Design Lab Cincinnati is a modern furniture & lighting showroom and consultancy in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood that represents modern and contemporary designers who elevate form and function. Our exclusive relationships with brands and designers like Arflex, Gubi, Moroso, Meridiani, Moooi, Ligne Roset, Carl Hansen, and Roll & Hill enable us to curate any space with furnishings, decorative lighting fixtures, textiles, and objects that not only inspire but work. Whether you are exploring the contours of a new home or building a hotel from scratch, we step into your shoes and help you discover the pieces that bring your vision to life.
Discover what moves you at Design Lab.
BARBARA NEYER
OWNER
Barbara began her career in furniture at Voltage Inc, a high-end European furniture showroom, in 2001. She first focused on accounting and marketing but began occasionally filling in for the sales team, learning about and discovering her passion for the product. Barbara soon realized there was an integral but missing piece in the business: the market needed a Contract/A&D representative. In 2004 she created her own position and started calling on the A&D community, never looking back.
As the Contract/A&D Sales Representative, Barbara educated architects and designers on the value of her product and how to best use it in their spaces. Her focus has been on decorative lighting, furnishings and rugs for corporate, hospitality, restaurant, retail and healthcare spaces. Using a vast array of original, design-driven products, she defined Voltage as the leading contract firm in the region.
Fast forward 15 years, Barbara decided to transfer her skills and relationships to a new venture of her own: Design Lab. Barbara is excited to grow relationships locally and internationally through Design Lab and continue to share her knowledge and love for beautiful and functional design. Some of her current clients include FRCH, KZF, BDHP, Gensler, Macy’s, and Vocon.
ELIZABETH TRIPP
OPERATIONS MANAGER
Elizabeth has been a nomad all her life, traveling and living in wildly different places over the last twenty years. Every new city has added a layer to her love of art and design.
After studying Romance Languages in Mississippi, Elizabeth moved to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where she managed a furniture store specializing in Mexican craft and lighting. Returning to the U.S. in 2003, Elizabeth worked at Interior Designs, Inc. in New Orleans, while earning her Interior Design degree and a Masters Degree in Spanish. Hurricane Katrina gave her the opportunity to move anywhere in the world, and she chose New York. Working as a buyer at Takashimaya on 5th Avenue, Elizabeth fell in love with Japanese minimalism and the French décor she helped select from exclusive makers for the flagship brand.
Another move to Southern California saw Elizabeth join a contemporary Italian furniture showroom in San Diego. During this time, she also owned a children’s décor website, specializing in Scandinavian design. Finally, in 2019, Elizabeth landed in Cincinnati, where she plans to settle for good! She brings with her over 15 years of experience in design management, as well as her husband and daughter.
MIKE FRANZ
RESIDENTIAL DESIGN SPECIALIST
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Mike studied interior design and urban planning with a focus on residential projects at the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning (DAAP).
After graduating, Mike worked for Arhaus furniture in Kenwood, where he specialized in large to medium scale residential projects. He oversaw spatial planning and the careful coordination and implementation of materials, finishes, and textures. To further his learnings, Mike joined custom home builder Bronzie Design + Build. There he focused his talents on material selection for high-end homes. A passion for residential property and design led him to acquire and operate a real estate license in 2017. Outside of his time at Design Lab, Mike specializes in luxury real estate property in Indian Hill, Hyde Park, East Walnut Hills, and Mt. Adams.
SALLY MOELLER
PRODUCT SPECIALIST
Sally grew up in Cincinnati, OH, with a family immersed in art and design. Lovestruck with aesthetics, her childhood alighted in the firmament of the Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning school at the University of Cincinnati (DAAP), where she graduated with a Bachelors in Interior Design. Her early career started at Suzanne Lovell Inc, where she worked on nationwide on residential design projects. While working with Suzanne, she became enamored with handcrafted products. She went on to work as Senior Designer and Studio Lead at Soucie Horner Ltd. Her love of craft took her to Maya Romanoff, where she managed the Product Development team, traveling around the world to develop award-winning handcrafted wallcoverings. Sally currently lives in Chicago with her husband and her adorable son Meyer.
