about HAVEN studio

Meet Haven

DESIGNERS & STRATEGISTS

Together, Belinda McDonnell and Aliisa DuBose have been quietly collaborating on one another’s projects for decades — long before founding Haven Studio. As sister-in-laws and seasoned creatives, their partnership is rooted in trust, mutual respect, and a shared belief that great design can make daily life more beautiful and ease-filled.

OUR APPROACH TO DESIGN

We believe every project is unique. At Haven, we blend story & strategy to create bespoke solutions for our clients.

BEHIND the DESIGNS


  • Principal, Chief Design Strategist

    With more than 30 years in interior design, Belinda’s career began in hospitality, shaping resort hotels with an eye for timeless elegance and guest experience. She went on to lead strategic planning for Fortune 100 corporate campuses, mastering how to use strategy for the highest return on clients real estate investments. Belinda incorporated thoughtful design to elevate functionality at scale.

    Belinda later transitioned from commercial design into residential work — where daily living environments became her creative focus. In the 2010s, she brought her strategic mindset full circle, designing, owning, and managing vacation rental properties.

Belinda’s ability to blend storytelling with data-driven design helps Haven clients — especially investors — create properties that feel good and perform beautifully.


  • Principal, Chief Experience & Creative Officer

    With over 25 years in the design industry working on a variety of projects from workspace, hospitality, retail, to furniture specifications, Aliisa brings a rare blend of both creative and operational insights to her role as Chief Experience & Creative Officer at Haven. Her creativity is grounded in designing for the client and shaped by leading studio operations, building vendor partnerships, developing creative content, and crafting systems to improve our clients’ experience.

    Known for her calm, human-centered approach, Aliisa thrives in creatively complex projects and transforming them into environments that feel cohesive, curated, and effortless.

Aliisa’s design philosophy is simple — that good design is a creative expression of our authentic selves — brought to life through a collaborative and enjoyable client experience.

WORK WITH US