MY DESIGN JOURNEY

From the moment she picked up a paint roller and transformed her college dorm room into a private sanctuary, Lisa Tornell has been driven by a passion for turning spaces into functional, captivating, and deeply personal worlds. It is no coincidence that she went on to spend three decades as a successful film producer, crafting immersive universes of a different kind. For Lisa, the transition from filmmaking to full-time interior design feels entirely natural — both are visual, narrative-driven arts rooted in storytelling.

“A home is where we tell our stories — who we are, where we’ve been, and who we aspire to be,” Lisa says. “Like a great film, the spaces where we sleep, eat, love, and laugh should reflect their protagonists honestly and intuitively, with just a touch of drama and intrigue. Design should never feel cold or impersonal. It is a reflection of life itself: warm, layered, and inviting.”

Lisa holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Harvard University and studied art history in Florence, Italy — her self-described “happy place,” to which she returns annually for inspiration. She lives in New York with her husband and three children and has called the city home for more than two decades. An avid traveler and lifelong learner, Lisa draws design influence from cultures around the world and remains deeply committed to evolving her craft, staying attuned to both emerging trends and timeless design principles.