Our Passion is Creating Beauty in People's Lives
Meet our team
FOUNDER & PRINCIPAL DESIGNER
Lara Anderson
I LOVE DESIGN! And with 25 years in the design industry, I STILL love everything to do with it! Interior Design is a vast industry, and I have experienced it all, retail, commercial, hospitality, but my absolute favorite facet is luxury residential design.
What’s my style?
In a word, timeless.
I love to mix contemporary surprises with traditional characteristics. Nothing spikes my happy meter more than a piece of furniture reimagined and used in concert with sophisticated modern pieces or abstract artwork. The cherry on top is always texture! Texture is often overlooked because we take it for granted. Texture is all around us in everything we see and naturally, we crave it. You may have experienced a space that felt lifeless, sterile, uninviting - that’s due to a lack of texture.
I have studied, experimented with, and applied all aspects of design with countless clients. My many years of working in interiors have made me into the thoughtful designer I am today. Through the years I’ve developed the relationships and inside connections essential in creating uniquely fabulous interiors, allowing the homeowner to stay relaxed and worry free throughout the process.
My Design Story
While putting myself through design school, I hit the ground running and worked as a design assistant for a successful Seattle designer specializing in sophisticated and custom residential design. After graduation, I moved to Portland, worked in commercial design, and soon after, fell in love, got married and started a family.
Design temporarily took a backseat while I opened the beloved Red Door Interiors store in downtown Olympia. For 10 years, together with my mom, Kathy, I refurbished furniture, curated specialty pieces, and provided a unique shopping experience within downtown Olympia. I also dabbled in product design and patented two home décor products that you may have seen in HGTV magazine, House Beautiful, and Seattle Times.
As my boys got older, I felt I had more time to devote to interior design and in 2014, I jumped at the chance to start a full-service interior design firm.
I was born, raised, and still call Olympia home. My family and I live in the woods on 5 acres. Our home is our sanctuary and we built it from the milled trees that we cut for our house site. Building our home was my “Master” degree in design. There is no better way to learn the building process than to roll up your sleeves and get dirty in the detail. The blood sweat, and tears so to speak. We completed our home in 2008 and still love it today just as much as that initial design I dreamt up and created so long ago.
Red Door Design Lab
Red Door has grown every year since and I continue to add products and services to my business. This is where the Design Lab comes in. My clients loved working with me so much on remodels that they wanted me to help them with all of their decor-related needs.
The Red Door Design Lab serves as a beautiful showroom that features specially curated products! I call these the cherries on top! Area rugs, window treatments, artwork, furniture, decor, and more. These are the finishing touches that make your home cozy, inviting, and beautiful.
At Red Door Design Lab, we help our clients embrace their unique style, creating a home that, quite simply, brings them joy.
Other Passions of Mine
When I’m not in my happy place at my drafting table reworking a difficult space into the gorgeous space of my client's dreams, you’ll find me… cruising the Puget Sound on our family boat, spending time with friends and family, visiting art galleries and museums, dancing and enjoying live music, or working in my yard.
I love beauty and acknowledge it all around me in nature, art, people, architecture, film, the list goes on and on.
OPERATIONS & MARKETING DIRECTOR
Megan Mikkelsen, MPH
Creating beautiful and healthy spaces has been a passion of mine since I was a teen. What we surround ourselves with impacts both our mental and physical health.
Combining my master's level education and career in public health together with interior design has given me the opportunity to help others love where they live while at the same time helping them embrace health and make more eco-friendly choices.
Assisting with design at Red Door, I love helping clients create ideal cabinetry layouts, find the perfect wallpaper, design a functional and organized closet, and add the perfect finishing touches to make their space unique.
I also love creating efficiencies within our business and marketing our services by sharing gorgeous before and after pictures. Who doesn’t love looking at pictures of beautiful interiors?
When I’m not wearing one of my ever-changing hats at Red Door, you’ll likely find me watching my daughters play volleyball, enjoying a glass of wine with my husband at one of our favorite local restaurants, or on my Peloton.
3D VISUALIZATION
Kelsey Stalker
Kelsey Stalker is an experienced interior designer dedicated to creating beautiful and functional spaces that reflect clients' unique style and personality. Her design approach is centered around understanding the client needs, preferences, and lifestyle. By carefully listening to ideas and goals, Kelsey crafts personalized design solutions that enhance the environment. Her 3D visuals help bring the design vision to life and guide making informed decisions for the space. She loves collaborating with clients and other designers, which she finds essential in creating the best results for projects.