The Top Black Interior Designers Today That We Should Be Following

The interior design community is a fast-growing one. Many creatives have cornered exciting niche markets in residential and commercial design spaces. It's a wonder that a multi-billion dollar industry still has a big issue with diversity. In this sector, Black designers make up only 1.5% of the interior design industry (via Zippia), but not for lack of trying. If you pay attention, you'll find that Black interior designers have been having a moment for decades; with big-name celebrity clientele and exciting approaches to post-modern living, there is so much to explore, and we've got a few names to get you started.

Identifying the growing number of Black designers, one of the most notable names in Black interior design – and interior design at large – Marlene Barnett, created the Black Artists + Design Guild (BADG) as a means to foster community within the interior design industry. The self-described member-driven platform counts several individual creatives and agencies amongst its community and offers a directory to reach out to any of them. From Barnett to Saleem Saudah, one of the few Black Muslim women designers in the industry, to designer-to-the-stars, Brigette Romanek, and many more, here are some exciting names making waves in the art and design industry.

Nicole Gibbons loves color. That's why she co-founded Clare – a digital paint shop that offers color options and provides inspiration to guide you through creating the perfect color palette for your home. In conversation with Studio McGee, Gibbons said of her company, "I've always loved using color in fresh ways and appreciated the role that paint plays in a design project." She continued, "I had a lightbulb moment that the paint industry was incredibly outdated, and I genuinely felt I could build a better paint brand." 

With features in TV and print, including HGTV, InStyle, Elle Decor, and more, Gibbons has built an impressive portfolio as a TV host. In 2013, she hosted the OWN show, "Home Made Simple." Gibbons also shares design and decor tips on her blog, Nicole Gibbons Style. One of her key aims with the blog and her brand is to offer high and low options to match any budget.

With a primary focus on Clare, Nicole Gibbons pivoted to small business owner when she founded the company in 2020. "What Clare created for me was an opportunity to focus on one thing," she noted in an interview with Yelp for Business. She is also one of the few Black women who raised $2 million for her business. When asked why she chose to go all in on paint rather than wallpapers for her business, Gibbons shared that her goal was to create a business with a legacy that stretches beyond her. "The paint shopping experience is fundamentally broken and archaic. To me, that signaled a bigger opportunity."

For Sheila Bridges, moving to Harlem in 1993 was the beginning of her bid to walk among giants of African American literature, arts, and culture. She founded her company, Sheila Bridges Design, Inc, in the historical city and hasn't looked back. Bridges has been named Designer of the Year by prestigious media houses, including Time Magazine and CNN. She also counts notable figures such as former president Bill Clinton, current Vice President Kamala Harris, and Ivy League institutions, including Princeton and Columbia Universities, as her clients. Bridges' work is a versatile and exciting exploration of timeless designs and expert craftsmanship.

Beyond her interior design work, Bridges has partnered with the iconic Wedgwood England to create a line of fine china featuring her Harlem Toile pattern. This partnership, announced in 2022, marks the first time the potter company has collaborated with a Black designer in its 260+ years in existence. The award-winning designer said of the collaboration, "As a black woman in Harlem, I wanted to address stereotypes that are commonly associated with black people but approach the images in a way that also felt celebratory" (via Wedgwood). Ultimately, in all her work with her company and her collaborations and partnerships, Bridges is invested in telling a different kind of Black story. "Not many people are telling our stories, or if they are being told, they're told from a lens that is very different than our own. I think, particularly as Black women, it's important for us to share our own stories. And so for me, that's part of the legacy," she told the Washington Post in 2022.

Tavia Forbes and Monet Masters are the Principal Founders of the award-winning and highly sought-after design company Forbes + Masters. The two designers didn't start off as business partners. In fact, they first crossed paths when one replaced the other on a commercial project. From there, the two began to assist each other on individual assignments. Thus, a budding friendship began after spending time supporting each other's work and noticing the overlap in their interests and goals, which led to the two designers deciding to join forces. "We get our hands dirty. We help our builders create furniture prototypes, create our own stains, and sometimes paint and create our own 'wallpaper,'" The duo said when speaking to Modern Luxury Interiors about their partnership.

In fact, it was this hands-on approach that inspired their latest venture: Wallpapers. The two have described their projects as having a similar common thread of boldness and high texture, and they imbibe that in their new endeavor in partnership with Mitchell Black. "By creating a wallpaper line, we wanted to encourage customers to explore character-filled elements. Wallpaper is a simple and effective way to do that. Each of our wallpaper designs has its own personality and can add character," Forbes told Atlantan Magazine. However, their experience doesn't stop there. Forbes and Masters are responsible for sprucing up the homes of some of the most notable public figures, including NFL players and Real Housewives. Though based in Atlanta, the two travel around the country, bringing life and soul to spaces in need.

For Courtney Mcleod, designing a home is about engaging all the senses. "Prior to revealing a room, I love to light a Diptyque-scented candle. I want all my clients' senses to be invigorated when stepping into their new space," she told Business of Home. The founder of the award-winning Right Meets Left Interior Design, McLeod has been included in many "Rising Star" and designer watch lists — publications such as Elle Decor, 1st Dibs, and more. McLeod attributes her diverse educational and professional background as part of what has helped her grow her business. Starting her career in Finance, the designer made the bold decision to follow her dreams. "My passion for design had always been bubbling over the years, and I realized it was time to pursue this creative passion. So, I took a step out of character and quit with no plan," she said in a conversation with Net-a-Porter.

It was then that McLeod decided to gain some skills. She opted out of attaining a full-time degree in favor of taking multiple courses at prestigious institutions like Parsons School of Design, Pratt, and the New York School of Interior Design. "The strategic, analytical, financial, and communication skills gained during those years have allowed me to differentiate myself in a crowded design field," McLeod told Net-a-Porter. "I always say my superpower is my balance between these skills and my creativity." 

Carmen Rene was inspired by her aunty's home in the 90s. It was a space that successfully mixed grandness and opulence with edginess – including slot machines and a mermaid coffee table (via Apartment Therapy). Rene believed that anything was possible and that, along with her degrees in fine art and architecture, has informed the kind of designer she is now. Rene is the Principal Designer at Aquilo Interiors, based in Oakland, CA. The company believes in the sacred values of Soul, Precision, and Wonder. In an interview with Maison et Demure, the designer said, "My creativity is guided by the desires of my clients," Rene explained. "I start by determining what excites them the most and factor that into my design to create something truly unique." 

While that is true, the Oakland-based artist dares to push the envelope of what her clients like. As her designer's statement notes, "I believe interior design is a personal journey where we can bend the rules to chase our wildest dreams." It's no wonder her fellow designers, Forbes+Masters, described her as having "The ability to create spaces that look like they've been built over time while still implementing bold and edgy elements" (via Apartment Therapy).