Women in Design: Lisa Kanning

THE TRANSPORTER: Lisa Kanning, Interior Designer, Worth Interiors, Avon & Denver, CO

Do you play by the design “rules” or do you like to break them?
The beauty of designing today is that there are very few rules that can’t be broken (proportion is the exception). I used to think that everything had to be perfect and exact, but as I’ve evolved as a designer, I’ve learned to throw in something that’s a bit ‘off.’ When I’m working within a certain period, I think that breaking the rules is key, so, for example, I might add a modern Lucite piece to a 19th-century antique interior. Nearly all periods of furniture can be thoughtfully mixed as long as the items are of similar scale. It makes a space look more real and not so “designery.”  

Each one of your designs takes us to a new place.  Tell us about some of the places that inspire your designs.
Traveling is a big part of what I do and I think it’s the key to being a good designer. I may see the same piece of furniture that I’ve seen here in Colorado, but when I see it in a fresh new context, say in a restaurant in New York City, that can be really inspiring.

Greece is always inspiring. The simplest revelation to be gleaned whilst island-hopping in the Cyclades is that the color white has such strength. It’s amazing how the white stucco structures can provide such contrast against the muted tones of the earth. And when you put stark white against the blue waters of the Aegean, they seem to totally be on the same level — one is totally devoid of color and the other so saturated in color, yet they are equally intense. I have since used white as an accent color in my interiors; it works especially well in accessories. The contrast of a gleaming white vessel surrounded by a warm field of fabrics and furnishings can be very eye-catching, yet not overpowering.  

What’s the most inspiring thing you’ve seen lately?
The new Acropolis Museum in Athens, Greece. It epitomizes the beauty in the relationship between extreme opposites. The museum is an ultra-modern concrete-and-glass structure that’s surrounded by ancient ruins. You can look through its massive steel-framed windows and see the Parthenon in the near distance, and the floor on the ground level is constructed of glass so you can see the excavation of a recently discovered archeological site below you. The severe juxtaposition of design materials from past and present is brilliant. 

What color are you just itching to use?
Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of a deep purple—a rich aubergine color—and I’ve been dying to use that mixed with more taupey, beigy neutrals. I recently began working with a client whose primary residence is in London, and I’m going to use the color in her Vail home. We’ll keep the furniture neutral and add the accent color in the accessories. That way, it’s easy to switch out the color if the client gets tired of it or wants to move on. That’s the key to a timeless design.  

Do you have a secret design resource you’re willing to share?
There’s a great Web site called Decorati.com that’s my one-stop, go-to place. It showcases all of the best home furnishings lines. Say you’re looking for a lounge chair. You type in “lounge chair” and you’ll get 10 pages of results. Then you can easily search to find where a specific chair is available in your area. It makes my life so easy.