The 20 Most Popular Interior Designers Right Now

Does your dream home feel just like that? Is your ideal residence only a distant thought in your mind? The truth is, a seemingly unlimited number of choices may come to mind when you consider decorating your house.

Which task do you tackle first? What company should you use to undertake your home repairs?

Exactly what improvements should be made to each room? In need of a makeover, new tiles, or a fresh coat of paint? A design project might lose its appeal if too many details need to be monitored.

That’s where an interior designer comes in.

Even if you have an excellent eye for design and a flair for creativity, the days of slogging away at everything by yourself are over.

If you don’t have time to sit down and figure out what kinds of upgrades you want to do, much less go out and buy supplies, it may be time to consider hiring someone to perform this work for you.

Don’t worry!  We understand that the process of taking on a designer might be stressful or even a little terrifying for those who have never worked with one in the past, but the outcome is well worth it.

Simply because you delegate tasks does not mean you have to accept a home that lacks your style.

Your designer will undertake most of the work, but you may certainly pitch in. When you hire a professional, you gain access to their extensive knowledge as well as their skills, so that you don’t buy a piece of furniture only to locate an identical one for $100 less.

Furthermore, a designer will bring not only experience but also fresh eyes to a project.

A third party may be necessary to validate your suspicions that the inlaws’ furnishing isn’t up to snuff. A dyed-curved couch? Adios!

Alternatively, a gorgeous retro table that you have been wondering what to do with could unexpectedly swoop in and steal the show as a bathroom vanity. Greetings, stylish reuse!

The Best Interior Designers

The finest interior designers will be able to see possibilities in a room or its underlying problems and then come up with innovative solutions.

Thus, although the road to success in the field of interior design is not without challenges, it is a beautiful one, full of hours spent coming up with amazing ideas and working hard to meet a client’s needs.

If you’re like us and you’re always on the lookout for new home decor ideas and people that bring the best to the table, then welcome to the club.

Today, the Class of 2023 is made up of 20 designers who have been awe-inspiring us with the enchanted dwellings they have designed all around the world. Drum rolls, please! Let’s meet them!

20. Michael S. Smith

Michael Smith is regarded as one of the most creative and promising designers today. His clientele includes A-list celebrities, owners of luxury residences, hotels all over the world, and the cherry on top: the White House.

His portfolio focuses on geometric shapes that are welcoming, easy to combine, and cozy with a touch of glam.

Smith affirms that he has always been fascinated by the concept of trying to capture the essence of a person and all the facts of their existence in his work.

Thus, his signature style combines traditional English country house design with elements of European classicism and American minimalism. Love it!

19. Vicky Charles

Vicky Charles is a designer with a distinctive modus operandi who wants to dispel the myth that all interior decorators do is fluff up a room with pillows and blankets.

The Clooneys, the Beckhams, and, if countless speculative tabloid claims are to be trusted, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are among those who find her philosophy fascinating.

She pioneered the high-comfort approach at London’s Soho House, where she was educated in the art of imperfectly perfect interior design.

She also learned to appreciate the emotional power of a space, making many design decisions not by studying a plan but by experiencing what it’s like to stand at a specific window or sit in a particular chair.

18. Thomas O’Brien

A New York City-based interior and furniture designer, Thomas O’Brien is a familiar name in the industry, having established what is now one of America’s most successful design companies, Aero Studios, in 1992.

Since then, O’Brien has been lauded for his ability to render the cold, impersonal style of modernism into something more inviting.

His gathered vintage elegance is distinguished in a wide range of projects, from private dwellings to commercial premises, product design to brand development, and fine art advising.

What gives him a sense of the contemporary is the way he blends components with diverse historical roots in a manner that can feel both new and familiar.

17. Thom Filicia

In sixth grade, Thom Filicia took an intensive art course. This environment is where he first began creating houses, and it was the impetus that brought interior design into his daily existence.

Fast forward to today, and Jennifer Lopez, Delta Airlines, and W Hotels are among his many grateful clients.

The key to Filicia’s aesthetic is harmony. According to him, you need a mix of raw and polished, exotic and ordinary, highbrow and lowkey, to make your own statement.

Finding that sweet spot where a client’s past, present, and future all come together is what matters most for the designer. There’s no wonder he is so appreciated!

16. Kathryn M. Ireland

Some have described Kathryn M. Ireland as having a unique capacity to make something out of nothing.

Whether it’s the meticulous restoration of major architectural residences and hotels or exceptional styling for Hollywood’s elite, the British-born interior designer brings the best of big European elegance and cool California flair to every project.

Since Ireland is a true believer in the power of bright colors, the richness of layered patterns and textures, and the charm of imperfection, her interiors exude a casually sophisticated air that seems common yet exotic.

A veteran of the industry for over two decades, she has worked with A-listers like Steve Martin and Drew Barrymore.

15. Jacques Grange

As a pioneering French designer since the 1970s, Jacques Grange is famous for creating organically cohesive spaces that feel like a well-managed gold mine.

In addition to Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge, among his clients were Isabelle Adjani, Alain Ducasse, Princess Caroline of Monaco, Francois Pinault, and Karl Lagerfeld.

He is one of the few interior designers with a rigorous, classical education in the field and a portfolio known for its exquisite style.

Grange’s ability to seamlessly marry styles and aspects from different eras, such as Rocco’s richness and today’s minimalism, is a direct result of his vast experience, making him a valuable name on any best-of list.

14. Axel Vervoordt

For the past half-century, Axel Vervoordt, now 75, has established himself as the world’s leading design sorcerer, bringing the obscured stories of a thing or place out of oblivion, whether it was a desolate medieval place in Antwerp, a stash of shipwrecked Ming Dynasty veneers, a Venetian Palazzo, an understated painting, or even Kanye West’s house.

Vervoordt developed a peculiar fondness for antiques from an early age, claiming that a piece with a patina is contemporary art.

His ethos is based on the belief that one’s house should be a reflection of the kind of life its owner aspires to lead and the values that guide his interests and worldview.

13. Roman And Williams

If you’d like to express your appreciation for the transformation of hotels into hubs of activity for high-tech movers and shakers (see the Ace Hotel), the reformation of tile work (at the Standard and High Line), or the widespread embrace of the once-derided casement window, you should send a thank-you note to Roman and Williams.

As co-founders of the Roman & Williams design firm, Stephen Alesch and Robin Standefer are among the first to stand up against the modernist imperative that has dominated much of Manhattan.

The aesthetic favored by them pays tribute to the use of natural materials and traditional patterns, teaching us to appreciate subtle elegance.

12. Tiffany Brooks

Tiffany Brooks has been a familiar face to HGTV viewers ever since she won the eighth season of “HGTV Design Star” in 2013.

This mother-of-two, wife, and TV hostess at the network’s annual Smart Home sweepstakes series also runs a prosperous interior design business on the side.

She is brilliant, with an unrivaled sense of what looks good in terms of hue, pattern, depth, and presentation, transforming the stressful process of home renovation into an exciting adventure.

Brooks has an out-of-the-box take on modern style, often injecting a little bit of an eclectic or boho spin into more conventional mid-century designs.

11. Ken Fulk

If the story of designer Ken Fulk’s life were a movie screenplay, the plot would begin with him as a young boy in rural Virginia, telling his bemused parents that he would one day be a wealthy adult, living in a penthouse in New York City.

While there were a few intermediary phases, he eventually succeeded.

Known for his exceptional taste and originality, Fulk is a top choice when it comes to home interiors.

Anyone with an eye for design will immediately spot his opulent style, which is typically defined by bright hand-painted wallpapers and furnished with an eclectic mix of antiques and modern furniture, creating an immersion unlike any other.

10. Peter Marino

The most renowned architect in the fashion industry, Peter Marino, is known for his innovative use of light, space, and modern artwork in the redesign of dozens of high-end boutiques.

During and after Lagerfeld’s tenure as creative director at Chanel, Marino created some of the brand’s most stunning and successful stores around the globe.

Just like his early mentor and idol, Andy Warhol, Marino enjoys playing the maverick, and his lack of fear when first starting out in the art world in 1978 has served him well.

The architect’s “Ghost Rider” persona belies a fashion connoisseur with bona fide talent, thanks to which he has become the undisputed king of modern interior design.

9. India Mahdavi

India Mahdavi, a Paris-based architect and designer also known as the “color guru” or “queen of colors,” is responsible for popularizing bright colors, especially pink, in the realm of interior design.

By fusing elements of eastern and western decor, Mahdavi became known as an icon of nomadic chic for her daring, neo-baroque designs.

Her signature style is instinctive and unrestrained, delving into the art of blending patterned fabrics, graphic design, distinctive color combinations, and vintage hues that create a modern mix-and-match array.

As a result, it is safe to say that Mahdavi’s inventive, vivacious, kooky, and eccentric designs have a charm all their own.

8. Justina Blakeney

Blakeney was able to amass a rabid fan base on social media thanks mostly to the fact that she stood apart from the sea of sameness that surrounded her.

It would have been easy to just use the fame to cash in on brand relationships, but instead she took a risk and built up her own brand.

She launched the groundbreaking design blog “Jungalow” in 2009 to share her vision of beauty with the world and to encourage people to find their own voice through the way they decorate their homes.

Since then, she has expanded the Jungalow trademark by establishing its namesake design company in 2014.

7. Kelly Wearstler

Kelly Wearstler is one of the most prominent names in American interior design, known worldwide for her opulent creations at five-star hotels and celebrity mansions.

In 1995, she started her namesake company. Since then, it has grown into a successful business that now employs 50 people at its headquarters in West Hollywood.

The artist is famous for her tireless work ethic and innovative approach to design. Some have defined her style by pointing to traces of mid-century modernism and Hollywood Regency (which are undeniably present), while others have described it as absolutist West Coast glamor.

However, like all the great interior designers of the past who rejected convention, Wearstler’s style subverts easy categorization and imitation, being brave enough to mix styles that seem to be at odds with one another, such as the traditional with the cutting edge, the masculine with the feminine, and the rough with the elegant.

6. Bobby Berk

Even though Bobby Berk is now widely known for the Netflix show “Queer Eye” and as the go-to expert on all things design, his meteoric ascent to prominence was far from instant.

His creations are the embodiment of modern, urban luxury, exuding an air of sophistication and youthful vitality that is at home in any setting.

Anyone who has watched the show is likely familiar with his backstory: at the age of 15, he ran away from a religious community that did not tolerate gay people.

Now, he is the proud owner of a thriving New York design company, married to the person he has loved for as long as he can remember, and a role model in the LGBTQ scene.

5. Jonathan Adler

Do you know that label that puts an emphasis on understatement and elegance? The one that uses color schemes that stick to classic neutrals? Well, the American interior designer Jonathan Adler is the antithesis of that.

His furniture and decor collection is an enthusiastic celebration of color, pattern, texture, shape, and form.

Anyone who has worked with Adler may attest that his designs, with their wry sense of humor, invariably set off the dopamine center in the brain. Does his brand live up to its self-proclaimed description, “Modern American Glamor”?

Yes, if your idea of modern is Jonathan Adler’s take on remastered Hollywood Regency furniture (the holy trinity of gold, mid-century, and plexiglass), your notion of American is an American Hustle-inspired vintage setting, and your concept of glamor is shiny chrome wall lights, patterned dinnerware, and geometric rugs. Hello, the ‘70s!

4. Martyn Lawrence Bullard

A Los Angeles-based interior designer who has won many awards for his unusual yet refined and welcoming interiors, Bullard started on the job at a young age.

At 12, he began working with his father at a stall he rented in London’s Greenwich Antiques Market, selling colorful objects he called “oddments”.

Today, he is known all over the world as the “designer to the stars,” a well-deserved title. Just by browsing his portfolio, you can see that he has personalized residences for A-list celebrities such as Elton John, Tommy Hilfiger, Kylie Jenner, and Cher.

His work is easily recognizable by its meticulous attention to detail, bold use of color and texture, and historical allusion.

To fulfill his reputation for excellence, he searched far and wide for the most exquisite items. However, Martyn is not just a designer but also a TV personality and the author of two books.

3. Emily Henderson

Going from dog walker to show contestant to TV star is rarely the norm. However, LA’s favorite interior design guru, Emily Henderson, has managed to do just that over the past decade.

Her creative pursuits, as well as her happy, vintage-inspired style, have attracted a wide and loyal following on her blog, “Style by Emily Henderson.”

As a result, she became a household name in the industry and was offered her own show on HGTV.

Even though many people can decorate their homes in a Scandinavian style, few are as good as Henderson at moving between neutral dreamscapes and maximalist interiors while focusing on a laidback California vibe.

2. Nate Berkus

Nate Berkus needs no introduction. At the young age of 24, he launched his cross-cutting, award-winning interior design brand, and since then he has used his welcoming yet refined aesthetic to completely revamp countless residences throughout the world.

After that, his home decor empire took off, and now he is not just one of the most popular interior designers but also a best-selling author, TV host, and executive movie producer.

He is the Jean-Michel Frank of today, with his easy-to-follow home design guide and low-cost advice for making stylish, individualistic environments.

Since his childhood, thanks to his interior designer mother, the artist has been exposed to the values of balance, quality, and beauty.

Moreover, Nate is a strong proponent of individuality in the home and of making a space truly unique to its inhabitants, with “your home should tell your story” as the guiding principle of his endeavors.

1. Joanna Gaines

Interior design is heavily influenced by personal taste, making it difficult to determine a single “best” designer. However, Google can provide an answer to every question, and subsequent analysis of search data has shown that Joanna Gaines is the most-googled designer.

Therefore, it is safe to say she is the most popular as well.

Joanna’s success with the show “Fixer Upper” has catapulted her to fame throughout the world, but there’s a common denominator in her achievements: she is brilliant.

She is great at finding new uses for old things, and her timeless, simple, and modern style shows the influence of her home state of Texas.

Hardwood floors, wooden furniture, a fireplace, and a king-size bed are all staples in her designs.

Moreover, Gaines said that the laundry room is her favorite place to redesign since it is so often overlooked yet has the potential to be a fantastic source of inspiration and comfort if done properly. Creativity has no space limits, right?

Final Words

Whether it’s the walls, the carpets, or a new set of blankets, interior designers have an eye for making any home look like a paragon the neighbors will covet.

This list was our salute to the 20 most popular interior designers who not only rose to the occasion but far outshone everyone’s wildest dreams.