Alisa Culyer's love of design first emerged in her childhood home. On any given day, you could find her experimenting with colors, patterns and furniture arrangements in her bedroom and looking for ways to enhance the style of her surroundings. With this innate skill for solving design dilemmas firmly in place, she pursued a degree in business and marketing from Miami University.
“I knew I already had a passion and an eye for style and design, and I believed it was necessary to have a strong foundation in communication and running a business as well,” explains Culyer.
After a successful stint in Chicago working in the accessories business for top brands such as Guess and Fossil, Culyer returned to Cincinnati to care for her mother. Her roots replanted, she transitioned her style skills to landscape design, eventually expanding to a full-service home design brand, Honor & Grace (inspired by her daughters' middle names, Stella Grace and Sierra Honor).
Starting with a focus on interior design, she added renovation, remodeling and staging services, building strong, collaborative partnerships with talented contractors and a warehouse of high-end furniture and accessories. Her background in both interior and exterior design provides the full package for designing a home.
“The exterior is just as important as the interior. It is 100% the first impression, especially when staging a house for sale,” Culyer tells us. “I start staging from the outside in to ensure the property represents well and can demand top dollar.”
She also strongly encourages clients not to make landscape design an afterthought and to include it in the budget right from the start.
“Homeowners often underestimate the cost of landscaping and leave it to the last minute, only to find they have insufficient budget for it. Landscaping should be an early part of the conversation because plant materials and associated costs follow similar global price increases as other home costs,” Culyer encourages.
On all of her projects, Culyer seeks to make her clients smile when they see their freshly designed rooms, feel excited to share them with their family and friends, and create a harmony of luxury, warmth and tradition. When she designs a highly personal space, like a primary suite, her goal is to create a sanctuary her clients never want to leave.
“I want them to have a place to relax and stay in bed, so I focus on the mattress, quality linens and luxurious textures. I want to surround them with reminders of their favorite memories, like a cherished vacation or beautiful hotel room,” explains Culyer.
For her many projects with local client Emily, Culyer forged a close relationship with the homeowner, who was open to exploring bold colors, patterns and reimagining uses for spaces in the home.
The bourbon lounge was the most dramatic transformation. Originally a formal dining room that Emily’s family rarely used, Culyer collaborated with them to create a swanky space to house the husband's bourbon collection.
“I embraced Emily’s willingness to experiment, and the result is a moody, color-drenched space with rich dark green walls and a green, maze-like wallpapered ceiling,” describes Culyer.
Other standout features of the room include the custom, oversized leather swivel chairs and the impressive display of the bourbon collection on two towers.
“The green room/bourbon lounge is my favorite. I was nervous at first to take the plunge, but it’s perfect for us,” Emily enthuses.
Culyer worked on multiple projects in Emily’s home over time, including the kitchen, dining area, living room, playroom, child’s bedroom and a powder room, among other upgrades. For these projects, particularly since the clients have young children, Culyer made sure to use performance fabrics that are both durable and easy to clean.
“The design approach involves listening to the client's needs, asking about their style, and incorporating inspiration from their travel or existing vision boards,” Culyer notes.
The design of the kitchen and family room was kept clean, effortless and timeless for longevity. Culyer transitioned Emily’s daughter’s bedroom into a big girl's dream room, featuring wallpaper, lush blackout drapes with blush velvet trim, and a custom trundle bed. The kid’s playroom update featured vintage posters of travel destinations rather than typical juvenile themes, which allows the room to evolve as the children grow into a homework space or game room.
“I advise clients to consider the longevity of materials and the age of their children when making design decisions. I ask clients about how long they plan to stay in the house (more or less than five years) to guide them where to invest their money for the best return, factoring in both immediate enjoyment and future resale value,” details Culyer.
Emily praises Culyer’s ability to consider both the family’s personal style and the needs of their daily life while elevating the design of each area of the home.
“Working with Alisa has been such a joy. She brought incredible vision, warmth and personality into our home, transforming each space into something that feels both elevated and personal while still honoring how we live day to day. The entire process felt seamless. Alisa is collaborative, attentive and so easy to work with, making the experience truly enjoyable,” Emily shares.
Despite the long hours that go into a successful design project, from planning and problem-solving to sourcing materials and managing schedules and client expectations, Culyer still has the same admiration for interior design that began all those years ago.
“I’m so grateful that I get to do what I do. I love my job and being able to set a positive example for my daughters about what’s possible to accomplish.”
Culyer’s hard work and love of design seem to have already had an influence. Coming full circle, her daughters are now rearranging their furniture in her childhood home.
Honor & Grace: HGOAK.com | 859.638.0218
“I want to surround them with reminders of their favorite memories, like a cherished vacation or beautiful hotel room.” -Alisa Culyer
“She brought incredible vision, warmth and personality into our home, transforming each space into something that feels both elevated and personal while still honoring how we live day to day.” -Emily