All of the award-winning interior design firms that made this year’s list are known for creating warm, sophisticated and livable interiors that reflect an owner’s unique style and enhances the spectacular ocean views of some of the most exclusive homes in the world.
AMY MEIER
Restrained is the word most often used to describe interior designer Amy Meier’s work. But in fact, she’s got a voracious appetite for anything well designed, from contemporary Japanese pottery to soft-textured cashmere blankets to an 18th-century, marble-topped burled-wood dresser. Full Story
Amy Meier’s restrained and refined style.
BENNETT LEIFER
Behind every masterwork–like this beautiful coastal home in Sarasota, Florida– are equal parts natural talent and hard work, which is why Bennett Leifer’s steady rise in the highly competitive world of interior design comes as no surprise. Bennettleifer.com
BETSY BURNHAM
“That’s a really compelling way to make a space feel more interesting and more layered and that may surprise people at the beach,” says Betsy Burnham, principal designer of Los Angeles-based Burnham Design, who likes to incorporate luxe cashmere pillows or vintage rugs into ocean home decor. burnhamdesign.com
BRITTO CHARETTE
From the Kyle Bunting rug to the crisp, clean lines, this stunning residence at the Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour is a masterwork by top Miami design firm Britto Charette.
BROWN DAVIS INTERIORS
Pink and green is a popular combination but not a must. Corals and blues in a mix of patterns create a different kind of Palm Beach room. browndavis.com
BROWN DESIGN GROUP
California meets Cape Cod in the living room of this stylish home at Dana Point in Orange County; the crisp, fresh coastal look is by Brown Design Group, based in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. browndesigninc.com
BUNNY WILLIAMS
bunnywilliams.com
CAMPION PLATT
Campion Platt, principal of New York-based design firm Campion Platt, says ocean homeowners are moving outdoors. “People are thinking about expansion of interior to exterior, and de-materializing the exterior wall, so it becomes an ‘L’ shaped house, with screens and connecting doors,” he says. campionplatt.com
CARRIER AND COMPANY
New York City
carrierandcompany.com
ARIA DESIGN
Laguna Beach
ariades.com
BARCLAY BUTERA
From designing luxury residences, exclusive hospitality venues, to Rolls-Royce automobiles; Barclay brings his signature West Coast vibe and glamorous yet livable design sensibility to life. barclaybutera.com
CELERIE KEMBLE
New York & Palm Beach
kembleinteriors.com
CHARLES ALLEM (CAD)
Miami
charlesallemdesigns.com
CULLMAN & KRAVIS
When leading designers Ellie Cullman and Alyssa Urban glimpsed the interior of a gracious Mediterranean-style and oceanfront home near Palm Beach, Fla., they saw a treasure trove of Italianate furniture and fine art.
The owners, a retired couple with children and several grandchildren, needed their vacation home enlarged and refashioned for year-round living. Right away, Cullman and Urban knew that their clients’ furnishings would be a superb starting point. cullmankravis.com
DAVID KLEINBERG DESIGN ASSOCIATES
It’s hard to predict what might inspire David Kleinberg. The acclaimed interior designer, who heads up New York City-based David Kleinberg Design Associates, might feel inspiration strike when he admires the works of luminaries such as architect Lee Mindel or French interior designer Jacques Grange, or even during a great opera production, like Robert Lepage’s controversial version of Richard Wagner’s “The Ring Cycle” at the Metropolitan Opera. dkda.com
DKOR INTERIORS
Ivonne Ronderos, owner and principal of DKOR Interiors in Miami, has seen big changes recently in bathroom design. “Most of them pertain to size and mood,” she says. “Owners are yearning to recreate a spa experience in their own home.” That desire has led to perks such as larger showers with features such as chromotherapy lighting, jets, benches and steam.
dkorinteriors.com
EDWARD LOBRANO
Tapping intuition can be a thorny inner journey. But once the connection is made, it is worth its weight in gold. Edward Lobrano, the celebrated interior designer and former senior designer for Bunny Williams, was a successful business executive for many years – including a stint as a vice president of a leading brokerage firm at the age of 28 – when he suddenly jumped ship in his early 40s and followed his inner voice to a career creating artful rooms. edwardlobrano.com
FOX-NAHEM
New York City
foxnahem.com
IKE KLIGERMAN BARKLEY
The restored midcentury home of architect John Ike in San Diego allows him to entertain guests and family from January through December. He created several outdoor entertaining areas to maximize the space and embrace Southern California’s indoor-outdoor lifestyle. Large windows with glass doors connect the living room with an east-facing deck. ikekligermanbarkley.com
JAMIE BUSH + CO.
Los Angeles
jamiebush.com
JEFF ANDREWS DESIGN
Los Angeles
jeffandrews-design.com
JENNIFER POST DESIGN
You decide instead to work with Manhattan-based interior designer Jennifer Post because you want something altogether new and fun and bright and splashy and chic. You want a style closer to Miami Beach or SoHo than the traditional Hamptons. Why Post? She’s got a reputation. One that’s built on bold moves and vibrant colors but also on eye-popping surprises and hard-to-find furnishings. jenniferpostdesign.com
JOAN BEHNKE
She’s an interior designer to the proverbial rich and famous, and was aptly dubbed “The Billionaire Whisperer” by Forbes. Joan Behnke began her career with palaces and residences for Saudi Arabia’s royal family, and has achieved notoriety by designing for Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen. Then there’s the music producer who bought Brady’s LA home for $40 million (Google it), Sylvester Stallone, and billionaires Alec Gores and Thomas Barrack, among other moguls. joanbehnke.com
KATHRYN M. IRELAND
Kathryn M. Ireland, of Kathryn M. Ireland Textiles & Design in Los Angeles, says unfussy, informal outdoor living will be at the forefront in the future. “I think people are just going to get comfortable,” she says. “It’s all about ease.” That relaxed energy will be evident in soft pastels, such as indigo, and shears that cut glare without obstructing the views. “You can never go wrong with indigo and variations of white,” she says. kathrynireland.com
KELLY WEARSTLER
Myrtle Beach native and interior designer Kelly Wearstler Malibu beach house reflects her lifelong love of the ocean and her infinite imagination. kellywearstler.com
KEMBLE INTERIORS
New York City and Palm Beach
kembleinteriors.com
LUCAS STUDIO, INC
Los Angeles
lucasstudioinc.com
MADELINE STUART
Los Angeles
madelinestuart.com
MASTERPIECE DESIGN
GROUP
Situated in the exquisite oceanfront community of Acquavista in North Hutchinson Island, Florida, every room in this home is positioned to take advantage of the spectacular Atlantic Ocean vistas. Designed by Masterpiece Design Group to have a fresh, “exotic modern” feel, the kitchen’s galley-style arrangement creates an ocean-oriented, family-friendly gathering spot. masterpieceinteriors.com
McCORMICK & WRIGHT
For Robert Wright, co-founder and principal of the San Diego-based interior design firm McCormick & Wright (formerly Bast/Wright Interiors), a career as an interior designer wasn’t exactly planned. “My family and my father all worked for oil companies and in the oil fields,” says Wright, who grew up just outside Houston, in Richmond, Texas. mccormickandwright.com
MICHAEL DAWKINS
Michael Dawkins was interested in design as far back as he can recall. Now an acclaimed designer with his own interiors firm, Michael Dawkins Home, he started re-upholstering pieces of furniture while in middle school without any formal training.
“I remember getting an old wingback chair, ripping it apart and re-upholstering it in black. I thought it was so cool,” Dawkins says of his first design creation inside his parents’ garage in Grosse Pointe, Mich. michaeldawkinshome.com
MICHAEL S. SMITH
The former First Family’s favorite interior decorator has portable skills and will most likely follow them from home to home well into the future. With Michelle’s penchant for taupes and beiges, it’s likely the Kalorama home will be next on the list for Michael S. Smith, decorator to the stars. michaelsmithinc.com
NATE BERKUS ASSOCIATES
Chicago
nateberkus.com
PHILIP NIMMO DESIGN
Tuscan farmhouse meets Malibu modern in the family room of a beautiful California beach home, created by interior designer Philip Nimmo and architect Paul Williger. philipnimmodesign.com
RICHARD MISHAAN
DESIGN
New York City
richardmishaan.com
ROBYN BRANCH DESIGN
This Amelia Island, Florida, home was remodeled extensively throughout the entire first floor (including removal of the staircase) to maximize the natural light and beautiful marsh and water views. Robyn Branch Design and Julia Hall Interiors collaborated on the project, incorporating the homeowners’ personal styles as well as the area’s natural elements. A hand-carved sculptural element—a filigree design of native tree frogs and feathers—covers a critical support beam. robynbranchdesign.com
SHELTON MINDEL & ASSOCIATES
New York City
sheltonmindel.com
SOFIA JOELSSON
Scandinavian textile designs are famously lush creations, with gorgeous prints and texture- rich weaves. In the cold northern climate, children grow up surrounded by culturally inspired fabrics and other textiles, often created by hand. So it’s somewhat surprising to learn that Sofia Joelsson, who was born and raised in a small village in Sweden and has put down roots in Miami, didn’t attend school for interior design.
sojodesign.com
S.R. GAMBREL
New York City
srgambrel.com
STUDIO C
The year 2018 was a firecracker time for interior designer Cate Caruso. Between trips to see clients along the East Coast and beyond, Caruso flew to London to pick up an International Design and Architecture Award, presented by design.et.al. All the while, she continued her work at her home base, STUDIO C in Manhattan, including designing a few pieces of jewelry for Shah & Shah in Washington, D.C.New York City, Naples,
Martha’s Vineyard. studiocid.com
SUSAN FERRIER INTERIORS
While interior designer Susan Ferrier sees the ocean as the ultimate source of beauty and pleasure, she doesn’t like seeing inspiration overdone. “Having a house by the ocean doesn’t mean the décor needs to be trite or overly ocean inspired,” Ferrier says. susanferrierinteriors.com
TAMMY CONNOR INTERIOR DESIGN
Tammy Connor of Tammy Connor Interior Design is seeing color palettes achieve a richer depth, especially with hues of green. “Shades of blue have long been a favorite in coastal design for obvious reasons, and I love blue as much as the next designer,” Connor says. tammyconnorid.com
TERRY HUNZIKER
terryhunziker.com
THAD HAYES
New York City
thadhayes.com
THOM FILICIA
New York City
thomfilicia.com
TIM CLARKE
Santa Monica
timclarkedesign.com
VICENTE WOLF
New York City
vicentewolf.com
VICTORIA HAGAN
New York City
victoriahagan.com
WILLIAM BERNARD DESIGN GROUP
Miami
williambernard.net
WILSON KELSEY DESIGN
Salem, MA
wilsonkelseydesign.com