Today we’d like to introduce you to Tara Lenney
Hi Tara, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started my career in Commercial Interior Design, working on large-scale corporate headquarters that were beautiful, but also huge rarely personal. After stepping away to spend more time with my own growing family, I planned to take a break from the design world. But that creative itch didn’t go away quietly. I only lasted a few months before TLD was born.
What began as the occasional project during nap times slowly grew—one room, one client, one referral at a time—into what is now Tara Lenney Design, a Design Studio serving primary Residential clients but also boutique commercial spaces, based in the Dallas area.
Over the past decade, TLD has grown into a talented Team of six. Together, we create beautiful, livable, functional spaces that reflect our clients’ lives, goals, and elevate their everyday experiences at home. Our goal is always the same: to make your home feel like your favorite place to be.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Hahaha—definitely not. Building anything worthwhile is rarely smooth or linear. There were fits, starts, and plenty of growing pains along the way.
In the early days, I was squeezing in client work during nap times and trying to find General Contractors who could not only execute our designs beautifully but also care for our clients with the same high-touch service we provided. That combination was harder to find than you’d think.
As we grew and scaled, the challenges shifted. Building a team of A-level players—people who are not only talented designers and technically savvy but also kind, collaborative, and thoughtful—became essential. You can create the most beautiful space in the world, but if the experience doesn’t match, the magic falls flat.
The pandemic brought a whole new wave of challenges: supply chain delays, manufacturing chaos, and a surge in demand as every human in Dallas suddenly decided it was time to remodel. We grew faster than we ever imagined—and had to level up just as quickly.
These days, our focus is twofold: elevating both our design solutions and the experience our clients have along the way. We aim to make the process feel like the opposite of what most people expect from a renovation or new build (i.e., stressful and overwhelming). Instead, curated choices that feel effortlessly easy, a Team you can trust implicitly, and the kind of project flow that feels more like a well-orchestrated vacation than a construction zone.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Tara Lenney Design (or TLD, as we call it) is a full-service Interior Design firm based in Dallas, specializing in livable luxury for real families. We create beautiful, functional spaces that feel elevated but never so stuffy you can’t curl up and enjoy them.
Our projects range from major renovations and home additions to ground-up new builds and furnishings. If it touches the inside of your home, we handle it—with concierge-level service and a whole lot of heart.
While most of our work is on the residential side, we also take on a select few small, boutique commercial projects as well – offices, multi-family, restaurants, and retail stores – for clients who want their spaces to really stand out from the generic commercial spaces of their competition. Whatever the goals are – attract customers, retain top talent, full occupancy rentals – we design spaces to meet and exceed those goals.
What sets us apart? Two key things.
One, it’s the blend of high-end design and a hospitality level experience. We’re known for our curated process that takes the overwhelm out of every step. Our clients aren’t stuck with endless decisions—they’re presented with personalized, well-edited choices that reflect their style and serve their lifestyle. It’s a process that’s been refined over time and designed to remove the stress and second-guessing so many people associate with home projects.
Second, all of our Designers come from a commercial background. So beyond simply making a space look pretty, we are experts on the technical side. Complex projects, tricky details, understanding constructability, managing projects (and contractors) to truly lead our clients through the process.
We’re proud to be a Team of experts who genuinely enjoy the work and the people we do it for. TLD is built on the belief that home should be both beautiful and personal, a place that functions for real life and creates moments of joy every time you walk through the door.
We’re also incredibly proud of the partnerships we’ve built with brands like Café Appliances, Katie Kime, and Scout Design Studio. Collaborations like these not only allow us to expand creatively but also bring even more value and inspiration to our clients.
Ultimately, we want people to know this: You deserve to love where you live. And we’re here to make that happen—with clarity, creativity, and a heavy dose of fun to make the process feel as good as the end result.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Design is moving in a really exciting direction. We’re seeing a shift back toward personality—more color, more traditional details, more charm. Whether it’s at home or at work, people want their spaces to feel like them. Cozy, collected, and personal is definitely in.
From an industry standpoint, the volume of products available to consumers just keeps growing. Every day there’s a new launch, a new brand, a new “must-have” piece. That kind of access is amazing, but it also creates a lot of noise. Homeowners are overwhelmed by options, and that’s where good design becomes even more valuable—cutting through the clutter to curate something intentional.
We’ll likely see tools like AI continue to democratize design, especially for lower-budget projects. That’s not a bad thing—it makes design more accessible. But it also means we’ll start to see a lot of the same looks over and over again. It can start feeling a little flat and one-note. I imagine we’ll see this not only in Interior Design, but also Graphic Design, art, and all sorts of creative media.
The spaces that stand out—the ones that feel timeless and tailored—will come from Designers who know how to mix materials, layer styles, and bring in unexpected details that AI can’t replicate.
So, while the tools may change, the value of a trained eye, a thoughtful process, and truly personal design is only going to grow.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.taralenneydesign.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TARALENNEYdesign/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TaraLenneyDesign
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tara-lenney-design/
- Other: https://www.shopltk.com/explore/taralenneydesign
Image Credits
Tara Lenney Design
