the time, my work relied on traditional faux finishing techniques-sponges, rags, and layered effects. Standing in that space, I realized that approach would feel wrong. The walls demanded something different: subtle, tactile, timeless.
I shared this vision with the homeowners and design team, and in a leap of faith, they agreed. They trusted me to figure it out.
PLASTER | GINGER BARBER INTERIOR DESIGN | TOM WILSON & ASSOCIATES | SOUTHAMPTON GROUP | WADE BLISSARD PHOTOGRAPHY
That single act of faith changed everything. Around that time, I sought out Marion-an old-school plasterer I came to think of as my angel. He became a mentor, generously sharing the traditions and techniques of the past, which I began to build upon and reinterpret for the future. Through research, experimentation, and travel, I immersed myself in historic plaster techniques and reimagined them for modern homes. I fell in love with the art of plaster.
PLASTER FLUTING | ASHTON TAYLOR INTERIORS | DAVID JAMES CUSTOM BUILDER | GORDON PARTNERS DESIGN | LISA PETROLE PHOTOGRAPHY
That project redefined Segreto’s identity and laid the foundation for the plaster work that has become our hallmark. As the work grew, we explored additional plaster traditions and eventually began developing products of our own.
PLASTER | BAILEY VERMILLION INTERIORS | NEWBERRY ARCHITECTURE | GOODCHILD CUSTOM HOMES | KERRY KIRK PHOTOGRAPHY
While we love installing our finishes, we’re equally inspired by materials from across the globe. Over time, we came to see ourselves as guides-helping clients choose the right product for their space, one that aligns with the architecture and creates the mood, feeling, and durability they want to live with over time.
PLASTER | GARRETT HUNTER | MICHAEL T. LANDRUM INC. | MORRIS HULLINGER DESIGN BUILD | PÄR BENGTSSON PHOTOGRAPHY
The book series grew from my love of sharing and learning-a desire to educate, celebrate the designers and builders we admire, and give voice to the artistry behind finishes. Self-publishing became its own creative journey, allowing me to explore ideas, research deeply, and tell these stories in my own way.
One book became two, and eventually five. The response from readers-and the pride I feel in my team’s work-has been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey.
Our work moved beyond the walls when my daughter Kirby’s love of furniture design opened a new path. Through collaboration and curiosity, we began exploring how those ideas could be shaped in plaster-slowly translating imagination into furniture, lighting, and mantels.
SEGRETOSTONE™ TABLE | MARIE FLANIGAN INTERIORS | KERRY KIRK PHOTOGRAPHY
From that exploration came SegretoStone™, an emulsified limestone made into a workable putty and reinforced with fibers, so it cures hard like stone.
SEGRETOSTONE™ BASIN | SLOVAK BASS | MAYBUILT, LLC | JULIE SOEFER PHOTOGRAPHY
More than a material, it opened the door to a new way of working-allowing us to trowel, layer, and shape forms by hand over a variety of substrates, and in doing so, expand our exploration into architectural elements.
PLASTER, SEGRETOSTONE™ MANTEL, SEGRETO PAINT | STUDIO MCGEE | ERIN STETZER HOMES | REGAN & ANDRÉ
With Isai’s guidance-my right hand in building our divisions-and his ability to translate vision into process and material, those early explorations became a lasting part of our work, rooted in centuries-old techniques and shaped by modern technology and hand finished.
PLASTER | LAURA U DESIGN COLLECTIVE | SHELTON BUILDERS
New needs began to surface in quiet, unexpected ways. We found ourselves searching for paint colors that didn’t compete with plaster, but instead allowed a room to be experienced as a whole-where paint supported the architecture, art, and furnishings without calling attention to itself. From that search, the Segreto Palette was born.
It’s been especially meaningful to watch my youngest daughter, Sammy, take part in this division. Using her math-driven approach, she’s helped the line grow by creating formulas that align paint and plaster tones, allowing color to move naturally between the two.
As our creative world expanded, it outgrew the limits of the spaces we were in. The lab came into being not as a single decision, but as a response to need-a place to explore, refine, and push materials further.
A place where ideas were given time, failures were part of learning, and new techniques were shaped through care, patience, and imagination.
A few years later, we expanded again, adding a new production facility and transforming our original warehouse and lab into a showroom.
For the first time, our work could be experienced at scale, offering clients a place to see, touch, and imagine the full range of what we create.
Growth was never about size for us; it was about possibility.
Each new space allowed us to explore more deeply, innovate more intentionally, and build with greater clarity and purpose.
PLASTER SCULPTURE | SARAH WEST & ASSOCIATES
That same spirit of exploration led to the development of new offerings-cove foam moldings, custom vents, and door overlays that subtly reshape a room.
What began as a technical detour became a creative opening, allowing us to work in ways that had never been possible before.
COVE DETAIL, PLASTER | KARA CHILDRESS INTERIOR ATELIER | GOODCHILD CUSTOM HOMES | JULIE SOEFER PHOTOGRAPHY
Through every stage of growth, one thing has remained constant: Segreto has always been about people and their homes.
BRICK SLURRY | WADE BLISSARD PHOTOGRAPHY
From its earliest days as a family-rooted practice, it has grown into a community of artisans who care deeply about their craft and the relationships formed through it.
PLASTER | TRISHA MCGAW
Our clients have become friends, collaborators, and part of our extended Segreto family.
PLASTER, SEGRETO CUPOLA PENDANT | MARIE FLANIGAN INTERIORS | MURPHY MEARS ARCHITECTS | THE SOUTHAMPTON GROUP | JULIE SOEFER PHOTOGRAPHY
Segreto has always been a quiet reminder of what is possible when curiosity is honored, creativity is pursued, and instincts are trusted.
PLASTER, SCULPTURAL RELIEF | LESLIE STRAUSS INTERIORS | FRANKEL DESIGN BUILD | JULIE SOEFER PHOTOGRAPHY
While Segreto has evolved, our values remain steadfast. This journey has never been about the bottom line. It has always been about creating with intention, serving with care, and building something beautiful and meaningful together.
PLASTER, SCULPTURAL RELIEF | WADE BLISSARD PHOTOGRAPHY
With thirty years now behind us, we look forward to what is to come. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to create and grow alongside the most talented and dedicated people I know.
With sincere thanks,
Leslie and the Segreto Team
PLASTER, GOLD LEAF SCULPTED BUTTERFLY
I did not arrive at this work through a traditional fine arts or design path. After earning a business degree, I began my career in corporate America, working across marketing, sales, and management.
MURAL | MELANIE AUSTIN INTERIORS | KERRY KIRK PHOTOGRAPHY
Still, imagination was always present-quiet, constant, and hard to ignore. What started as curiosity slowly became a commitment to creating beauty that endures, shaped by craft, intention, and time.
PLASTER | ELEANOR CUMMINGS | ROBERT DAME DESIGNS | MEMORIAL BUILDERS INC. | WADE BLISSARD PHOTOGRAPHY
From an early age, I explored making instinctively-building playhouses and furniture for my dolls and later for my children, constructing forts with architectural details, crafting and painting furniture, and illustrating and writing stories.
WOOD CEILING | MEG LONERGAN INTERIORS | TOM WILSON & ASSOCIATES | PINTAIL CONSTRUCTION | PÄR BENGTSSON PHOTOGRAPHY
At the time, they felt like small acts of imagination. In retrospect, they were early expressions of a lifelong curiosity about space and texture.
PLASTER, PAINTED FLOORS | CREATIVE TONIC DESIGN | ERIN STETZER HOMES | NEWBERRY ARCHITECTURE | JULIE SOEFER PHOTOGRAPHY
I began at a small worktable in my garage, mixing colors and experimenting with plaster. What started as a passionate hobby-an intuitive exploration of materials, color, and form-slowly grew into something more. I couldn’t have known then that those early experiments would go on to shape my life’s work, or the lives of so many who would eventually work alongside me.
While the work began with materials, it was always shaped by people. Growing up in a family-owned restaurant business taught me early on the importance of showing up, serving people well, and creating experiences that bring joy and leave a lasting impression.
PLASTER | KARA CHILDRESS INTERIOR ATELIER | SHELTON BUILDERS INC.
In those early years, Segreto grew alongside my family. Job sites often doubled as lessons in creativity, hard work, and possibility, and work and life were naturally intertwined. Throughout it all, my husband was an unwavering partner-supporting the business while fully showing up for our family and helping make it possible for both to grow together.
GOLD LEAF, DECORATIVE PAINTING | NICOLAS VINCENT DESIGN | ALLAN EDWARDS BUILDER INC. | DOUGLAS FRIEDMAN PHOTOGRAPHY
I wasn’t alone in spreading the word. The other Leslie-“Little Lee,” as we called her-went from job site to job site with me, telling anyone who would listen what we were building and why it mattered, helping introduce Segreto to designers, builders, and homeowners along the way.
PLASTER, SCULPTURAL RELIEF | LADCO RESORT DESIGN GROUP | DILLON KYLE ARCHITECTS | DL DOYLE CONSTRUCTION | KERRY KIRK PHOTOGRAPHY
Designers began calling. Homeowners invited us into their spaces. Trust was built, project by project. With that trust, Segreto grew into a community of artisans, designers, and collaborators whose work now reaches homes across the country.
CABINET GLAZING | LUCAS/EILERS DESIGN ASSOCIATES LLP | K&C CLASSIC HOMES | JULIE SOEFER PHOTOGRAPHY
Segreto has never been built by one set of hands. Over the years, so many people have shaped this work-some for five years, others for ten, fifteen, twenty, even twenty-five. Many have built their entire careers here, growing alongside the company and leaving their mark on everything we do. Their talent, dedication, and shared values are the foundation of Segreto, and this story belongs to all of them.
AGED WOOD FINISH
Some of the most pivotal moments in our history came from listening closely and trusting our instincts. Twenty years ago, I was asked to faux finish the walls of a home built from reclaimed stone and aged wood. At the time, my work relied on traditional faux finishing techniques-sponges, rags, and layered effects. Standing in that space, I realized that approach would feel wrong. The walls demanded something different: subtle, tactile, timeless.
I shared this vision with the homeowners and design team, and in a leap of faith, they agreed. They trusted me to figure it out.
PLASTER | GINGER BARBER INTERIOR DESIGN | TOM WILSON & ASSOCIATES | SOUTHAMPTON GROUP | WADE BLISSARD PHOTOGRAPHY
That single act of faith changed everything. Around that time, I sought out Marion-an old-school plasterer I came to think of as my angel. He became a mentor, generously sharing the traditions and techniques of the past, which I began to build upon and reinterpret for the future. Through research, experimentation, and travel, I immersed myself in historic plaster techniques and reimagined them for modern homes. I fell in love with the art of plaster.
PLASTER FLUTING | ASHTON TAYLOR INTERIORS | DAVID JAMES CUSTOM BUILDER | GORDON PARTNERS DESIGN | LISA PETROLE PHOTOGRAPHY
That project redefined Segreto’s identity and laid the foundation for the plaster work that has become our hallmark. As the work grew, we explored additional plaster traditions and eventually began developing products of our own.
PLASTER | BAILEY VERMILLION INTERIORS | NEWBERRY ARCHITECTURE | GOODCHILD CUSTOM HOMES | KERRY KIRK PHOTOGRAPHY
While we love installing our finishes, we’re equally inspired by materials from across the globe. Over time, we came to see ourselves as guides-helping clients choose the right product for their space, one that aligns with the architecture and creates the mood, feeling, and durability they want to live with over time.
PLASTER | GARRETT HUNTER | MICHAEL T. LANDRUM INC. | MORRIS HULLINGER DESIGN BUILD | PÄR BENGTSSON PHOTOGRAPHY
The book series grew from my love of sharing and learning-a desire to educate, celebrate the designers and builders we admire, and give voice to the artistry behind finishes. Self-publishing became its own creative journey, allowing me to explore ideas, research deeply, and tell these stories in my own way.
One book became two, and eventually five. The response from readers-and the pride I feel in my team’s work-has been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey.
Our work moved beyond the walls when my daughter Kirby’s love of furniture design opened a new path. Through collaboration and curiosity, we began exploring how those ideas could be shaped in plaster-slowly translating imagination into furniture, lighting, and mantels.
SEGRETOSTONE™ TABLE | MARIE FLANIGAN INTERIORS | KERRY KIRK PHOTOGRAPHY
From that exploration came SegretoStone™, an emulsified limestone made into a workable putty and reinforced with fibers, so it cures hard like stone.
SEGRETOSTONE™ BASIN | SLOVAK BASS | MAYBUILT, LLC | JULIE SOEFER PHOTOGRAPHY
More than a material, it opened the door to a new way of working-allowing us to trowel, layer, and shape forms by hand over a variety of substrates, and in doing so, expand our exploration into architectural elements.
PLASTER, SEGRETOSTONE™ MANTEL, SEGRETO PAINT | STUDIO MCGEE | ERIN STETZER HOMES | REGAN & ANDRÉ
With Isai’s guidance-my right hand in building our divisions-and his ability to translate vision into process and material, those early explorations became a lasting part of our work, rooted in centuries-old techniques and shaped by modern technology and hand finished.
PLASTER | LAURA U DESIGN COLLECTIVE | SHELTON BUILDERS
New needs began to surface in quiet, unexpected ways. We found ourselves searching for paint colors that didn’t compete with plaster, but instead allowed a room to be experienced as a whole-where paint supported the architecture, art, and furnishings without calling attention to itself. From that search, the Segreto Palette was born.
It’s been especially meaningful to watch my youngest daughter, Sammy, take part in this division. Using her math-driven approach, she’s helped the line grow by creating formulas that align paint and plaster tones, allowing color to move naturally between the two.
As our creative world expanded, it outgrew the limits of the spaces we were in. The lab came into being not as a single decision, but as a response to need-a place to explore, refine, and push materials further.
A place where ideas were given time, failures were part of learning, and new techniques were shaped through care, patience, and imagination.
A few years later, we expanded again, adding a new production facility and transforming our original warehouse and lab into a showroom.
For the first time, our work could be experienced at scale, offering clients a place to see, touch, and imagine the full range of what we create.
Growth was never about size for us; it was about possibility.
Each new space allowed us to explore more deeply, innovate more intentionally, and build with greater clarity and purpose.
PLASTER SCULPTURE | SARAH WEST & ASSOCIATES
That same spirit of exploration led to the development of new offerings-cove foam moldings, custom vents, and door overlays that subtly reshape a room.
What began as a technical detour became a creative opening, allowing us to work in ways that had never been possible before.
COVE DETAIL, PLASTER | KARA CHILDRESS INTERIOR ATELIER | GOODCHILD CUSTOM HOMES | JULIE SOEFER PHOTOGRAPHY
Through every stage of growth, one thing has remained constant: Segreto has always been about people and their homes.
BRICK SLURRY | WADE BLISSARD PHOTOGRAPHY
From its earliest days as a family-rooted practice, it has grown into a community of artisans who care deeply about their craft and the relationships formed through it.
PLASTER | TRISHA MCGAW
Our clients have become friends, collaborators, and part of our extended Segreto family.
PLASTER, SEGRETO CUPOLA PENDANT | MARIE FLANIGAN INTERIORS | MURPHY MEARS ARCHITECTS | THE SOUTHAMPTON GROUP | JULIE SOEFER PHOTOGRAPHY
Segreto has always been a quiet reminder of what is possible when curiosity is honored, creativity is pursued, and instincts are trusted.
PLASTER, SCULPTURAL RELIEF | LESLIE STRAUSS INTERIORS | FRANKEL DESIGN BUILD | JULIE SOEFER PHOTOGRAPHY
While Segreto has evolved, our values remain steadfast. This journey has never been about the bottom line. It has always been about creating with intention, serving with care, and building something beautiful and meaningful together.
PLASTER, SCULPTURAL RELIEF | WADE BLISSARD PHOTOGRAPHY
With thirty years now behind us, we look forward to what is to come. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to create and grow alongside the most talented and dedicated people I know.
With sincere thanks,
Leslie and the Segreto Team
