Team

Lisa Kahn in her office Maggie and Max in the doorway of Lisa Kahn Designs

Lisa Kahn, ASID

Lead Designer & CEO

Lisa is the vision and energy behind Lisa Kahn Designs. Starting her design firm in 2000, she hit the ground running, and has never looked back. She sees her work as the creation of interior spaces as sanctuaries – sacred places where we can relax, refresh our spirits and return to the essence of who we are and what is truly important.

JEDI POWER

Balancing tea, scones, and stone samples in one hand whilst carrying on a phone conversation, directing her staff, and dictating a blog post simultaneously.

I AM INSPIRED BY

“The contrast of highly refined beauty against rugged, organic materials and textures. The mountains of Montana, the diamonds of sunlight on the surface of the water. Birds. The amazing music my husband writes. The moon. The alchemy of all this mixed with the personalities of our clients — it’s an exquisite combination.”

MY SANCTUARY IS

“A place where the outside comes inside, where a candle burns in the early dawn as I do my morning writing. The abalone shell holding my collection of beautiful stones and crystals. The orchids and ferns that fill every corner available in my home. It’s a place where I can center, be at ease, and create with abandon.”

MY SECRET OBSESSION

“Where do I begin? Trees. Ribbons. Raw crystal formations. Beautiful pens and blank notebooks. Champagne. Boxes. Forests. Le Labo Santal 26. Piles of books. Celtic knotwork. Caramel.”

Michael Ranucci

Vice President

Michael was the first person Lisa hired to start her firm, and oversees the operational end of every major project. His gift of caring for LKD’s clients and for ensuring every detail is finished to the utmost helps set us apart.

JEDI POWER

Zen-Like Calm in the face of chaos and stirring a martini ne plus ultra.

I AM INSPIRED BY

“Learning the nonverbal vocabulary of what makes a room, a house, an office an exquisite whole. Sensing the subtle art that arises within exquisite design. I also have a very sincere appreciation for the level of detail and the work that go into the creation of such places.”

MY SANCTUARY IS

“I try to make my external space an extension, a manifestation of my inner world. I am a nester by nature, so I want my space orderly, harmonious and soothing. My home and especially my gardens are where I express my creativity and where I’ve made a haven for myself. They’re designed to create an atmosphere of wholeness. I try to take an intuitive, passionate approach to my interiors and gardening – they are an expression of who I am.”

MY SECRET OBSESSION

“My vinyl music collection of jazz standards. I collect recordings of the major artists of the thirties through the sixties, but am particularly delighted to chance upon a rare recording of an obscure artist. That said, there will never be another Ella.”

Philip Allen

Director of Marketing

Philip oversees the marketing efforts of Lisa Kahn Designs, as well as creating the design drawings and managing the office’s IT infrastructure. A lifelong musician and student of creativity, he brings that unique perspective to every challenge.

JEDI POWER

Amazing café lattes and the fact that computers fix themselves in his presence.

I AM INSPIRED BY

“As Lisa’s husband, I am so inspired by seeing what she’s created – not just the amazing spaces she’s designed, but this company she’s made and how it works. I’m fortunate to get to see up close the way she moves with the flow of ideas. She’s created an environment for creating great design, an environment for creating a life surrounded by beauty. That inspires me.”

MY SANCTUARY IS

“My sanctuary is a place engineered to create with abundance. All the tools at hand. The solitude to be alone with our ideas and bring them into something beautiful, and then to have that within a place filled with light, with love. What could be better?”

MY SECRET OBSESSION

“It’s not really a secret, but it IS an obsession: I have loved playing the piano since I was three, and I could get lost for hours at the keyboard. I have a project studio at home where I work on music. That is my sanctum sanctorum.”

Maggie and Max

Design Dogs

DUTIES

Greet everyone boisterously, especially those wearing black. Lick every hand within reach. Fall asleep in the middle of busy walkways. Alert the office to the presence of birds. Keep the area clear of unauthorized sandwiches.