The Story Behind The Green Room
Photographed by Photos by Milestone
By Tianna DeNunzio, Founder & Editor
There has always been something about the coast that I love.
Not just the ocean itself, but the way creative people seem to interpret it. Every artist sees the shoreline a little differently. Some paint bright umbrellas and striped beach chairs. Others are drawn to marshes, weathered docks, tropical botanicals, or the movement and energy of the waves. No two perspectives are ever the same, and that's what fascinates me.
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The Green Room didn't actually begin as a publication.
It started as a small online home décor shop. I quickly realized it wasn't the right fit, so I went back to the drawing board. I spent a lot of time brainstorming what The Green Room could become until I remembered something that had always been part of my family's story.
Back in the 1970s, my family owned an art gallery where they created beautiful reproductions of artwork. That memory sparked an entirely new direction, and The Green Room evolved into an online gallery celebrating artists.
As I got to know more artists, I noticed a pattern.
There were so many incredibly talented people creating beautiful work, but not enough people were seeing it.
Visibility Matters.
Photographed by Photos by Milestone
The more people who discover an artist's work, the more opportunities they have to grow their business. Yet getting featured in magazines and publications can be difficult, especially for emerging artists.
That's when everything clicked.
I realized I didn't just want to showcase artwork. I wanted to create more opportunities for artists to be discovered, build credibility, and confidently say, "I've been published."
That single feature can become part of an artist's portfolio forever. It can be shared with collectors, galleries, interior designers, and future clients. More importantly, it helps introduce their work to readers who may have never found them otherwise.
As The Green Room continued to grow, I also realized there was one part of the traditional gallery model that no longer felt right for me.
Many galleries earn a commission when artwork sells, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. It's how galleries have operated for generations.
But I kept thinking about the artists.
I wanted them to keep every dollar from the sales they worked so hard to earn.
So I shifted my business once again.
Today, The Green Room doesn't represent artists or take commissions from their work.
Instead, we do what we love most:
We tell their stories.
We introduce them to new audiences.
We celebrate their creativity.
And if someone falls in love with their work because of a story we shared, every sale belongs entirely to the artist.
That's exactly how I want it.
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Through our seasonal magazine, coffee table books, and now The Green Room Journal, my hope is to introduce readers to creatives whose work deserves to be discovered while creating a publication they're proud to be part of.
One of my favorite parts of publishing is seeing connections happen naturally.
Someone discovers a new painter.
A designer finds artwork for a client's home.
A reader is inspired to create something of their own.
An artist feels seen.
Those moments remind me why this publication exists.
The Journal is the newest chapter of that vision.
Unlike our seasonal magazine, which arrives only a few times each year, The Green Room Journal allows us to continue sharing stories all year long. Here you'll find artist interviews, studio visits, interior inspiration, behind-the-scenes looks at our publication, and conversations with creatives who are shaping the coastal world in thoughtful ways.
Every story published here is thoughtfully curated because that's what makes a publication feel meaningful.
Every issue and every Journal article is built one story at a time, with careful consideration for how each feature contributes to the larger collection.
We believe there is room to celebrate countless artists, designers, and creative businesses. Every editorial decision is simply about finding the right fit for the story we're telling.
If you've made it this far, thank you.
It means you're someone who believes artists deserve to be seen, stories deserve to be shared, and creativity is worth celebrating.
I couldn't be happier to have you here.
Welcome to The Green Room at 831.
Photography by @katieonthecoast
Tianna DeNunzio
Founder & Editor
The Green Room at 831
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Continue Reading
A Letter from the Editor
Meet Our Featured Artists