Meet Leonora Mahle | Interior Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Leonora Mahle and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Leonora, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I enjoyed the time I spent working for other design firms but, after having my child, wanted the freedom to create my own schedule, and the ability to work with clients and tradespeople directly. You end up working strange hours -I’m often meeting clients on weekends, when they’re available and more relaxed- but, at the same time, I’ve been around to see my kid growing up.

What should our readers know about your business?
I specialize in high end residential interior design, with a focus on quality materials and a clean aesthetic. I love working with different clients, figuring out what they are into, and what’s right for their space and lifestyle. My process is very collaborative. I’m not a “big reveal” type of designer, and like to have clients involved throughout the process, to the extent their time allows.

Interior design is a second career. The previous one got me a green card and some wonderful friends, but the work itself was a bit soul-crushing and not something I could have done for the rest of my life. I happened to help that employer move into larger offices and really enjoyed the design and construction process involved. That led me to going back to school at night, and eventually to an internship with a large residential firm in New York. It was humbling to start over at that point, but being able to do what you love is a beautiful thing.

Going off on my own was a slow process. After working full time for two design firms, I freelanced for a contractor and different designers. Eventually, when I had enough referrals, I went off on my own entirely. I had a former employer and former coworkers send business my way, and I was also able to get clients through houzz, which was just getting started. Those clients in turn referred me to their friends and family.

I ended up moving to CA with my family during the pandemic (the timing was a weird coincidence) and it took some time to get going on this end, as I did not know many people here, and most of my referrals and work were still back in NY. I now have work on both ends and CA projects wrapping up later in 2024 which I look forward to showing.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This one is tricky as I still feel like a bit of tourist. I love hiking in Topanga (Eagle Rock, Musch Trail, Red Rock, Summit-to-Summit) and Malibu (Saddlepeak, Sandstone, Malibu Creek Park and of course Point Dume, which isn’t much of a hike but a beautiful place to visit, if one doesn’t know the area and is short on time). I also love walking around and eating in the Arts District, Little Tokyo and Sawtelle. If you’re into architecture, a visit to Stahl house or the Neutra VDL house could be fun, though this may require some advance planning.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My former boss Chris Roughan of Roughan Interiors was very supportive when I went off on my own. She sent business my way and has always been there for advice when unusual situations come up. I’m very grateful for her friendship and guidance, and hope to provide the same to younger designers starting out.

Website: mahledesign.com

Instagram: leonoramahle

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonora-mahle-96bbb814/

Image Credits
Images 1, 2 and 3 photographer: Ryan Garvin Images 4,5,6,7, and 8 photographer: Patrick Cline