Where Function and Beauty Collide

Known for emboldening their clients to live in thoughtfully designed spaces, Boston-based Keeler & Co. connects modern living solutions with a heritage design sensibility. Drawing inspiration from their historic New England backdrop, the studio specializes in maintaining architectural integrity while infusing updated character into the fabric of each home they touch.

Laura Keeler Pierce

Founder & Principal Designer

Growing up, Laura’s love for design was shaped by new cities and gut renovations—each new home her family moved into presented a fresh opportunity to create a space that visually spoke to her. Now, the interior designer fashions together storied homes for others by weaving functional beauty into the lives of her clients. Laura’s body of work reveals a tapestry of interiors in which people want to linger longer, rooms that evoke emotion and spirited spaces that are deeply rooted in history and assembled with intention. Her innate ability to create these layered homes, ripe with rich narratives, draws from her artistic intuition and formal education, including studies at Rhode Island School of Design and Colby College where she received a BA in Art and Art History. Having a penchant for Chanel-esque wovens and all-things New England, Laura continues to design with purpose—with her husband and team by her side—leaving in her wake a trail of happy homes.   

Hometown: Boston by way of Atlanta, Chicago, Toronto, Montreal, Connecticut and New York.
Sign: Sagittarius.
Coffee or Tea: Cappuccino.
Mantra: Do it once and do it right.
Never Without: The latest Taylor Swift album.
I’m a firm believer in… Hard work.

Vassar Pierce

Chief Operating Officer

They say behind every successful man is a strong woman. The sentiment rings true in the Pierce household, and these days roles appear reversed as Vassar assumes a new role by his wife’s side as Keeler & Co.’s Chief Operating Officer. Vassar leaves a flourishing career in fundraising to support the design firm’s burgeoning partnerships and impending expansions. Vassar joins the team with an MBA from Boston University preceded by a BA from Bucknell University, and will be spearheading all growth initiatives. The delicate counterbalance between a husband-and-wife relationship converging with day-to-day work life has Vassar witnessing Laura’s creative acuity in a completely new way. Though not creatively inclined himself, this doting husband credits his wife’s superpower to be her ability to listen and learn how people live in order to execute on their behalf. He also believes Laura to be a beauty mix-master who laces every home she touches with incredible functionality.

Hometown: Dover, MA.
Sign: Cancer.
Coffee or Tea: Black Coffee—hot in winter and iced in summer.
Never Without: Newspaper.
The world needs more… Open Mindedness.

Frances Gross

Shop Manager

No Keeler & Co. project is complete without a host of contributions from Rusticator, the little shop at Ten Main Street in Seal Harbor, Maine where Frances works tirelessly to curate a refreshing atmosphere brimming with diverse treasures. Her domain consists of everything from large-scale custom upholstery to casual vintage housewares. A familiar face to any regular at the Boston Design Center, Frances brings to Rusticator her years of experience in the textile world and is always armed with the latest industry scoop on new collections and special releases. She is a master of finishing touches and a firm believer in the necessity of art in every room. Frances has quickly made herself at home on Mount Desert Island and is always on-duty as Rusticator’s ambassador to the local community, whether she’s rowing on Long Pond or hiking up Cadillac Mountain to watch the sunrise before opening up shop.

Hometown: Rumford, Rhode Island
Sign: Capricorn
Mantra: Che sera sera. (What will be shall be.) Favorite color: Emerald green
Never without: A sturdy hair clip
Favorite hotel: The Gasparilla Inn in Boca Grande, Florida
Design is…individual expression. 

Katherine Sloan

Designer

With a start in event planning, Katherine soon realized she wanted to create designs that would last—a road that quickly led her to interior design. The Fairfield University grad with a Bachelors in Communications and a Minor in Marketing, now uses her combined experience to create spaces that celebrate individuality, each telling a story through textures, patterns, and colors. Discovering the story starts with the client and Katherine loves taking the time to understand all aspects of their life to use as inspiration. After a stint in the West, she’s returned to New England and is excited to embrace the timeless beauty and evolving culture of the East Coast in her designs. In her free time, Katherine can be found hiking/skiing, hosting dinner parties, and traveling to a new place every chance she gets.

Hometown: Rhode Island
Sign: Leo
Mantra: You are always in control of your own destiny
Never without: a PMA (positive mental attitude)
Favorite Color Combo: Hunter green & a soft neutral
Design is… A celebration of self expression

Adison Ortenberg

Associate Designer, Leed Green Associate

From scouring design centers in Dallas with her grandma to researching real estate listings in search of the perfect dream home, Adison’s love for interior design has been steadily fueled and naturally encouraged. The budding designer continues to foster her affinity for beautiful spaces, turning to curved lines and clever pattern mixing for inspiration. The Auburn University grad (now touting a BS in Interior Design) is a non-subscriber to any one style or aesthetic; instead, Adison prefers architectural cues and classic references that result in comfort and joy. 

Hometown: Fort Worth, TX.
Sign: Gemini.
Mantra: Everything happens for a reason.
Favorite Flower: Tulip.
Color Combo: Light blues and greens.
Go-To Museum: National Gallery of Art in D.C. Favorite Hotel: The Parker Palm Springs.
Design is… Ever-changing.

Lydia Hauser

Designer

Part interior buff and part math whiz, Lydia uses both sides of her brain when tackling any and all creative endeavors. With a Bachelors in Architectural Studies and a Minor in Math, this smarty-pants-creative lives for the process of trial and error—thriving off both the fluid ideation of a space to the highly anticipated implementation of the design. Partial to small-scale, intricate patterns, Lydia tends to lean toward contemporary lines, but her love of history challenges her to embrace more traditional figures in her design schemes. 

Hometown: Accord, NY.
Sign: Taurus.
Mantra: Always be prepared for endless waves of transformation.
Favorite Color Combo: Navy Blue + Coral.
Design Muse: Pierre Yovanovitch.
New England is… A beautiful mix of classic and contemporary. 

Tyber Gulley

Assistant Designer

Surrounded by beautiful interiors since day one - design runs in her family - Tyber cultivated a love for the home tagging along to her mother’s various interior design appointments while growing up. With several design-centric internships and a Bachelors degree in Architecture under her belt, this hyper-organized, energetic designer brings her excitement, expert list making, and an affinity for color to every project she touches. With a deep admiration for New England history and architecture as well as a maximalist leaning aesthetic, Tyber appreciates the influence and stories of the past through her love of antiques while not shying away from the unexpected.

Hometown: Newton, MA. 
Sign: Pisces.
Mantra: Don’t stress the could haves, if it should have, it would have.
Color you couldn’t live without: Sunflower yellow.
Favorite Hotel: The Maker Hudson, NY.
The world needs more… color.

Henry + Emma

Designers & Emotional Support

Natural-born pawfectionists and the serious members of the team, Henry and Emma join us from the Pierce household. Their design aesthetic consists of wide-open green spaces. When they’re not in the office or on a photo shoot, Henry and Emma can be found with a perfectly distressed tennis ball, seeing friends on the beach in South Carolina or up a mountain in Acadia National Park.