Owner & Lead Interior Designer
Kathleen McMullen is a multi-talented designer and artist. She founded Tower Design to express her lifelong passion for blending art and design. Tower Design’s interiors are a seamless blend of the most innovative contemporary design, that reflect the values and aspirations of her clients. She is fluent in multiple styles, from modern luxury design to traditional California mediterranean. She loves to infuse her contemporary work with the elegance of mixing mid-century and traditional styles with influences from a well honed background in Art and Art History. Originally an Art Buyer and Art Consultant, Kathleen came into Interior Design with a unique perspective. She loves to start with art, and the precious items collected by her clients that represent their most cherished acquisitions and memories. From a child’s sculpture to a modern art collection, a careful curatorial sense of meaning is always a goal.
Kathleen earned a Bachelor of Fine Art (BFA) in Art and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in the History of Art & Design, with an honors degree in Art Conservation from the University of California, Berkeley. She did her graduate work at the San Francisco Art Institute and Stanford University, where she studied with famed artist Nathan Oliveria, and taught art and design at the college level. In 2008, she completed her LEED AP/ASID certification and has worked on multiple LEED projects at the corporate level.
Her background provides her with an unusually comprehensive grasp of
aesthetics and a historically informed approach to design, which she uses as a springboard for to create interiors that express her client’s unique aesthetic and aspirations. In the development phase of each project, she delineates and defines her clients style, aspirations, budget and timeline. Great design is evocative; it generates a felt-sense in those who experience it and it is tailored to the lifestyles and budgets of her clients
Lead Interior Designer – Los Angeles
Olivia is a second-generation interior designer and artist whose creative path began in high school, sketching hand-drawn concepts for Tower Design’s San Francisco clientele. Early exposure to the world of interiors—sourcing furniture and textiles, observing client meetings, and absorbing the rhythm of a working design studio—instilled in her a sharp eye for detail and a deep understanding of the business.
Olivia went on to earn dual B.A. degrees in Art History and Anthropology from the University of Southern California, deepening her understanding of visual culture, global aesthetics, and the human experience. She later earned a Doctorate in Chinese Medicine, which continues to inform her holistic, balanced approach to interior design.
Now based in Santa Monica, Olivia serves clients throughout Southern California—including the greater Los Angeles area, Santa Barbara, Montecito, Ojai, and Malibu—offering bespoke interiors marked by quiet beauty, intentional layering and soulful storytelling. Her work is guided by an intuitive design sensibility and a collaborative spirit, resulting in spaces that feel both timeless and deeply personal.
Her aesthetic leans toward modern and mid-century modern, always with thoughtful integration of vintage finds, antique treasures, and heirlooms that add warmth and meaning. Olivia’s ability to source just the right artwork or statement piece makes every space truly one-of-a-kind. Her signature indoor/outdoor approach reflects a distinctly Californian lifestyle—effortless, elevated, and grounded in nature.
Precise in communication and deeply perceptive, Olivia brings a collaborative spirit to each project. She instinctively understands how to interpret her clients’ vision, translating it into stunning, highly livable interiors that feel both timeless and uniquely their own.
As a native Californian and longtime Los Angeles resident, Olivia holds a special place in her heart for those rebuilding after the recent wildfires. With compassion, creativity, and care, she is honored to help fire-affected homeowners and business owners reimagine their spaces and restore what was lost—with grace, integrity, and a fresh start.
