Creating Beautiful Spaces

Susan LaFleur, the Co-Founder and Chief Design Officer at One Line Design Studio, brings a unique design aesthetic to her projects. Raised in the Midwest and educated in Philadelphia, Susan's designs blend classic elements with luxurious materials. Her inspiration is drawn from a variety of sources, including fashion, art, and vibrant colors, which she seamlessly incorporates into her work.

Susan leads her team with creativity and passion, infusing her designs with personal experiences from her travels and family life. She values strong client relationships and aims to create spaces that reflect the unique styles and visions of her clients. “We have transformed the company by fostering a collaborative design culture and driving the team’s creativity. I have gained collaborative knowledge from the design charrettes with our designers of all levels, valuing input and offering guidance from my years of experience,” says Susan. “I also value an old-school approach of hand sketching space plans and 3D perspectives that accelerates the design process and helps clients visualize ideas on-site – a rare skill today that is actively promoted within the One Line team.”

As One Line Design Studio celebrates its 5-year anniversary, the company stands proud with numerous accolades. Leveraging innovative tools and a distinctive design approach, the team sets itself apart from its peers. Unlike other firms that rely on AutoCAD, the team at One Line Design Studio fully immerses itself in BIM 360 with project consultants. Over the past five years, the company’s design process has been shaped by influences from fashion, art, travel, and personal expression, integrating these elements into each project.

One Line Design Studio’s success is driven by the dynamic partnership between Susan and her partner, Karrie Drinkhahn. In their past lives, Susan was the Design Director at a large architectural firm. Karrie was a principal in design and art consulting, a powerful combination that inspires visually striking designs. Their collaboration seamlessly merges functionality with creative concepts, fueling the company’s growth—it is pure magic. The art in their projects makes them different from other designers, as they are designed and celebrated in the projects from the very beginning. “When people walk into a space, we hope they remember the amazing wood millwork wall that we detailed for hours, but we are confident the artwork will evoke a response and how it made them feel,” adds Susan. “There is not one project that is the most inspiring. Each project is so incredibly different. What makes them successful is that we listen to what the client wants; it is their property. We make their visions come to life. Each project that comes out of our office is our ‘design baby’ that we dedicate years to completing from start to finish.”

When One Line Design Studio was incorporated, it was with a clear mission in mind. Susan’s goal was to continue doing what she loves, which is Design, while still being able to watch her two boys grow up. Karrie's aim was to be close to her family and not live on an airplane, as she previously traveled every week with her design and art consulting positions. Together, they wanted to create a culture and team that does brilliant design, shaping what they refer to as the next generation of Pinnacle designers. All of this is done while striving to maintain a work-life balance for the team.

Through this, Susan and Karrie brought an amazing, talented group of design professionals together while giving them the flexibility to live where they want and to be with their families. “We have our main studio in Miami in addition to those working remotely,” explains Susan. “The Interior Design industry will say you cannot have remote designers, but we are living proof that you can! After Covid, we were able to offer amazing designers the ability to work from home to be with their families and loved ones.” Susan states that this works by hiring the right team, trusting them to be the professionals they are, and encouraging travel to the Miami studio at the onset of a project for design charrettes. “This is the part of design you cannot do remotely. We have made this concept work by hiring the best talent across the East Coast with diverse backgrounds in life and design – from multi-family, hospitality, and senior living,” she elucidates.

For the days to come, Susan’s goal is to continue to make clients happy, stay up to date on the latest materials, design trends, and technology, and maintain the office culture that they have created. “We believe we have the best design team that clients love to work with, our recipe for success. We know our greatest business development is repeated clients and referrals,” she adds proudly. “In the near future, personally, I want to continue to travel, enjoying life with my three boys (husband and two sons), and raising kind respectful men. I want to continue to enjoy the blessed life I have created. For the company, I want us to continue working in Multi-family, Luxury Condo, Hospitality, and the Senior Living sectors. Overall, I want to continue to do what we love, being creative and creating beautiful spaces.”