At Martha Dayton Design, interior design is ultimately about making life beautiful, easier, and more meaningful.
Led by president and principal designer Martha Dayton, the award-winning firm is one of Minnesota’s premier design studios. Martha and her team collaborate with clients, architects, developers and custom builders on residential, boutique commercial and multi-family projects in the Twin Cities and across the U.S., Mexico and Costa Rica.
Whether Martha and her team are designing a glamorous villa on the Peninsula Papagayo, updating a Manhattan penthouse aerie or creating a modern family retreat in northern Minnesota, their vast knowledge and extensive experience in development and construction help streamline the process and make it exciting, rewarding and memorable.
MARTHA DAYTON
FOUNDER PRINCIPAL DESIGNER
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Martha’s design journey has been anything but prescriptive, including a Master’s degree in education and first profession as a teacher for deaf children. But after renovating single-family homes and duplexes while living on the East Coast, followed by a move to Minneapolis, she worked five years as director of design for the Lander Group, where she led the design of condo developments in the Midwest.
In 2005, she founded Martha Dayton Design, leading a team in designing residential and multifamily projects from coast to coast, and in Mexico and Costa Rica. Martha also owned a design store in Minneapolis’ North Loop neighborhood called Witt + Bliss, and for years has lent her time and support to causes close to her heart, including the non-profit PAB’S PACKS (which served teens with chronic illnesses and their families), advocating for diabetes awareness, mentoring young designers, and serving on the boards of local organizations such as MCAD, the Walker Art Center, and the Blake School, among many others.
Hails From: Minneapolis by way of Aspen, Boston, and Santa Fe
Superpower: Setting the design vision and building the right team to make it happen
If I Wasn’t a Designer: I’d own a home goods boutique and do portrait photography on the side and I think I would relish in learning how to make sourdough bread.
Favorite Room in My House: My closet
Happy Place: On the beach in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica with my family
Fun Fact: I’m proficient in ASL
Must-Haves: Chanel Noir and new cookbooks and bangle bracelets on my wrists
People I Admire: My husband
Guilty Pleasure: Ted Lasso
Proudest Moment: Raising two incredible daughters
Close to My Heart: My family and anyone living with and/or supporting Type 1 Diabetes
Favorite Causes: Diabetes advocacy, MCAD, and the Walker Art Center
Dream Project: Any project that pushes my creative boundaries
JADA BREUER
SENIOR DESIGN PROJECT MANAGER, STUDIO COORDINATOR
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Many people know Jada from when she owned the much-loved longtime women’s boutique Karma on Grand Avenue in St. Paul. Along with an education in fashion design from the University of Minnesota and several years as a buyer at Ampersand, the experience helped her fine-tune her knack for design. That foundation served Jada well as she shifted to interior design in roles at other Minneapolis studios before joining the MDD team in 2024.
Hails From: St. Paul via the Dakotas
Superpower: Buying the perfect gift for someone
Favorite Room in My House: The living room in our 1898 home with a fireplace and pocket doors we can close off to get cozy
Happy Place: My backyard in the summertime
Must-Haves: Travel and fun hotels with my family
If I Wasn’t a Designer: I would be a florist or open a bed and breakfast in Tuscany
Guilty Pleasure: Massage therapy
Proudest Moment: Becoming a mother to my son Gus
Close to My Heart: Family and friends
Favorite Cause: Animal Humane Society, because I love animals
DEBBIE ROHRER
STUDIO MANAGER
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Debbie fell in love with creative work environments early in her career, when she was a project manager at Minneapolis branding agency Yamamoto. Following her job as mother, daughter, and household manager, as well as her work for an investment manager, she joined our team in 2022. Debbie plays an important role in holding everything and everyone at the studio together. She loves how her job combines creativity with the business side of things, and enjoys being part of the team behind so many beautiful designs.
Hails From: Cheese Land, a.k.a. Wisconsin
Superpower: My imagination
Favorite Room in My House: My sunroom, if only for five months a year
Must-Haves: A sense of humor and a Mason-Pearson hairbrush
People I Admire: Malala Yousafzai for her human rights advocacy, and anyone who can belt out a song
Fun Fact: I played Snow White at Walt Disney World.
If I Wasn’t a Studio Manager: I’d love to help endangered species in a hands-on way.
Guilty Pleasure: Freshly-baked Nestle frosted chocolate chip cookies at MOA
Proudest Moment: Raising sensitive, polite, and respectful kids
Close to My Heart: Family, friends, and dogs
Dream Project: Designing vacation rentals in Paris, Florence, LA, and NYC
LAUREN ALLIS
DESIGNER, PROJECT MANAGER
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Growing up in a 120-year-old house with parents who were do-it-yourselfers exposed Lauren to design early on. Through the experience, as well as her dad’s profession as a graphic designer, she was often pulled into creative decisions. Lauren pursued a degree in interior design at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in part, she says, because of the program’s focus on architecture, which helped strengthen her understanding of how buildings come together and how interiors and exteriors relate. Following internships and work as a design consultant, she joined the MDD team in 2021.
Hails From: A farm in southern Minnesota
Favorite Room in My House: Our study is easily my favorite space. We painted the walls dark green and it houses our burboun collection and photos from concerts and travels.
Must-Haves: Candles! Scent has such a big impact on how we experience space.
People I Admire: I admire a lot of people because everyone teaches you different things. I really admire my sisters, however. They’re incredibly wonderful, kind, and accomplished people.
Fun Fact: I’ve written a book and I’m working on getting it published.
If I Wasn’t a Designer: I’d be an event planner. I love creating environments for everyone to come together to celebrate.
Proudest Moment: Becoming an aunt. My nieces and nephew are my favorite people. It’s so exciting and rewarding to see them develop and grow.
Close to My Heart: Mental health. There’s such a stigma around it, although it’s something that everyone struggles with, and it makes us human. That’s why treating people with kindness is always so important.
Dream Project: I’d love to update Elvis’ Honeymoon Hideaway Home. The architecture is so unique and dynamic, and the sunken living room with exposed stone and a circular fireplace is beyond fabulous.
nancy morton
DESIGNER, PROJECT MANAGER
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Following a degree in textiles from the University of Minnesota’s School of Design, Nancy spent the early part of her career as a women’s clothing buyer. After taking time off when her three boys were young, she re-entered design by way of a position at Martha’s former boutique, Witt + Bliss. It would be the first of Nancy’s now three chapters at MDD (reuniting with the team in 2024), each separated by blocks of time at interior design showrooms, where she deepened her product knowledge of furniture lines, fabrics, carpeting, and wall coverings.
Hails From: Edina by way of Minneapolis
Superpower: Remembering where things are or where I’ve seen something before, except for my glasses
Favorite Room in My House: My living room, because it’s where we all hang out. It’s cozy, warm, and comfortable, and it makes me happy.
Happy Place: Anywhere as long as I’m with friends or family
People I admire: My mom. She’s smart, strong, and caring
Must-Have: An outgoing, driven, happy, and caring attitude
Guilty Pleasure: Tanqueray or tequila
Proudest Moment: I’m not sure I have a proudest moment, but I’m proud of each of my three boys
Daily Ritual: Every morning, I tell myself to be prepared for anything and to be on top of my game. It's advice I've passed on to my boys, too.
Dream Project: Doing an amazingly cool, luxurious restaurant or club
ALEX LOOSIGIAN
DESIGNER, PROJECT MANAGER
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Alex traces her interest in design back to her grandmother. Despite that early influence, she initially didn’t realize she could get an interior design degree at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, where she planned to major in biology. Excited to see interior design as a major, Alex made the switch her sophomore year. After completing her degree and a pair of internships, she joined our team in 2021.
Hails From: Westford, Massachusetts, by way of college in Fort Worth
Superpower: Always being optimistic
Where I Live: Just off Mainstreet, Hopkins, with my husband and our dog Jellybean
Favorite Room in My House: The living room, because that’s where everyone usually gathers when we have company
Must-Haves: Traveling, hiking, yoga, Pilates, cooking, gardening, and walking with my dog
People I Admire: My parents, because they always find the fun in things and take time to do what they love
Happy Place: Nabnasset Lake in Massachusetts, where I grew up with my friends and family
Fun Fact: I was a dancer for 16 years and did eight different styles of dance.
If I Wasn’t a Designer: I’d be doing something that involves traveling, because it’s always been a big passion of mine.
Guilty Pleasure: Curling up on the couch on Monday nights with a bowl of pasta and watching “The Bachelor”
Close to My Heart: Alzheimer’s awareness, because my Nana was diagnosed with it a few years ago, and it’s an awful and sad illness.
Dream Project: Designing my own house from scratch because seeing the result would be so rewarding
kory kevin reckinger
SENIOR DESIGN PROJECT MANAGER
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Toward the end of an advertising program at St. Cloud State University, Kory found himself disheartened with the idea of taking up a traditional ad-industry career. A pivot led him to a design degree at Dunwoody College of Technology, where he focused on architecture, space design, and 3D modeling. After sharpening his skills on design-focused senior living projects as a project manager at RLH Studio, he joined the MDD team in 2015. Kory leads our commercial and multifamily work, processes orders, and coordinates deliveries. He rounds out his time as our in-house photographer (a talent developed from a longtime hobby) and graphic designer.
Hails From: Eden Prairie by way of South St. Paul
Superpower: Cheap laughs, dad jokes and changing light bulbs without a ladder
Favorite Room in My House: Our sunroom/family room feels like a treehouse so we love opening all the windows and hanging out with nature.
Must-Haves: Organic materials in modern shapes
People I Admire: From single family homeowners to architects, developers, entrepreneurs and business owners, there’s so much vision and talent in this industry! It’s exciting to collaborate on projects—some years in the making—and bring them to fruition.
If I Wasn’t a Designer: I’d shoot photos for designers and architects.
Guilty Pleasure: Audiobooks and Starbucks
Proudest Moment: Our daughter went through a book of 100 animals and pointed at each one and said “penguin.” She’s the best.
Close to My Heart: Solar and other alternative energy is really exciting stuff. It’s inspiring to see how companies are bringing new ideas to market with really beautiful design.
Dream Project: A modern home in the middle of the woods with a fantastic builder and architect!
