Who’s Who
Who’s Who
The 20 Most Famous Interior Designers Working Today
This past year, Architectural Digest Magazine put together a list of the twenty most famous interior designers working today. These designers are known for their celebrity clients, best-selling product lines, and popular TV shows. Today’s best-known designers took a variety of roads to the top, but now can often be spotted gracing the covers of magazines with buzzy commissions and clients, or landing regular gigs on TV. Once they made it, they figured out how to capitalize on their success and expand their reach worldwide. While they each have specific specialties and styles, these designers and architects have certainly left their mark on the industry, and continue to influence the way people live and decorate. Read on for Architectural Digest's roundup of the most famous interior designers working today:
Joanna Gaines
In just six years, Joanna Gaines - with help from her contractor husband, Chip - has created a design empire.
Nate Berkus
In 2002, Nate Berkus made his debut on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and he quickly became one of America’s favorite design talents, landing TV shows, book deals, and collaborations galore.
Kelly Wearstler
In 2009, The New Yorker declared Kelly Wearstler “the presiding grande dame of West Coast interior design,” and since then her reach and influence have grown far beyond California.
Martyn Lawrence Bullard
There are celebrity interior designers, and then there’s Martyn Lawrence Bullard, the go-to decorator for superstars like Elton John, Cher, Kylie Jenner, and Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian.
Bobby Berk
The past two years have been beyond big for Missouri native Bobby Berk. In 2018, he debuted as Queer Eye's design expert and quickly became a fan favorite for his impactful home makeovers.
Peter Marino
Fashion’s favorite architect is Peter Marino. The design legend, who founded his firm in 1978 after working for Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; George Nelson; and I.M. Pei/Cossutta & Ponte, has designed stores for a who’s who of luxury fashion and jewelry brands including Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Bulgari, Hublot, Dior, Fendi, and Graff.
Justina Blakeney
L.A. designer Justina Blakeney turned her eclectic, plant-filled style into a hot trend and a booming business with 1.2 million Instagram followers.
Emily Henderson
Designer Emily Henderson made America up its styling game and helped transform bookshelves, cocktail tables, and mantels across the country.
Jonathan Adler
Ever since his cheeky pottery debuted at Barneys in 1993, Jonathan Adler has been infusing homes with color and humor.
Ken Fulk
Based in San Francisco and New York, Ken Fulk has become the designer of choice for innovators such as Sean Parker, Veronica Beard, Kevin Systrom, and Pharrell Williams, all of whom appreciate his vibrant, cinematic style.
Roman and Williams
Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch transitioned from production design to interior design, bringing some of Hollywood’s biggest stars—including Ben Stiller, Kate Hudson, and Gwyneth Paltrow—along as clients.
India Mahdavi
Described by The New Yorker as a “virtuoso of color” and “a possessor of perfect chromatic pitch,” architect and designer India Mahdavi has become renowned for her wondrous, saturated spaces, from her whimsical designs for Ladurée outposts in Los Angeles, Japan, and Geneva to her perfectly pink interior for London’s The Gallery at Sketch - the most Instagrammed restaurant in the world.
Tiffany Brooks
Chicago-based designer Tiffany Brooks started her career in high-end residential property management and staging, but went all in on interior design in 2007.
Axel Vervoordt
Belgian designer and dealer Axel Vervoordt took on his first design project, the restoration of 11 medieval houses in Antwerp, 50 years ago, and since then he’s become known for his minimalist interiors and expert eye for art and antiques.
Kathryn M. Ireland
British-born Kathryn M. Ireland started out as an actress, a fashion designer, and a filmmaker.
Thom Filicia
Thom Filicia became a household name as the design expert on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy in the aughts.
Jacques Grange
Distinguished French interior designer Jacques Grange has been crafting memorable spaces since the 1970s.
Thomas O'Brien
When he founded his design studio and store, Aero, in 1992, Thomas O'Brien helped bring warmth to the stark modern style of the day.
Vicky Charles
After spending 20 years shaping the aesthetic of Soho House, designer Vicky Charles struck out on her own in 2016, founding Charles & Co. with partner Julia Corden.
Michael S. Smith
Michael S. Smith's sophisticated projects have been gracing the covers of design magazines for nearly three decades.
Interested in reading more about the designers on this list? Check out the full article here.
