It’s a rare designer who uses the term “data points” when asked about her sources of inspiration. But Shane Reilly is a rare combination of right-brained creativity (studying art and American history as an undergraduate at Stanford University) and left-brained logic; she got her MBA after putting in a few entry-level years during the dot-com era, then launched Decorati, an online resource connecting designers with product showrooms and potential clients.

With one foot firmly in the tech sector, it’s no surprise that one of Reilly’s biggest clients is Peter Thiel, former PayPal CEO, early investor in Facebook and current president of Clarium Capital, a hedge fund dedicated to supporting the next frontier of technology. According to an article featured on the cover of the February issue of Forbes, the 40-something tech entrepreneur has financially supported a host of unconventional ideas, like life extension, floating colonies and private space travel. Thiel’s 10,000-square-foot San Francisco home is his place of refuge, his headquarters and the site of private events for as many as 200 guests. Read more...