As the founder of Gilded, Annika Stacey didn’t set out to make just another coffee table book. She set out to create something that mattered.
After moving into a new home, she placed a handcrafted oak table, built by her father-in-law, at the center of her space. As she searched for a book to place on top of it, she realized something was missing. That moment became the foundation for Gilded, a brand built on the idea that home décor should be both aesthetic and intentional.
“I wanted something that was beautiful and meaningful, but I couldn’t find anything,” she said.
Today, she is building on that realization through the Master of Business Creation (MBC) program at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business.
Before launching Gilded, Stacey spent nearly a decade working as a wedding and elopement photographer, traveling around the world capturing intimate, emotional moments and documenting some of the most significant experiences in people’s lives. That background shapes how she thinks about storytelling and visual experience — it’s not just about what something looks like, but how it resonates.
She brought that same philosophy into Gilded, creating coffee table books designed to be more than decorative pieces. Each book is intentionally designed to stand on its own as both an art piece and a reflection of the space it lives in.
“Gilded provides luxury coffee table books and prints that are aesthetically pleasing on the outside and meaningful on the inside,” Stacey said.
Unlike traditional coffee table books, Gilded’s products contain no text, just images designed to let people slow down and connect with what they see.
“I wanted people to go on an immersive journey with the art,” Stacey said, “not feel distracted by filler text or things they weren’t actually going to read.”
Rather than creating décor simply to fill space, Stacey aims to help people curate environments that reflect what they value.
Her core audience reflects that mindset: individuals who care about both aesthetics and depth, and who want their homes to feel intentional, not just attractive, but also personal and thoughtfully curated.
“I think it’s really about helping people slow down and enjoy moments of life that are fleeting and special,” she said.
As the business grows, Stacey is focused on expanding Gilded’s reach while staying true to its purpose and continuing to refine the brand’s direction. Her long-term goals include bringing products into brick-and-mortar stores and continuing to develop new collections and collaborations with other artists.
Joining the MBC program marked a shift in how Stacey approaches her business. Where she once relied on instinct, she is now guided by more intentional decision-making.
With a background in photography and psychology, she approaches her work with a more analytical mindset, treating growth as something to test, refine, and build over time.
For Stacey, Gilded is about more than beautiful objects. It’s about curating a space that reflects what matters to the people who live in it — made with intention, and built to last.
“I really want to use Gilded to embrace the parts of life that are the most meaningful,” she said. “Even if it means building at a slower pace, I’m not willing to sacrifice what matters most.”
Discover Gilded’s collections at gildedonline.com.
