What makes a moment memorable enough to shape the year ahead? For designers, inspiration doesn’t arrive on a predictable schedule—it strikes in a 17th-century Parisian atelier, at a student art show, or standing before a monumental John Singer Sargent painting.
We asked members of the AD100, AD PRO Directory, and other leading voices in the design community to reflect on the past year and share the single most inspiring thing they encountered. These moments of discovery are already shaping the spaces they’re building for 2026 and beyond.
Peter Dunham
I finally fulfilled a long-held wish to visit the home and studio of iconic California artist David Ireland in San Francisco this year. Ireland didn’t merely decorate the house—he created a three-dimensional, immersive sculpture. This preservation of a disappeared bohemia makes me want to veer more towards historic narratives.
Patrick Mele
In France, I had the privilege of meeting Guillaume Féau, third-generation owner of the storied Feau & Cie, who guided me through his amazing atelier of paneled interiors from the 17th through the 20th centuries. I left determined to one day work with his team of experts.
Crina Arghirescu Rogard
This summer, I was moved by the raw creative energy of the student group show at the École des Beaux-Arts de Paris—an art school with over 350 years of history. It was a reminder of why creativity matters: It brings us back to ourselves, and to one another.
Daniel Rauchweger of Bond
One of the shows this year at Patrick McGrath’s new gallery space in SoHo has particularly stayed with me: a collaboration between artists Silvia Prada and Paul Morehouse and the beautiful handcrafted lamps they created together.
Drew Michael Scott of Lone Fox
When I walked into the Printemps store in downtown New York, my jaw dropped and stayed on the floor the entire time I was there. So many interesting vignettes and artisanal details, all wrapped into a beautiful shopping experience.
Ania Agárdy of Luxury Living by Ania Agárdy
The BLOC bookshelf from Studio Liaigre—extraordinary! Inspired by the 1995 model created for France’s national library, its minimalist aesthetic seamlessly blends practicality and beauty.
Cathy Cherry of Purple Cherry Architecture & Interiors
On my fall trip to High Point, the Regina Andrew showroom featured an incredible lighting display of their Bubbles chandeliers. It was so striking we decided to create a similar installation for one of our clients’ homes.
Julie Hillman
Artist and furniture designer Ingrid Donat’s home in Paris, which I visited this fall! I’ve worked with Ingrid for individual pieces but seeing how she creates a complete environment was truly inspiring.
Leah Alexander of Beauty Is Abundant
The exhibition “André Leon Talley: Style Is Forever,” a tribute to the iconic fashion editor at Atlanta’s SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film was a powerful reminder about the pursuit of greatness. The bold colors, patterns, luxe fabrics, tailored looks, and powerful photography will infuse my work in 2026.
Shane Brown of Big Daddy’s Antiques
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This eight-foot pink armoire from the 17th century, which I came across at an antique fair in Parma, Italy, left me awestruck. It wears its 400-year-old patina like couture.
Chloe Legras of Boxwood Avenue
“Salon Les Nouveaux Ensembliers,” an exhibit in Paris recognizing 100 years since the founding of Art Deco. I particularly loved the beautiful cushion with a simple tassel!
Devin Hines of Hines Collective
Nicole Fuller’s collaboration with Artemest and the redesign of their Chelsea gallery space was transportive. Nicole’s refined interpretation of 1970s glamour married decadent materials and iconic Italian craftsmanship.
Laura Jenkins
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My architect husband and I visited Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West in Arizona, where the architecture and interiors are deeply connected with the surrounding desert landscape. We were moved by the use of local materials, the expansion and contraction of spaces, and other classic Wright elements such as the open shelving and the way Wright made use of light and shadow.
Tiffany Brooks
One of the highlights of my year was seeing the book Making Space: Interior Design by Women by Jane Hall, which celebrates the incredible impact women have had on the spaces we live in, from Dorothy Draper to Kelly Wearstler.
Emma Sims-Hilditch
The “Sargent & Paris” exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York this summer! Sargent’s painting The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit (1882) is captivating in person and impressive in its sheer scale. It even inspired some clients to commission portraits of their children.
Young Huh
The Busy Bee and Sunblock collections of wallpaper and fabrics by my friend Chloe Warner of Redmond Aldrich were my favorite. The patterns are beautiful, sweet, artistic and cool at the same time.
Anne McDonald of Anne McDonald Design
I noticed so many chic Parisian women wearing silk scarves around their necks on a family trip to France this past spring. It made me think about how this could be applied to interiors—you could incorporate a vintage Gucci scarf for an accent pillow or roman shade, or raw silk for window coverings or a side chair!
Margie Lavender of Kligerman Architecture & Design
I met the lovely Lex Zee, industrial designer and founder of Studio Luddite, and fell in love with the expressive craft of his lighting with the rich integration of materials like leather, glass, stone, and brass.
David Stone of Tim Barber Architects
I loved the quiet strength of the bathtub at Flamingo Estate—the weight of the concrete against the shimmering blue mosaic glass. I want to bring more of this contrast into our work next year: spaces where light becomes the storyteller and architecture simply frames the experience.
Tim Barber
The exhibition “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at the Metropolitan Museum inspired me to juxtapose familiar (even historic) elements into our buildings. I was struck by a particular ensemble: The knitted double-breasted suit and overcoat. That exuberant plaid layered rhythm and pattern across the surface, while the oversized collar and lapels dramatized the crunk!
Allison Bryan of Physical Space
After five years of wanting the Iconic Puffy Lounge Chair by Faye Toogood x Hem, I finally got one this year and I am giddy. Unique, playful, and beautiful at the same time, I will attest that it is one of the most comfortable chairs that I have ever sat in.
Matt Tsang
Rosie Li’s Jewel Block collection of lighting was one of the best things I saw this year. Based on early-20th-century architecture, crystals, and other references, the final product is, to my mind, near perfect.
Lisa Gilmore
The collection featuring Yves Saint Laurent’s floral designs at the Yves Saint Laurent Museum in Paris was breathtaking—it was especially impactful to see how his designs were translated from his mind to sketches to the final mannequin.
Alidad
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A visit to Watts Chapel this year moved me deeply. Its hand-modeled surfaces remind me that true beauty is born of patience, craft, and a fearless devotion to detail.
Sabrina MacLean of Hino Studio
This year at Design Miami, Cristina Grajales’s exhibit “Hechizo” was a standout—a powerful expression of culture, ritual, and creative identity made tangible through design.
