Paul Aferiat attended Carnegie Mellon University, where he received his Bachelor of Architecturein 1975. He began his architectural training in the offices of Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer and Giorgio Cavalieri. He later worked in the offices of Richard Meier and Partners Architects as well as Gwathmey Siegel and Associates.
Peter Stamberg attended Columbia University, Rhode Island School of Design and the Architectural Association of London Graduate School of Architecture. He began his architectural training in the offices of Davis Brody and Associates.
In 1976 the two architects began to collaborate on projects of their own. The pair collaborated for 13 years before officially establishing Stamberg Aferiat Architecture in 1989. Citing Luis Barragan as a major source of inspiration, the firm is known for using bold colors on top of modern compositions.
This love of color is evident in the Salsa Lounge collection, designed for Knoll in 1994. The collection was created with the intention of bringing whimsy and flexibility to whatever space it inhabited. With several shelf options that mount to the arms of the chairs, Salsa makes use of natural wood and brightly colored accents to create a uniquely practical piece of modern art.