Banko Design
Banko Design is a Marietta, Georgia-based boutique interior design studio serving developers nationwide with integrated design, FF&E procurement, and branding services for senior living, multifamily, and private club communities across the U.S. and Canada.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersMarietta, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Banko Design does
Banko Design is a privately held, boutique commercial interior design studio founded in 2014 by Melissa Banko and headquartered in Marietta, Georgia. The firm serves developers, owners, and property managers across the United States and Canada, with primary specialization in senior living (independent living, assisted living, memory care, and active adult), multifamily apartment communities, and private clubs, and secondary practices in student housing and leisure hospitality. Its signature "resi-mercial" design methodology balances residential warmth with commercial-grade durability, and the firm reports that communities designed for repeat development partners reach stabilization within 18-22 months of opening with 100% occupancy shortly after.
The firm operates under the BD Studio Collection portfolio of brands, which includes Banko Design LLC (core interior design), Red Pen Procurement LLC (in-house FF&E procurement agency that owns warehouses for receiving, inspection, assembly, and installation coordination), Eleni Interior Design LLC, and Warner Design LLC (acquired September 2021). Services span schematic design through construction administration and final FF&E installation, with additional offerings in branding and marketing (launched 2023), product development, and thought-leadership content via The Banko Buzz podcast and blog. The technology stack is non-proprietary; there is no platform, API, or AI tooling disclosed — the firm's competitive logic rests on integrated design-and-procurement accountability under one roof, domain specialization, and repeat-developer relationships.
The revenue model is professional services-based: project design fees across schematic design through construction administration, plus FF&E procurement fees and product markups sourced through Red Pen Procurement, with additional branding/marketing fees and select licensing/royalty revenue from proprietary product development. Distribution is direct enterprise sales via consultation booking, founder-led business development, and relationship-based outreach to multifamily and senior living developers. The firm has no institutional funding, no public listing, and is wholly founder-controlled; it underwent a strategic right-sizing in 2024 in response to senior living new-construction headwinds, moving to smaller office space and trimming costs while retaining key talent.
Banko Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Banko Design
- Legal name
- Banko Design LLC
- Website
- https://bankodesign.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Banko Design is a Marietta, Georgia-based boutique interior design studio serving developers nationwide with integrated design, FF&E procurement, and branding services for senior living, multifamily, and private club communities across the U.S. and Canada.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Banko Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Interior Design Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)
Keywords
Where Banko Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Marietta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Banko Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Interior Design Services: Full-service commercial interior design services for senior living, multifamily, private club, student housing, and hospitality communities. Revenue is generated through project-based design fees spanning schematic design through construction administration.
- FF&E Procurement: Furniture, fixtures, and equipment procurement services through in-house agency Red Pen Procurement. Includes purchasing, warehousing, inspection, assembly, and installation coordination. Revenue generated through procurement fees and markups on products sourced for projects.
- Branding and Marketing Services: Branding, visual identity, logo design, property naming, brand messaging, creative collateral, photography, social media content creation, and website design services. Launched in 2023 and already award-winning.
- Product Development: Through select partnerships, the firm develops furniture and finish collections tailored to project needs. Revenue from proprietary product development and custom collections.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Banko Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Banko Design is a boutique interior design studio that delivers full-service commercial interior design and FF&E procurement for senior living, multifamily, private club, student housing, and hospitality communities across the United States and Canada. Services span from schematic design and concept development through construction administration and final FF&E installation, executed under an integrated single-team model supported by the in-house procurement agency Red Pen Procurement. The firm supplements its core design practice with branding and marketing services and proprietary product development partnerships.
Product overview
Banko Design is a boutique commercial interior design studio operating under BD Studio Collection, a portfolio of brands including Banko Design LLC, Red Pen Procurement LLC, Eleni Interior Design LLC, and Warner Design LLC. The company offers integrated interior design services for senior living, multifamily, and private club communities using its 'resi-mercial' design approach. Core offerings include commercial interior design, senior living interior design, private club interior design, multifamily interior design, FF&E procurement (via in-house Red Pen Procurement), branding and marketing services, and product development. Services span from early concept through final FF&E installation, with integrated procurement ensuring design intent is maintained throughout delivery.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Red Pen Procurement: In-house FF&E procurement agency that handles purchasing, warehousing, and installation for Banko Design projects. Owns warehouses to control receiving and warehousing costs.
Products and services
- Commercial Interior Design Core interior design services for commercial spaces, balancing residential warmth with commercial performance standards across senior living, multifamily, private club, student housing, and hospitality environments. Delivered from schematic design through construction administration.
- Senior Living Interior Design Resident-first interior design services for senior living communities including independent living, assisted living, memory care, and active adult. Spans schematic design through FF&E procurement and installation, prioritizing resident dignity, functionality, and enduring spaces.
- Multifamily Interior Design Interior design for multifamily apartment communities using the resi-mercial approach combining residential coziness with commercial-grade durability. Includes amenity spaces, model units, leasing offices, and common areas.
- Private Club Interior Design Interior design services for private clubs and member-based organizations, balancing legacy and lifestyle to create timeless, welcoming environments that attract and retain members.
- FF&E Procurement Full-service furniture, fixtures, and equipment procurement delivered through the in-house Red Pen Procurement agency. Includes purchasing, warehousing, inspection, assembly, installation, and post-occupancy support for Banko Design projects.
- Branding and Marketing Award-winning branding and marketing services including visual identity, logo design, property naming, brand messaging, creative collateral, photography, and social media content creation for Banko Design clients.
- Product Development Through select partnerships, Banko Design develops custom furniture and finish collections tailored to project needs when existing market options fall short, ensuring specified elements meet quality and design intent requirements.
Quantifiable outcome
- Communities reach stabilization within 18-22 months of opening with 100% occupancy following shortly after
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Banko Design
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Banko Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Banko Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Warner Design Associates (WDA)coreBanko Design acquired Warner Design Associates, a California-based interior design firm specializing in senior living, on September 20, 2021. The acquisition enhances Banko Design's reach and resources within the senior living, multifamily, and boutique hospitality markets across the United States and Canada. WDA operates as part of the BD Studio Collection portfolio of brands.
- Red Pen ProcurementcoreIn-house FF&E procurement agency critical to Banko Design's turnkey process. Red Pen Procurement owns warehouses for receiving and warehousing, providing better control over install timelines. Located down the street from Banko Design studio, enabling close collaboration on projects requiring FF&E or decorative materials.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Banko Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CID Design Group: Commercial interior design firm with strong multifamily and senior living portfolios, often cited alongside Banko Design in industry rankings. Both serve developers and operators with full-service interior design and FF&E capabilities.
- Studio 11 Design: Boutique interior design studio serving multifamily, senior living, and hospitality clients with integrated design and procurement. Directly comparable in scale, vertical focus, and service model to Banko Design.
- FORMA Design: Interior design firm with multifamily and senior living specialization, providing full-service design with branding and FF&E capabilities. Comparable client base and project delivery model to Banko Design.
- DesignGroup: Commercial interior design practice serving multifamily, senior living, hospitality, and corporate clients. Comparable service scope and verticals, though with broader geographic reach than Banko Design.
- Sixthriver Architects: Architecture and interior design firm with significant multifamily practice. Comparable in vertical focus and project delivery for residential-driven commercial developments.
Broad incumbents
- KTGY: Large national architecture, planning, and interiors firm with substantial multifamily and senior living portfolios. A scaled incumbent competing for the same developer clients at a larger project scope.
- Perkins&Will: Global architecture and design firm with interiors practices spanning senior living, multifamily, and hospitality. Larger and broader, but competes for institutional and large-scale commercial interior work.
- DLR Group: Integrated design firm offering architecture, interiors, and planning across multiple building types including senior living and hospitality. Operates at much larger scale than Banko Design but in overlapping categories.
- Steinberg Hart: Architecture and design firm with multifamily, hospitality, and senior living portfolios. Larger scale than Banko Design but operates in similar verticals with comparable design philosophies.
Regional players
- Lemay: Canadian architecture and interior design firm with senior living, hospitality, and multifamily practices. Comparable vertically and competes for North American cross-border work, especially given Banko Design's Canada reach.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Banko Design social profiles
Digital presenceBanko Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Banko Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Banko Design subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Banko Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Banko Design M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Banko Design
What does Banko Design do?
Banko Design is a boutique interior design studio that delivers full-service commercial interior design and FF&E procurement for senior living, multifamily, private club, student housing, and hospitality communities across the United States and Canada. Services span from schematic design and concept development through construction administration and final FF&E installation, executed under an integrated single-team model supported by the in-house procurement agency Red Pen Procurement. The firm supplements its core design practice with branding and marketing services and proprietary product development partnerships.
Is Banko Design a public or private company?
Banko Design is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Banko Design founded?
Banko Design was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Banko Design based?
Banko Design is headquartered in Marietta, United States, in the North America region.
How does Banko Design make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Interior Design Services are the primary driver. The others are FF&E Procurement, branding and Marketing Services and product Development.
Who are Banko Design's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CID Design Group, Studio 11 Design, FORMA Design, DesignGroup and Sixthriver Architects. Broad incumbents are KTGY, Perkins&Will, DLR Group and Steinberg Hart. Lemay is listed as a regional player.
Does Banko Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for Banko Design.
What industry is Banko Design in?
Banko Design's product category is Commercial Interior Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAB, Interior Design Services.