After 15 years of building a trusted name in kitchen and bath design in Basking Ridge, TrueLeaf Kitchens is entering a new chapter under the ownership of Warren residents Raquel Stein and Gustavo Araujo, a husband-and-wife team bringing together design expertise, business leadership and a shared belief that a successful renovation should be as thoughtfully managed as it is beautifully designed.
For Stein, the transition into TrueLeaf is a natural extension of a career spanning more than 15 years in interiors, furniture and residential renovation. Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, her passion for design took shape while living in London, where she studied interior design and became immersed in the city’s architecture, interiors and international design culture. That experience helped shape the perspective she later brought back to São Paulo, where she built her career in the luxury furniture and design industry before eventually moving to the United States and establishing Raquel Stein Design, her Millburn-based interior design studio.
Her work goes beyond selecting finishes. Stein is known for rethinking layouts, understanding the realities of construction and creating highly detailed designs intended not simply to look beautiful in a rendering, but to work in real life.
“I believe good design starts with understanding how people actually live,” Stein says. “A beautiful kitchen means very little if it doesn’t function for the family using it every day. We think about the layout, the construction, the materials and all the small details that make the space easier and better to live in.”
Araujo brings a strong financial and business background to TrueLeaf. With an MBA in Finance and years of experience working for multinational companies, he brings a corporate perspective to the company’s operations, financial planning and long-term growth strategy. His focus is on creating efficient processes, maintaining transparency and ensuring clients experience clear, consistent communication from the first consultation through the completion of their project. Together, the couple saw an opportunity to build upon TrueLeaf’s established reputation while expanding what the company can offer its clients.
“We didn’t buy TrueLeaf because we wanted to change what made it successful,” Araujo says. “We saw a company with a strong foundation and an opportunity to take it further combining that history with Raquel’s design and construction experience and a very organized, transparent approach to remodeling.”
Their vision is to make TrueLeaf more than a cabinetry showroom. They want it to be a place where homeowners can bring an idea or even uncertainty about where to begin and leave with a complete, carefully considered plan for their kitchen, bathroom or custom millwork project.
For Stein, that distinction is important. “There can be a big gap between designing something and knowing how it will actually be built,” she says. “Our approach is grounded in real projects. We design with execution in mind from the beginning, so the client understands not only what their space will look like, but how we are going to get there.”
That philosophy extends to the entire experience. Stein leads the creative vision and design direction, while Araujo helps oversee the business, operations and client journey. Together, they are building TrueLeaf around three principles: exceptional design, realistic execution and a client experience built on trust.
“We want people to feel that somebody is truly taking responsibility for their project,” Stein says. “Renovating a home is a major investment. Our job is to bring creativity and expertise, but also to make the process clearer, more organized and less overwhelming for the client.”
When not helping people reimagine their homes, the couple enjoys being active, whether it is working out at Life Time or spending time with their children — Emilia, 4, Matheus, 10, and Nicolas, 11 — at the park. “They love animals, so we like to go to Turtle Back Zoo,” Araujo says.
They also give back to their community in a variety of ways, including being a sponsor for The Ross Farm and supporting Saint James Church, Ridge High School, and Faith And Family in Basking Ridge.
“We love living in Warren. It’s close to the airport, close to New York,” Stein says. “The mountain is beautiful with all the trees; it feels like we are living in a small town.” Start re-imagining your home at trueleafkitchens.com.
“There can be a big gap between designing something and knowing how it will actually be built,” —Raquel Stein.