Elena Cannaday

Raised between Bad Schwalbach, Germany and the coastal village of La Cotinière, France, Elena’s early experiences shaped her hands-on, resourceful approach to design. From building a treehouse with reclaimed materials to biking to the harbor at dawn, these formative moments sparked a lifelong love of making and adventure. A commissioned muralist, woodworker, and former rock-climbing coach, Elena embraces the full design-build process and recently designed and self-built her home in Austin. Her global career across Europe, the U.S., and the UAE continues to inform her culturally fluent, site-responsive approach to creating spaces that foster identity, connection, and lasting impact.