When Donna Mathis, Founder of Haven Design Works, invited Lisa Giles to join her as Director of Design when Donna started her new company in 2013, the two professionals had already worked together for more than seven years.
“I first met Donna one year after graduating with a degree in Interior Design from the University of Georgia,” notes Lisa. “While working together, I learned a lot from her, especially in the specialized area of designing for model homes. We are a good match.”
After a brief interruption when she worked as an interior designer for high-end residential clients in the Atlanta area, Lisa and Donna combined forces and are currently working on interior design projects in Charlotte, Charleston, Atlanta and Tampa. Haven Design Works will soon start working with a homebuilder in Washington, DC.
“We do quite a bit of travel. There is clearly an increase in demand for our services, now that builders are again starting new construction,” according to Lisa.
“I enjoy the challenge of designing a model home. After getting the basic direction, demographic information and budget from the builder, I have a lot of freedom to design the right environment to inspire potential homebuyers. I love to create my vision.”
Lisa gets her inspiration from many different places, and likes to mix different styles and finishes. She is not a fan of furniture sets, but rather prefers to combine vintage and reclaimed pieces with current styles.
“Of course, I do expose myself to new trends as much as possible – and then I get to experiment and design a model that pleases our builders, the real estate agents, and their customers!”
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