Meet Lisa Sokol

Question 1: What types of spaces do you enjoy designing the most, and why do they resonate with you?

One of my favorite spaces to design is a foyer or front entry hall. It’s the first impression of the home and the best opportunity to set the tone. I’m a maximalist, so a foyer allows for creativity and layering, but it should also reflect the personality of the family. It’s a space that deserves to feel special.

Question 2: Is there a moment or project earlier in your career that shaped the way you design today?
Yes. When I still had a business partner—she retired a few years ago—we completed a full construction project in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, around 2008 or 2009. We designed the entire home from start to finish. The client gave us a lot of creative freedom and wasn’t afraid of color or bold ideas. We intentionally avoided a traditional beach-house look and instead created something more glamorous and unexpected. That project pushed me creatively, and when I look at it today, it still feels relevant. I wouldn’t
change a thing. And that client is still with us today.

Question 3: How did that experience shape the way you design today?

It taught me to trust myself and to take risks—smart risks—with confidence. The rewards were significant, and I realized that pushing boundaries is often worth it. That project gave me permission to fully embrace layering, color, texture, and mixing periods in furniture and art. Without it, I think I would have held back more.

Question 4: When approaching a family-focused space like a game or card room, what qualities matter most to you in the design process?

It really depends on how the room will be used. For this particular client, the room was designed specifically for canasta. We knew it would be a social space for women, so it needed to feel feminine, comfortable, and inviting, with the table as the focal point. At the same time, we wanted the room to have personality—a space you’d want to linger in, surrounded by beautiful things.

Question 5: Your game room with Dover Blossom and Stratford Petal has such a joyful, collected feel. What drew you to those two Elliston House patterns for this project?

We wanted a subtle English influence paired with a feminine color palette. Both patterns have a tight repeat that feels traditional, almost like an old English home, but with a modern edge. They were exactly the right tone and scale for the house.

Question 6: The mix of wallpaper and drapery plays such a big role in the room’s personality. How do you think about pairing scale, color, and pattern?

If I’m not using the same pattern on both wallpaper and fabric, I like to create contrast—tight repeat against something with more negative space or a larger-scale geometric. I love layering patterns, but they have to make sense together. These two patterns complement each other beautifully. We also spend a lot of time viewing combinations in different light and contexts—on walls, floors, and in the space itself—before making final decisions.

Question 7: What first sparked your love for interiors, and how has that passion evolved throughout your career?
I grew up around beautiful interiors and art. In college, I worked at Sotheby’s, where I was exposed to remarkable homes through estate work and appraisals. In my early twenties, I opened an antique shop, which deepened my interest in helping people shape their interiors through meaningful pieces. Design has always been part of my life.

Question 8: Outside of this project, how do you encourage clients to embrace color and print with confidence in their own homes?
Honestly, most clients who hire me already know what they’re getting. My love for color and pattern is well
established, so there’s usually very little convincing required.

Final Question: When you look back at the finished game room, what detail—big or small—feels most like you as a designer?
It’s the collective effect. I’m not about one statement piece—I’m about layers. I dress in layers, I design in
layers, and that philosophy shows in the room. The patterned carpet, the custom Studio Four rug with
lavender tones, the Elliston House wallpapers, the Alex Conroy fabric on the chairs, and the lacquered
ceiling all work together. It just makes sense, and it feels very me.

Thank you, Lisa, for chatting with us and sharing thoughts and processes about all the things! We love how you designed using our textiles and cannot wait to see what you do in the future!