Michael Shannon Designs

Michael founded Michael Shannon Designs in Center City Philadelphia over 25 years ago after earning his degree from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and beginning his career with Haworth and Herman Miller. Since then, he and his team have completed hundreds of projects, collaborating closely with clients to create interiors that not only meet but exceed expectations. Known for his ability to quickly understand a client's vision, Michael translates their needs into sophisticated, comfortable, and highly personalized environments.

Committed to both professional practice and design education, Michael served as an Adjunct Professor at Moore College of Art & Design, where he taught Design Studio and shared his expertise and experience with the next generation of designers.

A lifelong advocate for the visual arts, Michael believes that fine art plays an essential role in creating meaningful interiors. He takes particular satisfaction in helping clients source and acquire artwork, building collections that feel personal and integral to their homes. His passion for the arts has also inspired decades of civic involvement. Michael served for 22 years on the board of Collab, supporting contemporary design at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of BalletX and on the Chairman’s Council of the Highmark-Mann Center for the Performing Arts, maintaining strong connections to Philadelphia’s cultural and creative communities.Collaboration remains central to Michael’s design philosophy.

Travel is another enduring source of inspiration. Through extensive journeys around the world—including recent trips to Morocco and Rome, with future adventures planned in South Africa and Namibia—Michael continually seeks new perspectives on architecture, art, culture, and design. These experiences inform his work and help shape the thoughtful, globally influenced approach that defines Michael Shannon Designs.

Lia Pipia is the newest designer on the MSD team. She began at Michael Shannon Designs as an intern and has since grown into a full-time designer and resource coordinator. Originally from the country of Georgia, Lia earned a Master’s degree in Interior Design & Architecture from Drexel University, with a minor in Art History and Fine Arts. She quickly fell in love with Philadelphia and decided to stay after graduation. With a strong interest in sustainable design, Lia also holds LEED Green Associate certification.

Her fine arts studies at Drexel included extensive studio coursework focused on hands-on construction techniques such as woodworking, metal welding, and furniture prototyping. Her favorite furniture designer is the women-led Georgian design studio: Rooms Studio, known for creating objects that combine their native Georgian heritage with a contemporary aesthetic. Their large-scale furniture often blurs the line between functional object and sculpture, mixing rich textures and materials while drawing inspiration from Georgian cultural iconography found in architecture, ancient manuscripts, and traditional craft. Lia's own aesthetic leans toward modern and mid-century influences, shaped by both her Georgian roots and her experiences living in Philadelphia.

An accomplished illustrator, Lia takes a mixed-media approach to her design renderings. She often begins with hand sketches, layers in digital graphics, and then brings the work to completion on an iPad.

Outside of design, she enjoys making art, reading, photography, and playing the piano.

Louise shares responsabilities in the canine division with Lou and alerts us when visitors or the mail arrives.

Devon holds a B.S. in Interior Design from Philadelphia University and has been an integral part of MSD since 2000. Her creative foundation was established at The Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA), where she cultivated an early appreciation for the arts and design.

With an appreciation for a wide range of design styles, she gravitates toward transitional design—a balanced blend of traditional and contemporary aesthetics. Equally valued for her organizational skills and project management expertise, she excels at coordinating the many moving parts of complex projects, from product sourcing and procurement to scheduling and implementation. Her detail-oriented, solutions-driven approach ensures projects remain on track while maintaining the highest standards of design and execution.

Devon is married with two children and lives in the Western Philadelphia suburbs. She values time with family and friends and enjoys traveling and exploring new cultures, traditions, and cuisines. She draws design inspiration from these cultural and culinary experiences.

Ani Burnet is a graduate of the Interior Design department at Moore College of Art & Design and brings a decade of experience, having worked with several firms before joining MSD—an opportunity she describes as a “dream come true.”

Ani’s design aesthetic is eclectic, leaning toward mid-century modern with bohemian flair. She admires adaptive re-use in architecture and design which preserves the character and history of a structure while transforming it to meet contemporary needs. Admired examples include the BOK Building, the Cherry Street Pier, both in Philly and Hallowed Ground, in Ellicott City, MD. A favorite MSD project demonstrating adaptive re-use, is the Society Hill Loft where new millwork and the latest technologies, collected furnishings, and thoughtful spatial planning that were carefully juxtaposed against exposed industrial architectural elements and aged surfaces to create a glamorous and highly livable environment in what was once a Philadelphia based publishing company's headquarters.

Ani was born and raised in Ellicott City, Maryland, and attended The Park School of Baltimore High School. She now lives in Southwest Philadelphia and enjoys playing piano, singing, making art, and snuggling with her dog, an 11-pound "Chiweenie" named Louise.

Mike began his career at the Graham Arader Gallery and the Philadelphia Design Center, where he built a strong foundation in the art and design industries and developed a lasting appreciation for craftsmanship, materials, and the collaborative process between designers and clients. That early experience still shapes how he works today, helping him move easily between the worlds of design and business. Mike oversees the operational aspects of the organization, including finance, human resources, facility management, marketing, and technology.

Prior to MSD he spent over 20 years in telecom/UCaaS sales and account management. His background in business development helps him identify opportunities, streamline processes, and build strong, long-term relationships.

Outside of the office, Mike remains deeply engaged in the art and design community as a dealer and collector. Passionate about travel, Mike is known for crafting in-depth itineraries with each hour of the day carefully planned out.

Following in the canine footsteps of Ruthie and Jackson, Lou is the current dog-in-residence, bringing loads of cuteness and puppy energy to MSD.