New American Voices is AD’s annual list spotlighting the most important emerging names in interior design. For our AD PRO readers, we’re pulling back the curtain to see how these talents (comprising nine designers and seven firms) got to where they are today. Their paths vary widely—some trained in formal design programs, others took less traditional routes—but together they offer a candid look at the realities of building a practice.
Did you go to design school? Why or why not?
Chen: Yes, I attended Pratt Institute and graduated with a bachelor of arts in industrial design. Pratt was my path to New York and my opportunity to develop a lifelong interest.
Cleveland: No. I studied painting at the San Francisco Art Institute, where I developed an interest in design and architecture. After college I pivoted into design. Rather than pursue a formal design degree, I learned by working under mentors.
Lavonne: I studied architecture at Syracuse University and would absolutely recommend a formal design education to anyone able to make the investment. For me, it was fundamental in building an understanding of design principles, historical periods, and key figures, while also providing the perfect environment to develop my own creative approach and work ethic.
Lindberg: Yes, I studied interior architecture at RISD. What’s stayed with me most is that first year of exploring every medium, trying on different ways of thinking. It taught me rigor and discipline, a sense of lineage, but also gave me permission to follow intuition.
Evans: I graduated from the University of Georgia with a BA in landscape architecture. I had initially been interested in studying interiors/architecture and fashion but settled on landscape architecture, partly because of my growing awareness of environmental issues.
Reinerston: I have a bachelor of fine arts from the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at George Washington University.
Ruttenberg: After getting a BA in history of art and architecture and French from Brown University, I received a master’s in interior design from the Paris College of Art, a one-year program in Paris that heavily emphasized the art form of hand-drafting. I wanted a more formal foundation for my practice—really to sharpen my technical side.
Crunk: No formal degree. After college, I worked in college admissions at The New School in NYC, and as an employee I was able to take free interior design classes at Parsons. Later I took classes at UCLA Extension. Working for various design firms ended up being the best education I could have asked for.
Knudsen: No. As an intern at Reath Design, I considered the UCLA interior design extension program, but it was expensive. [Reath’s] Frances Merrill encouraged me to focus on real-world experience and read as much as I could from her library.
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What was your first design job, and how did you land it?
Chen: Pratt really opened doors for me in the design profession. My first design internship at Knoll came through my professor, who was the design director there at the time. Following Knoll, I was fortunate to meet Billy Cotton during my senior year at Pratt. He was invited as a guest critic, saw my work, and I started my internship with him the following week. The internship evolved into a full-time position after graduation, and that’s where I truly trained as an interior designer.
Cleveland: I began as an assistant to Mallery Roberts Morgan, and with her referral, I landed my first design role at Commune Design.
Lavonne: My first paying design project was a 5,000-square-foot open loft in DTLA that spanned the entire floor of a converted warehouse. A friend reached out for help filling the space, and it turned out to be a great opportunity for me to test the systems and processes I had learned.
Lindberg: The summer of my junior year of college, I worked for Patricia Reger of Reger Designs in New York City. Patricia had designed a close family friend’s home that I was enamored of. Patricia welcomed me into her office and encouraged my point of view.
Evans: The first project I took on my own was Sauna House in Asheville. I was working for a landscape design studio that was hired to consult on the grounds, and while touring the interior space, I began offering my opinions and ideas. Later they asked me to assist with the interiors.
Reinerston: My husband and I used to share a storefront studio space in Asheville, which we used partly as a retail space showcasing craftspeople. Because we were our own clients, we had fun with it and built the store to look exactly the way we wanted within our tiny budget. When the owners of East Fork Pottery came in, they liked the space so much they asked us if we’d design their first store.
Ruttenberg: My first real project was my brother’s apartment. He took a chance on me and let me take the reins.
Crunk: My first full-time job in the industry was with Reath Design. I heard about the position from a friend and applied. It was entry-level, but it gave me invaluable training.
Knudsen: It was also Reath Design—I met Frances at a Friendsgiving dinner and ended up house-sitting for her. Later she posted an opening on Instagram, and I jumped at it. I worked my way up to senior designer over seven years.
What’s one important lesson you received from a mentor?
Chen: From Billy Cotton, I learned that client service is everything. He instilled in me the core value of treating clients with transparency and respect—along with choosing the right presentation materials.
Cleveland: Pamela Shamshiri always told me, “It’s not a race—it’s a marathon.” I’ve learned that endurance is everything in achieving the standards we hold ourselves to.
Lavonne: “Measure twice, cut once.” My professors drilled that lesson into me, and I live by it still—whether invoicing, preparing a presentation, or gearing up for an install.
Lindberg: Systems make creativity possible. A colleague, Will McLoughlin, taught me to see structure not as a limit, but as a foundation. His reminder that luck is when opportunity meets preparation (a quote from Seneca) has shaped how I approach both design and business.
Evans and Reinerston: We believe in the advice “keep it clean, be thorough” in work, relationships, and spaces.
Ruttenberg: Perfection is the death of beauty.
Crunk: Clear communication is key. Be honest, straightforward, and transparent with clients and vendors.
Knudsen: Manage expectations. Clients, vendors, coworkers—everyone benefits from clarity.
If you could give one piece of advice to a designer just starting out what would it be?
Chen: Stay with a firm for a few years. It was so important for my training with Billy Cotton, moving from junior to senior designer.
Cleveland: When stepping out on your own, lean on your network of fellow designers, find fabricators with high standards, and build a trustworthy team.
Lavonne: Pursue opportunities that provide the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to bridge the gap between where you are now and where you want to be.
Lindberg: Work with your hands—wood, clay, textiles, stone. Understanding materials physically changes how you design with them, and makes it easier to communicate with craftspeople.
Evans and Reinerston: Nurture an artistic outlet outside of your work—it sustains your creativity. Say yes to learning opportunities, but learn when to start saying no.
Ruttenberg: Rules are meant to be broken! Learn the fundamentals, but trust your instincts and eye.
Crunk: Get your bookkeeping and accounting systems figured out before you start new projects. Outsourcing is worth the investment.
Knudsen: Don’t be afraid to say no to projects or clients that aren’t the right fit—even if it feels risky. Saying no can be the best decision you make.
Interviews have been condensed and edited for brevity and clarity.
