Process

It was a longtime quest for beauty, harmony and understated luxury that ultimately led Lisa Lerner to found her firm, Bennett Lerner Interiors, in 2008. Drawing on her early love of, and talent for, fashion—as well as a well-rounded range of passions that include entertaining and travel—Lisa has been crafting large-scale residential projects for clientele throughout California and the country ever since.

Sustained by a unique blend of natural talent and technical know-how, Lisa’s overarching goal is to create a custom design for each client—in other words, a fit that simply feels like home. “I want my clients to walk into a home I have designed and feel instantly happy and proud of their home. Every room has its own energy,” explains Lisa of her approach to design. “My goal is to always create a space that creates an instant positive feeling.”

Her technique balances both her vision and her clients’ desires. Color is a pivotal part of the process, as is her awareness of the myriad ways a space can impact the inner lives of its inhabitants. “I have always been drawn to all forms of artistic expression,” says Lisa. “I have always been aware of my environment and how that space can affect your mood and productivity. When I started designing interiors, it felt like a true extension of who I am. I love nothing more than to help a client create a home that is colorful, warm, inviting and all their own—unique to their needs, style and personality.”

To achieve exactly that, Lisa’s method involves working with clients to identify both needs and wants; their must-have pieces as well as the more intangible meaning and atmosphere they hope to evoke. With a trained ear, she is adept at listening to determine the mood, energy, direction and aesthetic of their dream home; color, naturally, also comes into play. “That direction will then set me into a creative process and set my intentions for the space,” says Lisa. “All of my clients want color in their homes, and what colors I choose are based on the moods and energy they want for the space. It is a collaborative process and about creating a unique environment for each client.”

Hers is an ongoing creative process—one that is stoked by not just the fresh challenge of each residential project she takes on, but also by her interests—such as traveling both near and far, and exploring parts beyond as well as those just outside her own front door in Los Angeles.

Underpinning her work, which is today comprised of projects grand and small, is a simple philosophy: “There is inspiration everywhere,” says Lisa. “You just have to take the time to look.”