The Founder of Seriatim: Sonya Weisshappel

Back in 1979, my whole family and I went to the King Tut exhibit in San Francisco. The exhibit, of course, was unbelievably exciting and awe-inspiring. The intricacy, delicacy, and sheer magnitude of the objects was utterly fascinating. Every single object had jewels and gold (not exactly an Ikea store). Since there weren’t any phones to easily take pictures, I drew a little alabaster perfume pot to admire after the exhibit.

After seeing the exhibit, my family and I were standing around outside, marveling at what we saw and remarking how interesting it was that King Tut was buried with so many objects. As a precocious nine-year-old, I said to my mother, father, aunt, and uncle: “Well, if he took his stuff with him, why can we still see all of it?”

This memory crystallized something for me: It opened my eyes to the emotional value of treasured objects. Since then, I’ve been fascinated with the idea that objects tell a story, and that no amount of fame or status—or in this case, royalty—means that you can take your things with you after you’re gone; you, or your spouse, or your kids, are going to need to deal with stuff. Why wait?

It’s this lesson that propelled me forward into creating the company I own today, Seriatim.

I grew up moving consistently on account of my father’s employment with the United States Air Force. I moved nine times before landing in New York City, where my family lived in temporary housing while our new apartment underwent renovation. Shortly after the move into our renovated home on the Upper West Side, my father became terminally ill and passed away. I was only 13 years old.

These events served as the catalyst for the eventual creation of Seriatim, which I founded in 1999 on the belief that no one should ever have to face a difficult life transition alone. I understand how people relate to spaces, and I have the staff and resources to bring harmony into people’s homes and workplaces. Whether you live in a one-bedroom apartment, or a mansion, whether you work in a corporate office or manufacturing warehouse, Seriatim can step in and create harmony for you.