Merrill & Associates

What Merrill & Associates does

Merrill & Associates is a full-service interior design firm headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii, specializing in high-end residential projects with a selective portfolio of luxury hospitality and resort work. The firm is led by Principal Designer and founder Kathy Merrill Kelley, ASID, supported by designer Kirsten Merrill, and operates with a small team (firmographic headcount of 11–50 employees). The practice is independently owned and privately held, with no disclosed external funding, parent company, or institutional ownership. The firm's philosophy is summarized as "sublime is the baseline," and its value proposition rests on translating client aspirations into bespoke, high-craft interiors rather than on technology platforms or process IP.

The firm's core offering is bespoke interior design services, including space planning, FF&E (furniture, fixtures, and equipment) specification, procurement, and end-to-end project management for ultra-luxury residences. The commercial book includes hotel, restaurant, and resort projects — notably the W Honolulu, several Ruth's Chris Steakhouses, Waikoloa Beach Marriott, The Fairmont Orchid Hawaii, and the Kukui'ula development in Kaua'i (Plantation House, The Golf Clubhouse, The Spa). The firm does not operate a proprietary technology platform; its tooling is limited to a website portfolio gallery and an intermittent blog. There is no mobile application, no public API, and no disclosed AI/ML capabilities. The only technical certification noted is Principal Designer Kathy Merrill Kelley's ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) membership.

The business model is professional services revenue generated through design fees, procurement services, and project management for individual projects. Pricing is bespoke and quote-based, with no publicly disclosed rate structure. Distribution is direct and consultative — clients engage by appointment only, typically through referrals, repeat engagements, or inbound inquiries from the website. Geographic reach spans the Hawaiian islands (Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, Kauai), the U.S. mainland (Seattle, Northern California), and internationally (Tokyo, Japan). Marketing is primarily earned media: the firm and its principal have been featured in Architectural Digest and recognized in the AD 100 list of The World's Top Designers and Architects.

Name

Merrill & Associates

Legal name

Merrill & Associates, Inc.

Website

https://merrill-hawaii.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Merrill & Associates is a Honolulu-based full-service interior design firm specializing in high-end residential and select luxury hospitality projects, serving ultra-high-net-worth individuals and premium hospitality brands across Hawaii, the U.S. mainland, and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. High-end Residential Interior Design: Custom interior design services for ultra-high-net-worth residential clients, including celebrity clientele. Projects span Hawaii, mainland US, and international locations. Revenue generated through design fees, procurement services, and project management for complete interior transformations.
2. Luxury Commercial Interior Design: Interior design services for luxury hotels, resorts, restaurants, and spa facilities. Clients include major hospitality brands such as Marriott, Ruth's Chris Steakhouses, and Fairmont hotels.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Merrill & Associates is a full-service interior design firm in Honolulu, Hawaii that delivers bespoke high-end residential interior design and select luxury commercial interior design. Residential work includes complete space design, FF&E specification, furniture procurement, and project management for ultra-high-net-worth clients across Hawaii, the US mainland, and internationally. Commercial work covers hotels, resorts, restaurants, and spa facilities for luxury hospitality brands such as Marriott, Fairmont, W Hotels, and Ruth's Chris Steakhouses.

Product overview

Merrill & Associates is a full-service interior design firm offering residential and commercial interior design services. The core offering consists of high-end residential interior design for clients in Hawaii, on the mainland, and internationally, supplemented by select commercial projects including hotels, restaurants, and resort developments. The firm is led by Principal Designer Kathy Merrill Kelley, ASID, and Designer Kirsten Merrill.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• High-End Residential Interior Design
• Luxury Commercial Interior Design

Named customers11 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Yabu Pushelberg: Internationally recognized design studio with luxury hospitality interiors (Four Seasons, Edition, Equinox) and high-end residential commissions. Comparable mix of premium hospitality and bespoke residential work to Merrill & Associates.
• Hirsch Bedner Associates: Boutique-to-mid-size luxury interior design firm with deep hospitality focus (hotels, resorts, spas, branded residences). Directly comparable to Merrill & Associates in serving luxury hotel and high-end residential clients across the U.S. and internationally.
• Studio Sofield: AD 100-recognized interior design practice known for luxury residential and select hospitality/retail projects. Aligns with Merrill & Associates' AD-credentialed, design-led positioning and high-net-worth clientele.
• Wimberly Interiors (WATG): Hospitality-focused interior design arm of global architecture firm WATG, with deep luxury resort and hotel brand portfolio (Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt). Comparable to Merrill & Associates' luxury hospitality commissions and resort project mix.
• Wilson Associates: Legacy luxury hospitality and high-end residential interior design firm with extensive hotel brand portfolio. Closely comparable in focus on luxury hotel interiors and premium residential commissions.
• Champalimaud Design: High-end interior design firm recognized for luxury hotel, resort, and residential commissions worldwide. Closely aligned with Merrill & Associates in clientele quality, hospitality brand work, and design-led prestige positioning.
• Peter Marino Architect: Architect-led luxury design practice serving ultra-high-net-worth residential, retail flagships, and hospitality clients. Comparable in serving top-tier celebrity and luxury brand clients with design leadership concentrated in a principal.
• Martyn Lawrence Bullard Design: AD 100-recognized designer known for celebrity residential clientele and select hospitality/retail projects. Closely parallels Merrill & Associates' celebrity-driven, design-led boutique practice and lifestyle brand.
• Thomas Hamel Design: High-end interior design firm specializing in bespoke residential and select hospitality. Comparable boutique scale, principal-led model, and ultra-high-net-worth client focus.
• Windsor Smith Home: AD-listed designer with luxury residential practice and selective hospitality work. Comparable in celebrity-adjacent, design-led boutique positioning and ultra-premium client mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MerrillAssocHi
• Facebookfacebook.com/merrillandassociates

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Merrill & Associates