About Alex
My name is Alex Pevtsova, and I’m the found and principal designer of Pif. Design Studio. The way I came to found my studio wasn’t exactly a linear path. Growing up I was always drawn to the creative— I was in love with everything art and style. I began rearranging my bedroom furniture every handful of months around age 8, and a short while after, I started refinishing furniture and doing custom drapery and upholstery.
Around the time I started diving deeper into design, I also stumbled into what would the separate world of pole vaulting. It quickly became a whirlwind romance that carried me through junior high, high school, D1 collegiate athletics, and into the post-collegiate world of track & field. This love affair with pole vaulting lasted nearly two decades, and taught me so much about the value of hard work, structure, and overcoming some of life’s most difficult challenges. While my life revolved around sports, I never lost the passion for design, and made every place I inhabited somewhere I’d crave to spend time.
Eventually, when I made the decision to retire from pole vaulting, I found myself wondering what the next step might be. In the interim, I accepted a well-paying job, but found myself unsatisfied. I needed to create, and I needed to be in charge of my future. All the memories of friends and family telling me that I should do interior design as a profession were echoing in my mind. I never took them seriously growing up, but those echos carry extra weight when you find yourself working away miserably day in and day out.
Finally, I took the advice of all my friends and loved ones, and decided that I should follow my heart. Creating has been the only other thing besides pole vaulting for which I’ve had a lifelong passion. Other interests have come and gone, but interior design was always there. Once the decision to pursue interior design was made, I got some schooling on the subject, and launched my studio.
It’s been a wonderful time so far, and I expect the good times to keep on rolling!
MISSION
Driven by a lifelong passion for interior design, I aim to create spaces that feel like art. Through careful listening and interpreting, I guide clients in discovering their personal style, creating designs that are effortless and timeless.
VISION
My vision is to breathe life into spaces by seamlessly blending art and function and transforming spaces into works of art that reflect the individuality of each client. Specializing in historic homes and custom residences, I aim to create a design legacy that defines the greater Phoenix area. Through a collaborative and curious approach, I aspire to become a leading designer on the West Coast, with my work featured in Architectural Digest, inspiring both clients and peers alike.
The story behind the studio name
When it came time to name my business, Pif seemed like the only choice to me. It’s a bit difficult to say, and people often ask me what it means or where I got the name.
The story is simple. I’m a first generation American and Pif is a family name. In my home language, my last name is pronounces like Piftsova, rather than Pevtsova, and that’s where I pulled it from. Everyone back in Russia had the family nickname of Pif, and I wanted to honor those close at heart, but far away.
Pif. Design Studio ( Piif dɪˈzaɪnˈ studiˌoʊ )
PHOENIX | SCOTTSDALE | TEMPE | GLENDALE | PEORIA | CHANDLER GILBERT | QUEEN CREEK | SAN TAN VALLEY