Lena Kovac
I came to interiors after eight years in architecture — and never went back.
My way of working is rooted in the early Copenhagen years: a room is a problem of light, weight, and proximity. Solve those three, and the right furniture and the right palette will find their place almost on their own.
I trained at the Royal Danish Institute (RDI) in Copenhagen between 2004 and 2008, then worked four years at the studio of Vibeke Klint and another four with a small architecture firm in Vesterbro that specialized in residential remodels of pre-war apartment blocks. Those years taught me to see the structural skeleton of a building as a friend, not an obstacle — and to design with light first.
I moved to New York in 2015. After two years inside a larger architecture-and-interiors firm in Soho, I left to start Your Business in 2017, with a single conviction: I wanted fewer projects, and I wanted to be on every walkthrough of every one of them. Eight years and sixty-eight homes later, that conviction has held.
Today the studio is two people. I lead every commission. Adriana Reyes — who has been with me since 2019 — runs procurement, project management, and our bench of trade partners. We work primarily in pre-war townhouses, mid-century homes, and renovated coastal cabins. We turn down corporate work, hospitality work, and most ground-up new construction.
Our work tilts dark, warm, and physically heavy — limewash, oiled walnut, raw linen, and brass that earns a patina. We don't do all-white minimalism, and we don't do maximalist colour. We do rooms you'd want to read in at 4pm in October.
Adriana Reyes — procurement & project management.
Adriana joined Your Business in 2019 from a Park Slope general-contracting firm, where she ran procurement on twelve concurrent residential renovations. She manages every studio purchase order, contractor liaison, install schedule, and three-year touch-up clause.
You'll work with Adriana at procurement, build, and install phases. She is the reason we deliver on time. She is also the reason we say "no" to projects we couldn't deliver well.
Fourteen years in residential — a short version.
Royal Danish Institute, Copenhagen — BA Architecture
Five-year BA in architecture with a thesis focused on residential daylighting in pre-war Copenhagen apartment blocks. First job offer through thesis advisor Lars Holm.
Vibeke Klint Studio — Junior associate
Four years on residential remodels of pre-war townhouses across Copenhagen and Aarhus. Learned millwork, plaster, and Danish sourcing. Met longtime collaborators.
Vesterbro Architects — Project lead
Project-led seven residential remodels including two listed-building heritage projects. Final year focused on lighting design and finish specification.
Move to New York — Larger Soho firm
Two years inside a 40-person architecture-and-interiors firm. Worked on Tribeca lofts, Hudson Valley country homes, and learned how the US trade system works.
Your Business — Founded
Started the studio with a single Brooklyn brownstone commission and a deliberate cap of six projects per year. Eight years later that cap has not moved.
AD100 longlist · Sight Unseen Best of
Marlowe House appeared in Architectural Record's January spread. Studio shortlisted for AD100 in November. Coverage in Dwell and The Modern House through 2025.
Recent press & appearances.
Talk to me directly. Thirty minutes, no pitch.
I take the discovery calls myself. We'll talk through scope, timeline, and budget tier — and walk away with a clear sense of fit. The form on the booking page takes about two minutes.