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The Design Questionnaire with Amanda Thompson & Lisa Patch of ALine Studio
In this edition of Love Happens’ Proust-style Design Questionnaire, join us for a peek inside the creative design minds of Amanda Thompson and Lisa Patch, CEO & COO, respectively, of the New York City-based ALine Studio. A full-service design firm specializing in every aspect of interior design ranging from residential to commercial and everything in between, ALine’s core strength is in hospitality thanks to the principals’ significant combined experience in producing functional, timeless, and inviting public spaces.
Meet Amanda & Lisa
Before establishing ALine, Amanda Thompson graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelors’s in Interior Design. The talented designer then went on to work for several other design firms. Of those, were the Los Angeles-based high-end architectural and residential interior design firm SFA Design and MGM Resorts International Design Group in Las Vegas where she worked as Senior Interior Designer and Project Manager.
Throughout her 16 years working as a leader and an advocate of a greener future, Amanda has earned LEED AP accreditation from the US Green Building Council.
Prior to meeting Amanda and joining ALine, Lisa Patch earned her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Interior Design from Syracuse University and began working at SFA Design. First as a Project Manager for four years, then progressing to an Associate Designer position. During her tenure there, Lisa met and worked alongside Amanda.
In 2014, she returned to her home base in New York to take on a Project Manager role at a residential design firm based in Brooklyn where she remained until she joined ALine Studio in 2018. With 12 years of experience, Lisa’s portfolio consists of numerous published projects including a Florida family compound featured in Architectural Digest Magazine and a Hollywood home featured in Luxe Magazine.
Fervent believers that great design should be easily attainable, not intimidating. Amanda Thompson and Lisa Patch strive to make the whole process enjoyable for their clients; their depth of experience, down-to-earth sensibilities, and easy-going personalities make that possible.
“East coast pace. West coast cool. Southern charm. Global perspective.”
Read on for a peek inside the inspiring and creative minds of Amanda and Lisa!
The Lh Design Questionnaire with ALine Studio’s Amanda Thompson & Lisa Patch
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Amanda: Two ideas come to mind, one professional and one personal. Professionally, my idea of perfect happiness is when I only take on one design project at a time so that I can savor every moment and pour all of my creative energy into one project. Personally, I enjoy sitting on a beach in a warm breeze surrounded by and laughing with the people I love.
Lisa: Joining Amanda at the beach!
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Amanda: Realizing my dream of becoming my own boss and feeling like an empowered woman.
Lisa: Personally I’m proud of my personal relationships, connection with people, knowing I can rely on them and vice versa. It’s the best feeling. Professionally, I’ve traveled all over the US and feel like I conquered each place.
What profession does your alter ego have?
Amanda: A Comedian. I tried my hand at improvisation when I was younger and still use those skills today during presentations and in my work life. I try to make the experience fun and enjoyable for everyone because it can get very stressful.
Lisa: Travel agent. I love planning out trips and exploring new places.
The project you will never forget.
Amanda: The Bachelor’s Loft project is unforgettable because the entire design was inspired by two Chad Muska art pieces that I had saved to my Pinterest board. The client fell in love with them, so we tracked down the originals, purchased them from the artist, and had them shipped from LA to NYC to be the focal point of the whole loft. It was such an exciting process.
Lisa: Bachelor’s Loft for all of the reasons Amanda stated!
Your favorite business tool or resource.
Amanda: Material Bank is our favorite because this service saved our lives when the pandemic hit. We all transitioned to working from home and desperately needed a resource library at our fingertips. This service not only allowed the whole team to each order the same samples to review via Zoom, but they also arrived quickly. The best part is that they take the samples back, which is a dream come true to design professionals that are cognizant of waste and our industry’s impact on landfills. Material Bank is an excellent service that is helping to avoid waste—we are in love.
Lisa: I love using Pinterest to find inspiration and new ideas. Even when I’m not looking for anything specific I find something cool.
The most timeless design.
Amanda: My favorite piece of furniture is the Eames Lounger because it’s classic and stylish for all times and spaces.
Lisa: Any street in Paris. There is so much detail and is beautiful to look at.
The biggest design faux pas.
Amanda: The biggest design faux pas is bad lighting, such as the lousy color temperature of lighting. It can completely change the way colors are rendered and how you feel in a space. If the color temperature is too cold, it can feel sterile and uninviting. Unless it is an emergency room, lighting should make you feel warm and comforted. It should also be layered to create zones and depth.
Lisa: Bad proportions! It’s important to think of the space and how everything in it relates to each other.
Your design motto.
Amanda: “I need to FEEL it.” It is a sense inside me that has to click, and only then am I ready to present it to the client. My team knows the design isn’t done until I get that feeling.
Lisa: Have fun! Design is an expression of yourself and everyone is unique so your space should be too.
If you were to design a room around one KOKET piece, which would it be, and why?
Amanda: We used the Addicta Mirror in one of our concepts for a hotel lobby project. We have always loved that piece and felt it had the right mix of elegance and edge to round out the design of the space.
Lisa: The Rita III Cocktail Table. The lines are elegant and make the marble look like it’s floating.
Love happens when…
you aren’t looking for it—cliche but true!
