12 FEBRUARY 2026 | INTHEVUE.COM DJ Riley, designer and owner of OH!Riley’s Design Service, and Sonia Travis, artist and partner in Just Paint, are a mother–daughter duo whose professional partnership spans more than 35 years. Their journey together began naturally, rooted in family and a shared love for creativity. DJ’s passion for bringing beautiful, functional products and services into thoughtfully designed spaces first took shape through Lyon’s Interiors and later evolved into OH!Riley’s. Throughout that evolution, Sonia worked alongside her mother as her trusted right hand. What started in retail design grew into a deeply collaborative process of transforming homes, a labor of love that continues to this day. When asked about the key to their successful partnership, their answer is delivered with humor and truth: “Never argue with your mother.” Beneath the laughter lies a foundation of deep respect for one another and an appreciation for their individual talents. That respect allows them to work seamlessly together, even after decades side by side. Each brings distinct strengths that complement the other beautifully. With more than four decades of experience as an interior designer, DJ’s gift lies in vision, intuition, and an immediate understanding of a space’s potential. She instinctively sees how color, texture, proportion, and light can come together to create rooms that are both elegant and livable. Sonia, as the owner of a painting company and a fine artist, contributes craftsmanship, precision, and an exceptional eye for detail. Her versatility shines through custom finishes, murals, and her portrait and landscape work - especially her beloved pet portraits. Together, they balance big-picture vision with hands-on execution, blending experience with fresh perspective. Over the years, they’ve learned invaluable lessons from one another. Sonia credits her mother with teaching her patience, confidence, and the importance of trusting her instincts. DJ, in turn, has learned adaptability and openness from her daughter, a reminder that creativity and learning never stop. Above all, they’ve learned that mutual respect is the cornerstone of any lasting partnership. Their shared dream is to continue building a family legacy rooted in creativity, craftsmanship, and passion for meaningful work. By choosing projects that inspire them and traveling the world together for fresh perspective, DJ and Sonia prove that purpose-driven work, connection, and joy can thrive at every stage of life. DJ RILEY SoniaTRAVIS & Designer & Owner of OH!Riley’s Design Service & Artist & Partner of Just Paint Is there an iconic duo you relate to? “If we had to choose an iconic duo, we’d say we’re more Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci than any traditional pop-culture pair. Both creative, both masters in our own right, but with very different approaches. One of us is rooted in classical training, deep experience, and timeless design principles. The other brings a more hands-on, expressive, and exper- imental style, unafraid of color, texture, and new techniques. We continue learning from each other, staying inspired, and evolving together. It’s a partnership built not on matching styles, but on complementary strengths and a shared belief that great work should feel personal, meaningful, and made to last.”
