Lena Kroupnik became an interior designer because it’s a field that allows her to combine her background in engineering with her creativity. A deep understanding of the practical and theoretical parts of a project enable her to create spaces that will withstand the test of time as well as changing trends.

Listening carefully to her clients, Kroupnik guides them through the design process based on their preferences—not her own. “My key business philosophy is to create interior environments that reflect the personalities of my clients,” she says. “A home must be functional and reflective of its owners’ personality.”

On every project, Kroupnik utilizes her space-planning skills, honed by years as an engineer, to improve upon an existing space or to design new construction. An innate facility with textiles allows her to create unique window treatments and upholstered pieces with attention lavished on every detail. Her refined sense of color often brings a sense of surprise to her interiors. “I like to repeat, or ‘thread,’ colors through a space,” she says.

Kroupnik stresses the importance of collaboration not only with clients but with architects and contractors as well. “Cohesive teamwork,” she says, “is absolutely necessary for the success of every project.”