At our interior design firm, we believe every home should reflect the unique personality and lifestyle of its owner. That’s why we take the time to carefully match each client with the perfect designer—one whose vision, expertise, and style align seamlessly with your design dreams and inspirations. From modern minimalism to timeless elegance, we create spaces that feel effortlessly personal and beautifully curated.
Sydney Brengel
Old Soul with an Innovative Twist
Co-owner, Haven interiors
Sydney Brengel has always been a study in contrasts—a natural-born creative with a deep love for math and science. She thrives where imagination meets logic. A formally trained designer with an education that spans both the U.S. and abroad, her path to co-owning Haven Interiors is grounded in a rare blend of artistic instinct and business acumen.
Before entering the world of interiors, Sydney built a strong foundation in business—sharpening her ability to think strategically and lead confidently. That right-brain/left-brain balance defines her design approach and leadership style today.
show moreSydney is known for creating deeply personal spaces inspired by her clients’ stories. “I’m truly a client’s designer,” she says. “Designing without their input results in just another pretty space—without soul or purpose.” Her work blends timeless pieces with contemporary elements, resulting in interiors that feel curated, meaningful, and entirely one-of-a-kind.
While studying design in London, she embraced a philosophy that continues to guide her: “Take something old and beautiful and recreate it into something extraordinary.” She believes today’s design landscape—driven by new technology and tools—makes personalized design more achievable than ever. “We’re at a point where the classic and the cutting-edge can truly coexist.”
Sydney is especially skilled at translating her clients’ aspirations and lifestyles into functional, beautiful spaces that feel like home.
Reflecting on her new role at Haven, Sydney shares:
“I’m honored that Donna and Bridget entrusted Ali and me with carrying their legacy forward. Haven has always stood for great design and happy clients — and we’re excited to lead it into its next chapter with creativity, heart, and vision.”
show lessAli Burke
Artful Vision with a Curated Edge
co-owner, haven interiors
For Ali Burke, art has always been her native language. From dance to fine art, creativity has shaped every part of her life. Her artistic lens sharpened while studying in Florence, Italy, where she immersed herself in Renaissance sculpture, artisan craftsmanship, and the quiet details that bring design to life. “Florence taught me to appreciate and discover design in the everyday,” she says.
That perspective defines her work today. As co-owner of Haven Interiors alongside Sydney Brengel, Ali brings a refined, art-driven aesthetic grounded in detail, discipline, and nuance. Known for her ability to layer texture, color, and form in sophisticated, unexpected ways, Ali’s designs are expressive and carefully composed—never overdone.
show moreBefore interiors, Ali built a successful corporate career in fashion, working at Kohl’s Corporate in trend-forward departments and collaborating with brands like Nike. There, she developed a keen sense for visual impact, business management, and how to connect with audiences through design—all of which inform her work today.
Ali’s ability to combine classical inspiration with modern sensibilities makes her work timeless, layered, and fresh. She is especially passionate about discovering rising talent and new brands. “I love finding those key pieces that punctuates a space — a sculptural object, a bold painting, a new shape, something that reflects my clients’ personalities. It’s what gives the space soul and makes it truly personal for the client,” she says.
Reflecting on her new leadership role at Haven, Ali shares:
“It’s a privilege to carry on the legacy of a design studio built on trust, talent, and creating beautiful spaces. We’re excited to lead Haven into its next era—with fresh energy, artistic vision, and a continued commitment to our clients.”
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Donna Sweet
Founder, Interior Design Visionary and Haven Muse
After 30 years creating award winning spaces that her client’s adore, Donna’s creativity remains boundless thus cementing her reputation as a luminary in interior design, nationally. Donna’s magic power is her unbridled imagination and extraordinary ability to seamlessly blend textures, patterns, shapes and colors together into breathtaking designs that deeply and personally resonate with her clients.
Show MoreOver the years, Donna has had the privilege of designing multiple homes, spaces and places for many of her clients. Over time, their taste and how they live evolves, yet Donna continues to delight them time and time again with her one-of-a-kind designs that feel both exciting and familiar.
Donna: “I strive to make each client’s home beautiful and very personal. I love working with my client’s history, making sure their beloved pieces are a part of each new design. Melding both old and new, creates a home that is both visually interesting, deeply personal and timeless.”
Show LessPam Stasney
Creative Storyteller with an Eye for Detail
Pam is a storyteller who expresses herself through color, texture, pattern, and form. After a successful career as a Set Decorator and Photo Stylist in New York and Los Angeles, she brought her artful design sensibility to Haven Milwaukee. Her transition from film to interior design was seamless—shifting from crafting layered, imaginative spaces for fictional characters to designing beautiful, personalized, and functional homes for real people. Each space Pam creates reflects her clients’ unique stories, brought to life with creativity and purpose.
Show MoreToday, instead of sitting down and reading a script, Pam spends her time asking questions, listening and getting to know her clients and their sensibilities. She has a special way of connecting deeply with her clients, ensuring they feel heard and understood throughout the entire design process. Pam sees her mission at Haven as creating spaces with her clients that they will love for years to come.
When asked about her most beloved piece of furniture, Pam spoke of her dining room table. “It’s large, sturdy, and beautiful. It’s where we connect, laugh, share stories, get nourished, and linger. It’s a place where memories are made.”
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Karen Sullivan
Classic Designer and Champion for Client Excellence
Karen is best known for her beautiful, timeless designs and her keen eye for details. Her deep industry knowledge, combined with outstanding people skills, have earned her a loyal clientele who trust her implicitly to transform their homes. It is her unwavering commitment to professionalism and her artistic vision that have contributed to her building an incomparable network of Wisconsin’s top artisans that are partners in her design implementations.
Show MoreKaren is energized by both large and small projects. Whether it’s a new build, a remodel or a simple room refresh, Karen seamlessly taps into her years of experience to effectively work with architects, builders, painters and other tradesmen, ensuring every element aligns with her clients’ dreams.
When asked where she finds her creative inspiration, Karen shared, “The journey of getting to know each client and finding a design that is deeply reflective of their personality and lifestyle is what ignites my creativity.” Karen approaches every design project with complete dedication, which is why she is known for consistently exceeding her clients’ expectations and delivering stunning, functional spaces they love.
Show LessKiersten Stearle
Extraordinary Design Credentials with a Fresh Design Eye
Kiersten is Haven’s first Associate Designer—a title created to recognize her exceptional contributions and achievements. After successfully assisting Donna Sweet, founder and nationally recognized interior designer, it became clear that Kiersten had earned a distinction all her own.
Not only did she rise to the challenge—she set a new standard for future Design Assistants.
show moreUpon graduating with a degree in design, Kiersten joined Haven Milwaukee as a Design Assistant, bringing with her a strong foundation in design software and creative problem-solving. She expected a structured, hands-on training program—something Haven is renowned for offering to top design graduates. But shortly after she arrived, she was given the rare opportunity to work directly with Donna Sweet. Recognizing it as a once-in-a-career opportunity, Kiersten leapt in with confidence.
Donna attributes Kiersten’s extraordinary success to her perfect balance of both ‘right’ and ‘left’ brain. “Kiersten has outstanding design instincts and quickly grasped and wrangled the complex details of my design projects. In short order, she has gone from supporting me to being my design partner.”
Reflecting on the experience, Kiersten shares: “The opportunity to assist Donna has truly been the experience of a lifetime. Being involved in every aspect of every project has been a gift—giving me exposure to a breadth of work that would normally take a decade to experience.”
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Our interior design process involves conceptualizing aesthetically
pleasing spaces to meet our client’s needs and preferences.