ilana cohen

Translating the tiniest idea into the ideal space is the most important aspect of any design Ilana Cohen creates. Helping her clients realize the best version of their own style—and bringing that to life—is a mindset that a background in hospitality taught her.

Designing went from a love to a career after Ilana received her Interior Design degree from New York City's Parsons School of Design in 2009. (But maybe the credit goes to her very patient college roommate for being her first "client".)

A New York native, Ilana lived in Philadelphia for five years and honed her skills as an associate project manager with designer Mona Ross Berman. There she worked on a variety of projects, including rehabbed townhomes and apartments in New York and Philadelphia, commercial spaces like an office building and downtown clothing boutique, and a beach house in Nantucket. An internship with venerable lifestyle designer Jonathan Adler sharpened her eye for color, lighting, and well-crafted accessories.

Establishing a jumping off point—something that both Ilana and her clients are drawn to—is essential to her approach. From there, she weaves a story that balances a room's functionality with style. Sourcing furniture and accessories, scouring markets for vintage finds, and a judicious use of impactful color and pattern, make up the backbone of her refreshing designs.

Ilana lives in San Francisco with her husband, son and daughter.