We present a Regge-inspired effective-Lagrangian framework for kaon photoproduction from the deuteron. Quasi-free kaon production is investigated using the Regge-plus-resonance (RPR) elementary operator within the relativistic plane-wave impulse approximation. The RPR model was developed to describe photoinduced and electroinduced charged-kaon production off protons. We show how this elementary operator can be transformed in order to account for the production of neutral kaons from both protons and neutrons. The model results for kaon photoproduction from the deuteron compare favourably to the 2H(g,K)YN data published to date.