This cozy dining nook pairs vibrant botanical wallpaper with teal leather seating, while oak accents and a geometric pendant add a modern touch.
Andrew Joseph: Style (or design) icon and why?
Lisa Frantz: Iris Apfel is an icon of everything design. She embodies the best of fashion, color, and style. I loved her for her fearlessness and vision. She transcended time and had a staying power that I hope to channel throughout my life.
AJ: What’s a new hobby/skill that you have learned recently?
LF: My newly rediscovered hobby, or “current obsession” according to my family, is tennis. I played competitive junior tennis from the age of 5 until around 17 when I had total burnout and quit completely. I didn’t pick up a racquet for almost 25 years because life simply got in the way with work and young children. A friend got me back into the sport, and I have been completely immersed in this secondary life of tennis. I play at least 3-5 times per week, and it’s the perfect way to completely decompress and forget about everything else. I am super competitive by nature and love the matches, the strategy, and the newly-found tennis community.
This vibrant multipurpose room combines bold colors and luxe fabrics, serving as both a cozy library and a chic home office.
AJ: Can you tell us about a specific moment in your career that made you feel accomplished?
LF: Right before the 2020 COVID shutdown, my long-time partner decided to leave the firm, and I was forced to restructure as Lisa Frantz Interiors. Amid the pandemic and with a large influx of new work—not just in New York but around the country—I was able to rebuild my team, assure existing clients that current projects would move forward as planned, onboard several new clients with exciting projects in the works, and completely rebrand the firm under my name. It took about a year and it made me feel empowered as a designer and a business owner.
AJ: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received as a designer?
LF: The best piece of advice that I ever received from a designer at the beginning of my career was to be a problem solver, not a problem creator. Our clients look to us for creativity and inspiration, but even more importantly, our role is to make the experience as smooth and seamless as possible. Taking this holistic approach gives the clients peace of mind during the process and makes them more accepting of a design approach that might take them out of their comfort zone. I am training them to trust the process and, in turn, to trust me.
This bright dining space seamlessly connects indoor and outdoor living with expansive glass doors, while the patterned banquette adds a playful touch of comfort.
AJ: What’s your favorite cocktail?
LF: Mezcal Negroni.
AJ: What are you most excited about at this time in your life?
LF: I have always loved to travel but haven’t been able to do a ton of it in my adult life. A few factors came into play over the last two years. My youngest went to college, we signed several out-of-town and out-of-the-United States projects (Egypt!), and I joined the DLN. The confluence of these three events has upped my travel game immensely, and I only see an increase in my future! I got the chance to visit Mexico City three times in the past two years, which enabled me to do a deep dive into one of my favorite cities in the world. This is essential to making me a better designer and keeps me inspired.
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