In Profile:
Parris McKenna Design

Name: Parris McKenna
Company Name: Parris McKenna Design
Position Within Company: Founder & Creative Director
Website: www.parrismckenna.com

Tell us a little about your background in design:

Parris has spent the past decade building relationships with trusted trades in the industry and has gone through multiple renovations herself. Her combined experience and expertise allow her and her team to execute projects from concept to completion. She takes her clients on a complete journey throughout the project, starting with the initial architect and engineer meetings, through the drawings stage, to design curation and development, and into project management and completion.

Her clients value her collaborative and boundary pushing approach and are able to put their trust in her to create a home that reflects their shared aesthetic while achieving functionality and design longevity for years to come.

In 2025, Parris and her firm were named to the H&H100, a list that honours some of the most inspiring and sought after Canadian talents in the interior design industry, and curated by House & Home.

Name five key themes to consider when approaching design in the future.

Connection to Place
Design that responds to its surroundings – landscape, climate, and local architecture – creating homes that feel rooted rather than imposed.

Longevity Over Trends
Prioritizing materials, layouts, and details that age beautifully, allowing spaces to evolve gracefully over time rather than chasing what’s new.

Human-Centred Living
Designing around how people truly live – comfort, flow, ritual, and emotional well-being, not just how spaces photograph.

Craftsmanship & Authentic Materials
Celebrating natural, honest materials and artisanal techniques that bring depth, warmth, and a sense of soul to interiors.

Quiet Sustainability
Integrating sustainable choices in a subtle, intentional way – durability, local sourcing, and efficiency – without compromising beauty or warmth.

If you could offer one piece of advice when it comes to designing, what would it be?

Trust your designer and trust the process. Designers do their best work when their clients trust them and allow them to be creative.

How important are The International Design & Architecture Awards?

The International Design & Architecture Awards hold real significance within the design community, as they celebrate thoughtful, boundary pushing work on a global stage. They recognize projects that balance creativity, technical excellence, and a strong sense of place, which makes being considered alongside such a diverse international field especially meaningful. For designers, the awards represent both industry recognition and a shared commitment to raising the standard of residential design worldwide.

What projects are you currently working on?

Several whole home renovations and new builds in Toronto, and two compound properties in Muskoka.

Your most treasured possession?

My most treasured possession is our home – not for how it looks, but for the life that unfolds within it and the memories it continues to hold with my children and my husband.

Your favourite holiday destination?

Hawaii or Greece.

Your favourite hotel, restaurant & bar?

Hotel: Thyme Hotel (Cotswolds, UK)
Restaurant: Nobu (Malibu)
Bar: The Reservoir Lounge (Toronto)

Your favourite book, film & song?

Book: Demon Copperhead (Barbara Kingsolver)
Film: Father of the Bride
Song: Drops of Jupiter

Your favourite food and drink?

Food: Arabic food, Musakhan
Drink: i don’t drink

Your favourite way to spend an afternoon?

Reading a cup of tea reading a book!

If you weren’t in this sector, what would you alternative profession be?

A florist (even though I’m not great at floral arrangements, the idea of being a florist seems so lovely!)