“Lisa is an amazing architect, we have a beautiful home. She is extremely detail oriented, nails deadlines, and is practical. I honestly believe our house would not have been built if we had chosen someone else. We might have given up. She knew Mercer Island codes better than the city, came prepared with supporting documentation, and was polite, calm, and professional with contractors and city personnel. We have a beautiful dream house because of her and couldn’t thank her enough for the hours spent on our project.
Some perspective. Our house was built on a difficult lot. We had to contend with critical landscape slopes, fire department and construction access, tree retention, shoring wall construction, waterfront landscape plans, and an irregular lot size to name a few. There was a lot of variables to juggle. She ushered this project through permitting smoothly which was a Herculean feat. Our house is a beautiful, traditional, home that is timeless and elegant. She listened to our vision, and created all the spaces we wanted. People often ask us what we would do differently, and I say, “not a thing.” We love our home. Thank you, Lisa!”
-Kristin, Mercer Island
Lisa Sidlauskas, also known as Lisa Sid., is the founder of Lisa Sid.Design. Born in Springfield, Illinois, she was awed by the craftsmanship of her grandfather, a carpenter who created building cornice details throughout the city, wood furniture and accessories. Her grandfather's woodwork, including a gavel used in an Illinois courtroom, inspired her passion for architecture.
Lisa pursued this passion academically, earning a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies from the University of Illinois. She furthered her education at the University of Washington, where she completed a Master of Architecture in 2001. Since 2009, she has been a licensed architect in the State of Washington.
Lisa joined Stuart Silk Architects in 2000. As a Senior Associate, she was responsible for all phases of design and management of custom single family homes. She managed projects through initial feasibility and programming, design, code review and permitting, and construction management. The size, style and scope of the projects were varied, creating opportunities for Lisa to work in a variety of architectural styles, with a consistent focus on proportion, quality of detail and materials.
In 2018, Lisa joined the founders of Studio AM Architects to launch their architecture firm. During her time at SAMA, her projects included design and management of new home construction, remodels and additions to historic, traditional and contemporary homes, and a unique tenant improvement for an athletic gym.
Lisa Sid.Design, founded by Lisa in January 2024, marks a significant milestone in her career, offering her the freedom to pursue a diverse array of projects. Her architectural philosophy centers on recognizing the unique characteristics of each project with an attention to detail throughout the design process. Lisa excels at transforming her clients' requirements into spaces that blend functionality with aesthetic appeal, creating designs that continue to inspire and delight long after their completion.
Careful consideration goes into the materials and systems behind the design of each project. Materials are analyzed for their durability and maintenance requirements with the client. Heating and cooling, electrical loads, plumbing fixtures and systems are reviewed with the contractor and client for each project to determine how to make these systems run efficiently. Lisa has experience on projects with increased thermal insulation, solar panels, geothermal conditioning, heat pumps and recycled water irrigation cisterns. Lisa believes that our buildings should embrace and explore technology to reduce our carbon footprint.
