It’s an exciting time to be in the design world. Now more than ever, diverse styles, voices, and experiences are being embraced throughout the industry. However, it’s no secret that interior design, like many other industries, has struggled with diversity for many years. White designers long dominated the spotlight, while BIPOC designers were shut out.
This year, in honor of Black History Month, we’re highlighting some of the newer designers and tastemakers blazing a trail in the interior design industry. These talented designers don’t just have a keen sense of style—they’re taking steps to shape and redefine the industry, one beautiful interior at a time.
Here are ten Black interior designers to know and watch this year and beyond.
Tiffani Reidy – Reidy Creative
Tiffani Reidy is a Baltimore native and the founder of Reidy Creative, a multidisciplinary design studio specializing in residential and commercial renovation design. Her style is conceptually driven, filled with bold color, and modern yet endearingly vintage-inspired, with a strong focus on localism and supporting local craftsmanship.
Prior to founding the studio in 2018, Reidy obtained her Master’s in Interior Architecture from George Washington University and holds an undergraduate degree in graphics and photography from Syracuse University.
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Alicia Ruach – Alicia Ruach Design + Co.
Alicia Ruach Design + Co. is an award-winning boutique interior design studio founded by Alicia Ruach. After a successful career in sports and entertainment, Ruach decided to pivot and focus on her first love: interior design.
She founded her design studio in 2019. Since then, the studio has won many awards and accolades and been featured in several regional and national publications. In 2021, Ruach also received the Black Designers of Canada Award of Excellence, which honors Black excellence and design contributions in Canada.
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Amhad Freeman – Amhad Freeman Interiors
Amhad Freeman is the founder and principal designer of Amhad Freeman Interiors, which is based in Chicago and Nashville. He focuses on luxury residential projects, from kitchen and bath remodeling to new build construction.
Freeman’s design style can be described as a balanced combination of modern, contemporary, and traditional elements, with a focus on creating refined, elegant, and timeless interiors.
Lauren Ashley – Lauren Ashley Experiences
Lauren Ashley Experiences is a Houston-based interior design and event planning firm founded by Lauren Ashley. As the founder and CEO, Ashley is known for her bold use of color, infectious personality, and creating spaces that are sanctuaries of peace, inspiration, and belonging.
She holds a degree in Interior Design from the Art Institute of Houston and has been featured in several regional and national publications.
Theresa Butler – Theresa Butler Interiors
Theresa Butler is the founder and principal designer of Theresa Butler Interiors, a full-service interior design firm based in Atlanta, Georgia. She enjoyed a successful career in the medical field before transitioning to interior design, which has been her calling since she was 12 years old.
Butler’s design style is sophisticated with a streak of traditional modern flare. She loves collaborating with her clients to create interiors that truly reflect their unique lifestyles and personalities.
Desiree Washington – Designs by Des Interiors
Designs by Des Interiors is a Massachusetts-based interior design studio founded by Desiree Washington. She founded Designs by Des Interiors out of a vision of helping busy professionals like herself create spaces they love and feel comfortable in.
For Washington, it’s a family affair—she works alongside many family members to craft beautiful interiors for her clients.
Laquita Tate – Laquita Tate Styling & Interiors
For Laquita Tate, interior design started as a passion project as she renovated and redecorated her own home. She decided to take her social media followers on the journey with her, and many were so impressed with her work that she started making a name for herself in the design world.
In 2020, she officially opened her design studio, Laquita Tate Interior Styling & Designs, where she now shares her keen eye for design with her clients. Since then, her work has been featured in numerous publications, podcasts, and other media.
Malcolm Simmons – Mas Means More
Interior designer Malcolm Simmons is a relative newcomer to the interior design world, but he’s already leaving his mark in the industry. He founded his design firm, Mas Means More, in 2018 and has since been featured in numerous regional and national publications.
Simmons was even named in House Beautiful’s Next Wave Class of 2023, which recognizes the top rising stars in the design world. Simmons loves creating beautiful yet affordable interiors—blending classic and collected elements with a touch of DIY charm.
Leah Alexander – Beauty Is Abundant
If the name Leah Alexander is new to you, let us introduce you. She’s the owner and principal interior designer at Beauty is Abundant, an Atlanta-based interior design firm founded in 2018. Since its inception, Beauty is Abundant’s work has been recognized in numerous prestigious publications, including Architectural Digest.
Alexander herself has been named the HGTV Designer of the Year in 2022, 2023, and 2024. She was also named to House Beautiful’s Next Wave Class of 2023 alongside Simmons.
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