The Designers
Lee Tripi
Having trained and worked extensively in the mid-west, Lee moved to North Carolina in 1989. There he opened Lee Tripi Design, a consultancy that has undertaken residential, restaurant, retail and spa/salon projects.
Lee Tripi is an ardent devotee of the Bauhaus Movement, combining style principles found in classic International Style and ethnic motifs. The result is textural, organic and clean-lined. His style is characterized as having a Zen simplicity, creating a sense of tranquility and comfort. The spaces are sophisticated, yet restrained, never, pretentious or intimidating.
As a kitchen and bath consultant, Lee Tripi utilizes modular cabinetry by Italian manufacturers. Modular kitchens are a relatively new concept domestically, but have worked very well for many years with new construction as well as renovation in the urban homes of Europe. Tripi brought the first Berloni kitchen to North Carolina and has found overwhelming interest among urban condominium builders as a modern and affordable option for their residents.
Designing retail and other public spaces around the world gives Lee an opportunity for his creativity to be enjoyed by many people. With commercial projects, he is a key member of a team that includes an architect, engineer and general contractor. As a designer, Lee is typically the first one to meet with the client, interpreting the criteria and scope of the project.
"People are often confused, and rightly so, as to what is an interior designer", says Tripi. Most commonly called an interior designer in America and an interior architect in Europe, the position can best be described as a professional approach to interior spaces, that focuses more emphasis on creative structural planning, architectural element design and functional consideration rather than decoration would imply.
Architectural elements such as lighting, flooring, built-in structures, fixtures and finishes are specified and well integrated with the floor plan layout. Finally, furnishings and art are included in the plan to complete the space.
There is a strong commitment to design spaces utilizing sustainable and green materials and processes, as we must be willing to contribute to saving the planet for future generations
Lee Tripi studied at The University of Akron with a degree in the College of Fine and Applied Arts. He is a member of the City of Raleigh Arts Commission and a member of Designbox (designbox.us), a collaborative think tank of designers of varying disciplines.
Lee is currently a consultant and instructor in the newly launched Interior Design program at the School of Communication Arts in Raleigh.
Michelle Balaun
After living in Germany for 15 years and traveling the world extensively, Michelle brings a solid European flair to her design philosophy. The clean lines and functionality of German and Italian design are modern and practical as well as beautiful and can be smoothly incorporated into American homes. Whether you live in a large roomy villa or a trendy city apartment it is important to utilize space to the maximum degree.
Michelle lands at our design table with a varied list of design achievements. She has been involved with projects involving Landscape Architecture, Interior Design, Fashion Design and Menu Design. Being a celebrated cook she comes from a family of restaurateurs so she knows a thing or two about the kitchen. From catering large parties to quiet intimate dinners she has a handle on what needs to be in the kitchen to really get cooking. Having the specific working knowledge of kitchen design coupled with her design flair learned in Germany she can interpret the exact degree of ultimate kitchen necessary for any cooking level.
Not only has she been influenced by the markets, shops and stores of Dusseldorf, Munich, Cologne and Berlin, she frequented London’s haunts as well as Paris’s arrondissements. From the streets of Dakar to Dubai Michelle has viewed many elements of design personally and has developed a design method for kitchens.