Shannon Lawrence
Why I Do This (And why it’s never just about the drapes)
Most people think home design is solely about aesthetics. They envision it as choosing the "perfect" shade of greige or deciding if a mid-century sideboard complements a contemporary rug.
I disagree.
I believe everyone is a fighter. Whether you’re stepping into an Octagon or just battling through a corporate merger, navigating a 405-traffic jam, or confronting the ghosts of your past, you are in a fight. And every fighter requires a corner. Every warrior needs a sanctuary to lay down their armor, tend to their wounds, and breathe.
My obsession with interior design began when I was eight years old. Growing up in a world that felt unsafe and neglected, my bedroom became my entire universe. When I finally had the chance to decorate it, I didn’t ask for toys; I asked for the sky. I wanted blue walls, puffy clouds, and a rainbow on the bed. I needed to escape my circumstances. I needed a retreat, a sanctuary.
I spent my early adulthood as a paralegal, preparing to become an attorney. I excelled at it, I have the kind of OCD that makes a color coded filing system look like a work of art. However, I realized that while I loved helping people, the legal world immersed me in others’ lowest moments. I began designing the law offices I worked in because I desperately wanted to create a sense of safety for everyone who walked through those doors.
Eventually, I stopped fighting the law and became an interior designer, fighting for the light instead.
My Approach
My home design philosophy is rooted in a simple truth: I don’t care about trends. To me, trends are nothing more than peer pressure for your home, and I am far more interested in the person living inside the walls than what is currently 'in.' I utilize my natural inclination for overthinking and my background as an interior designer in high-stakes project administration to take the ten thousand agonizing decisions of a renovation entirely off your plate. Having navigated the rigid deadlines of the legal world, I am uniquely equipped to handle everything from a backordered sofa to a contractor’s creative interpretation of a floor plan. As your Sanctuary Architect, I provide a 'no-BS' guide through the chaos, educating you, laughing with you, and managing the inevitable human errors of construction so you don't have to. I approach every project with radical empathy, knowing that your home is the most significant investment of your time and your heart, and I treat it with the meticulous respect it deserves.
Off the Clock
If I am not in the office, there is a high probability you’ll find me cageside at a UFC fight. As a lifelong fan of the sport, I have a profound respect for anyone with the guts to be their authentic, struggling, winning, or losing human self in front of the world. My experiences shape my perspective as an interior designer, where authenticity plays a key role in creating a home design that reflects true self-expression.
When I’m not chasing the adrenaline of a fight night or hunting for a perfect vintage Italian tile, I am usually seeking out quiet places that center my soul. In the winter, I’m on a mountain snowboarding (admittedly badly) but deeply appreciative of how a snowy peak absorbs the noise of the world. In the summer, I’m chasing the horizon by the water, finding peace in the vastness that makes the day’s stresses feel small.
At home, life is beautifully grounded by my family; I’m either tucked on the couch watching Grey’s Anatomy with my daughter, enjoying Anime with my son, or training my three year old German Shepherd, who is quite frankly the love of my life.