A home should feel considered and cohesive. Not rushed. Not pieced together. And not driven by trends that fade before the paint dries.
At Morris Lare, we believe strong design begins with listening and is built on a well-developed plan. A plan that respects the architecture of the home and the people who live there. Our clients trust us to lead their projects from start to finish and to bring together the many decisions required to create spaces that feel warm, personal, and complete.
We work with clients who value quality, craftsmanship, and experienced leadership. They want a partner and expert to take responsibility for the full vision. That is the work we do, and the work we are built for.
Jillian Lare and Alicia Held-Morris met during their first semester of graduate school at Iowa State’s College of Design and became fast friends, bonding over a shared love of design, history, travel, art, music, and more. From teaming up on that very first studio project to designing new custom homes years later, they have been collaborating in one way or another for the last fifteen years. In 2021, after more than a decade of friendship and creative partnership, they turned a long-envisioned dream into reality by launching their namesake firm, Morris Lare.
With over a decade designing highly custom residential interiors in Iowa and across the country, Alicia brings a steady, intentional eye to every project she leads. Her foundation in the visual arts stretches back to her childhood and later expanded through her studies in graphic design and photography at the University of Arizona and Pratt Institute in New York. She achieved her Master’s Degree in Interior Design from Iowa State University in 2013. Her early years shaped her understanding of color, composition, and the way a space can make you feel. That experience strengthened her belief that a home should be both beautiful and practical and that the best interiors come from careful thought, honest collaboration, and respect for a client’s daily life.
Alicia is drawn to pieces with history and character. She has a true appreciation for vintage and antique furnishings and is constantly on the lookout for unique pieces to incorporate into our projects. She believes that handmade objects and artisan pieces bring depth, warmth, and personality to a home. Her approach to design is rooted in balance. She pays close attention to color, materiality, scale, and proportion and brings them together in a way that feels collected and welcoming rather than overly formal. As design director and principal designer, she leads the furnishings and styling work for our studio and has a gift for creating rooms that feel complete, comfortable, and personal through her strong devotion to perfecting every detail.
A native of Eastern Iowa, Alicia resides in Windsor Heights in a beloved midcentury brick ranch (an ongoing design project) with her husband Ryan, children Henry and Louisa, and destructive but adorable golden doodle Jack and two rescue kittie. She finds inspiration in gardening, cooking, reading, and time spent outdoors, and she brings that same sense of intention and curiosity to the homes she designs
Jillian’s love of homes started long before she understood design as a profession. She grew up in an 1870 Victorian in northeastern Pennsylvania, a house filled with original detail, quirks, and stories that shaped her imagination. She spent her childhood sketching floor plans for fun, studying the old houses in her neighborhood, and taking art lessons that lasted from elementary school through college. Watercolor and oil painting, drawing, reading, and creative writing were her earliest passions, and her interest in architecture and history grew right alongside them.
Jillian’s first career was in industrial engineering. She earned a degree from Lehigh University and beginning her professional life at Intel Corporation, living and traveling throughout the west coast. That experience gave her a foundation in project management, systems thinking, and solving complex problems with clarity. When she shifted into interior design in 2007, she brought that discipline with her.
After an apprenticeship in Pennsylvania focused on kitchens and baths, she moved to Iowa in 2008 where she continued to hone her skills designing high-end custom cabinetry & millwork. She later earned her master’s degree in interior design and taught in the College of Design at Iowa State University. As co-founder of Morris Lare and principal designer, Jillian leads clients through full-service projects that combine interior architecture, custom cabinetry, space planning, and furnishings. Her work is shaped by a love of timeless architecture, a respect for how families truly live, and a belief that a home should personal and enduring.
Jillian resides in West Des Moines with her husband, son, and two lovable dogs. Jillian also designs projects for clients in eastern Pennsylvania and travels there throughout the year.
Our work is possible because we are supported by a talented, highly educated team that shares our commitment to thoughtful design and exceptional client service. Every member of our studio brings a strong academic foundation and real-world experience to the projects we lead. Together, we handle the details that keep a full-service design process running smoothly, from technical drawings and specifications to procurement, logistics, and installation.
We are proud that our team includes multiple registered interior designers, something rare among residential firms in the Des Moines area. Their advanced training and professional licensure deepen the technical rigor behind our work and ensure that every plan, cabinet detail, and material selection is backed by both expertise and care. Our designers have experience in commercial interiors, high-end residential design, and project management across a variety of disciplines. Their collective knowledge strengthens every project we take on.
Our dedicated procurement manager oversees all purchasing, receiving, and installation, ensuring that furnishings arrive on time and in perfect condition. This allows us to create seamless, fully styled reveals and to support our clients with the level of precision that full-service design requires. Our team is thoughtful, skilled, and genuinely invested in the success of every project, and we are grateful for the depth they bring to our work every day.
We believe in full-service design. That means we guide every step of your project, from space planning and architectural details to finishes, furnishings, artwork, and window treatments. We collaborate closely with architects, builders, landscape designers, and trades, creating a cohesive and intentional process from beginning to end. We stay involved until your home is finished because that is how a vision becomes a reality.
Our clients value this level of leadership. They want someone they can trust to manage the process with clarity and integrity. They want a home that reflects their life and feels complete. They want to make good decisions without drowning in endless choices. And they want professionals who will advocate for them and ensure that every detail supports the long-term comfort and beauty of their home.
That is the partnership we offer. Thoughtful. Pragmatic. Collaborative. From the first idea to the final reveal.
