The Best Interior Designers in Washington DC

Washington, DC, blends historical charm with modern sophistication, reflected in its interior design landscape. With a population of approximately 671,803 and a median home value of $625,000, the demand for skilled interior designers in the nation’s capital is high. Whether you’re looking to renovate a historic townhouse or design a contemporary condo, finding the right interior designer can make all the difference in creating a space that truly feels like home.

The cost of construction projects in Washington, DC, varies widely, typically ranging from $150,000 to $550,000 or more, depending on the size, design complexity, and materials used. These projects can take up to 14 weeks to complete, assuming no unexpected issues arise—a common occurrence in construction. Given these variables, it’s crucial to select an interior designer who understands your vision and can also navigate the intricacies of the local market.

According to permit data from the Washington DC building department, 317 contractors are available for construction projects in the area. Choosing a reliable contractor is essential, as the difference between a competent and an unreliable one can significantly impact your project’s timeline, budget, and overall stress level. With so many options available, our guide to the best Washington DC interior design firms aims to help you find the perfect professional to bring your design dreams to life.

Overview: The Best Interior Designers in Washington DC

See Ranking Methodology at the bottom of this article to learn more.

Paul Corrie Interiors

1739 Kenyon Street NW, Washington, DC 20010

Paul Corrie Interiors has been recognized both regionally and nationally. While his designs are more contemporary, they are still influenced by the elegant and historical style of the DC neighborhoods. Paul Corrie was honored to be chosen as “Favorite Young Traditional Designer of the Year” by Traditional Home in 2010. The firm was added to Luxe Interiors + Design’s Gold List for 2014. One can find one-of-a-kind vintage and antique goods that Corrie personally curates from flea markets, estate sales, and dealers worldwide. He is interested in making high-quality items available, affordable, and accessible. His work has been published in several publications and on HGTV’s Small Space, Big Style. As a testament to its status as one of the most reliable Washington DC interior design firms, Paul Corrie Interiors was featured in Luxe Interiors + Design’s article in 2023.

An exquisite design is the Mount Pleasant residence, Corrie’s own residence. He started with a lighter color palette because the row house only receives light from the back and front. This included furnishings with ivory fabrics and raw wood with lighter undertones. The living space boasts a tailored couch covered in Ultrasuede. A major renovation in the kitchen was necessary, and a white palette gave the space a modern update. Another noteworthy project is the Foxhall Crescent Renovation. Corrie transformed the five-bedroom, five-bath residence into a sophisticated space. Glamourous touches were included all throughout the home, especially a disco ball-like light fixture in the dining area. Unique window fixtures were installed to allow for more light.

J.D. Ireland Interior Architecture & Design

1508 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

Founded by Joe Ireland and Julie Weber Gligor, this Dupont Circle-based design firm is well-known and sought after. After discovering a shared love for design and a similar aesthetic, the founders combined forces. Ireland is self-taught and learned as an apprentice, while Weber Gligor has a degree in interior architecture from Marymount University. J.D. Ireland’s work can be spotted in local and national publications. House Beautiful named them on their “Next Wave” list of top national design firms, and H&D Portfolio recently awarded them a Top Interior Designer honor. They have extensive experience designing interiors for both residences and retail spaces. Partner Edith Gregson and Senior Designer Claudia Sans Werner also contribute their knowledge and expertise to the team.

Their work on a Woodley Park row house is outstanding. A granite-topped bar replaced a wall to the kitchen, and sturdy, kid-friendly furnishings were used throughout the home. The dining area is especially stunning, with a Grange table, transparent Philippe Starck ghost chairs, and a Baker pendant. Their design for their own firm’s offices in Dupont Circle is also excellent. The bright and airy row house needed some updates. The main level of the house is a library, and architectural columns are placed around the windows. There is also a 10-foot table that allows maximum gathering space and a private area to meet clients. They paid special attention to unique furnishings and striking fabrics.

Thomas Pheasant Studios

1029 33rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

With over 30 years of interior design experience, Thomas Pheasant is known worldwide. He opened his own firm at age 24. Based in DC, he was honored by Architectural Digest US with the distinction “Dean of American Design” in 2005. He has several furniture design collections, including the Thomas Pheasant Collection for Baker, Thomas Pheasant Collection for McGuire, and his own collection, Thomas Pheasant STUDIO. Notably, he was the first American designer invited to exhibit his custom furniture at the Pavillon des Antiquaires et des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Pheasant was also awarded the Andrew Martin International Designer of the Year Award. In 2016, he received the Design Icon Award. Notably, he has been named on the AD100 list several times. He also has published a book called Simply Serene: The New Luxury for Modern Interiors.

One of Pheasant’s recent and most interesting projects is work on the Blair House, the President’s Guest House on Pennsylvania Avenue across from the White House. He had to account for earthquake damage and also revitalize the guest rooms with a modern flair. He also designed BET’s co-founder Sheila Johnson’s home in Virginia’s Fauquier County. The property, called Salamander Farms, contains various homages to the salamander. Pheasant designed the house to be a serene retreat for the non-stop businesswoman. He created custom rugs with nature motifs to connect with the nature surrounding the 177 acres. The color palette includes chocolate, ivory, and pale blue. In the rear of the lower level is a gallery space with grand French doors to allow for the many gatherings Johnson enjoys holding. Pheasant also included oversize sculptures of apples, cherries, and oranges in the kitchen and the view-filled breakfast room.

Kelley Proxmire, Inc.

4519 Wetherill Road, Bethesda, MD 20816

In her 20-plus-year career, Kelley Proxmire brings a passion for interior and new home construction design that began in her pre-teen years as she observed interior designers transform her parents’ home. She went on to study the work of classic greats such as Billy Baldwin, laying the foundation for a design style that incorporates pretty yet practical elements. Kelley has developed a matchless eye for crafting tailored traditional interiors, exuding warmth and hospitality while maintaining excellent balance, proportion, and scale. Her love of color is combined with an appreciation for the sophistication of white and the elegance of black. Adept at mixing traditional pieces with unexpected finds, Kelley creates environments that are attuned to the client’s world and faithful to the architecture and setting of a home. Kelley was named the 2016 Designers’ Choice Hall of Fame Designer by Home & Design magazine and has participated in 25 show houses in 16 years. Her work has been featured in numerous local and national publications, including Traditional Home, Southern Home, Southern Living, Luxe, Coastal Living, Washingtonian, and The Washington Post Magazine, among others.

A project featured in Home & Design is a residence in Vienna, Virginia. Proxmire started with a mostly primary color palette, setting the tone for the rest of the house. She connected the rooms through this flow of color, but decreased the intensity for the master bedroom with calming blues and greens. The children’s rooms are more vibrant, and Lilly Pulitzer duvets inspired the design for one. Proxmire’s designs were featured in the 2016 DC Design House, which selects top DC designers to design a room in residence. She designed the family room, in which she painted a warm coral hue. Splashes of blue, white, and gray accent the room. There’s also a grand fireplace, one of five in the home.

Darryl Carter, Inc.

1320 9th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001

Now one of the country’s foremost and sought-after interior decorators, Darryl Carter has had an interesting path to interior design. Starting as a lawyer, Carter redid and flipped real estate on the weekends. After one of the properties he was living in was featured on the cover of Metropolitan Home, he received several calls asking for private commissions. He notes his style icon as a cross between John Pawson and Thomas Jefferson. His first book, The New Traditional, covers modern sensibility with a classical aesthetic. He also has a second book, The Collected Home. Carter has collections with The Urban Electric Company, Benjamin Moore, and Baker Furniture. Carter was named on the AD100 list in 2016, and his work has been featured in several publications, such as Architectural Digest, Metropolitan Home, Elle Decor, O at Home, and InStyle Home.

Carter notes that one of his dream projects was designing his own showroom and design studio. He renovated a mid-19th-century building, which became the showroom, and a carriage house (some parts dated back to the Civil War), which turned into the design studio. In between the spaces is a courtyard with a gathering and gallery space. The existing masonry was kept whenever possible, and crisp, white walls brought a modern touch to the space. Another noteworthy project is the Darryl Carter Collection for Milling Road. Combining classical looks with clean lines, the mid-20th-century furniture collection includes case goods, textiles, upholstery, lighting, and accessories. He incorporates juxtaposition into many of the items in the collection, which can exclusively be found at Baker in DC’s Cady’s Alley. As a testament to its status as one of the best Washington DC interior design firms, Darryl Carter was featured in Architectural Digest’s AD 100 in 2023.

Darlene Molnar, LLC

11317 Bright Pond Lane, Reston, VA 20194

Darlene Molnar founded her firm after working at firms in the UK and the US. Educated at Parsons New School of Design in Paris, Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London, and the Royal Academy in Copenhagen, she earned her Master of Arts degree in Interior Design from the Corcoran College of Art & Design. Molnar is NCIDQ-certified and LEED-accredited, with a specialization in interior design and construction. She has collaborated with Crate & Barrel and Umbra. As a professional member of and national media spokesperson for the American Society of Interior Designers and an adjunct instructor in the Interior Architecture & Design Department at George Washington University, Molnar has also been featured on HGTV. She was also named a “Hot New Talent” by Home & Design.

Her design for her previous Mid-century residence holds a mixture of vintage finds, DIY items, and typographical details. An old DC metro bus map is the kitchen’s main focal point. Molnar collaborated with her father, a leather maker, to design a custom Bertoia chair. She also created a quiet space on the small balcony of the unit, which overlooks the building’s courtyard. Her biggest splurge was reupholstering a Mies van der Rohe side chair in a wool plaid fabric by Paul Smith for Maharam. She also designed a bold kitchen for HGTV’s Showhouse Showdown. The kitchen featured painted lime green walls with stainless steel appliances. She also used prominent floral accents. New light fixtures were installed to make the space brighter over the island. Spacious cabinet space was installed to allow for maximum storage.

Lauren Liess Interiors

Great Falls, VA

Lauren Liess runs her interior design firm and textiles company with her husband, David, right outside DC in Great Falls, Virginia. Their style is self-described as “relaxed luxury.” Liess’s childhood love of botany led to the creation of her own fabrics. Wildflowers and unique plant life are of special interest to her. She’s known for including these organic elements in her designs to relax the typical tailored style in the DC metro area. She started her popular blog, Pure Style Home, in 2008. Liess also wrote a book, Habitat: The Field Guide to Decorating, which was published in 2015. Lauren and David are also done with the new HGTV pilot Best House on the Block, which focuses on giving suburban homes a face-lift through creative interior design, and are currently working on the first full season.

Their Fox Vale project is an especially beautiful and dear design, as it was the home of Lauren and David themselves until two years ago. The house was built in the 1970s, and they stripped it down to the studs. With wooden details and one-of-a-kind textiles, the space is warm and inviting. A gorgeous light fixture in the living area is a noteworthy aspect of the design, as is wall-to-wall bookcases in the library. The master suite features a curated wall of framed pictures. The home was featured in Domino Magazine in 2014. Another project is their Consulate Revival. By removing dropped ceilings, old carpeting, and commercial finishes, this former consulate took on a whole new style with new fabrics and finishes, as well as re-upholstery and repainting.

Residents Understood

2126 Connecticut Ave NW #9, Washington, DC 20008

A firm founded by two young professionals, Residents Understood’s focus is on clients like them in the bustling city of Washington DC. Kiera Kushlan and Jessica Centella both founded the firm. They met at the University of Florida, where they attended graduate school for interior design. Kushlan calls herself a wallpaper connoisseur, while Centella has a fondness for fonts. They offer various service levels for demographics, including a “remote redesign” option to assist people virtually. They’re especially interested in providing people a personalized design process. Though a relatively new firm, their projects have already been featured in the Washington Post, Modern Luxury DC Magazine, Refinery29, Southern Living Magazine, Better Homes and Gardens Refresh Magazine, and the Washingtonian.

Kushlan’s apartment design is especially creative. The 1,200-square-foot apartment is in a building from 1910. The design honored the original moldings and wood floors. Because the space was renovated multiple times, many original elements had been stripped away, so herringbone floors, molding, five panel doors, and the fireplace were included in the vision. Residents Understood also designed a Wesley Heights home. A dark-navy Shaker style in the kitchen was the original jumping-off point for the design. A unique, hand-painted clay backsplash is a favorite feature there. The family room was also painted dark blue to complement the kitchen cabinets. They also removed a breakfast nook to create more pantry space and a bar area for gatherings.

Zoe Feldman Design

1052 Potomac Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

Zoe Feldman Design has been recognized nationally, providing custom home construction design services in Washington DC. Feldman studied design at Parsons School of Design. After school, she worked four years as a designer for Alexa Hampton at the top NYC-based design firm, Mark Hampton, Inc. As an iVillage Home and Garden expert, she has written several pieces on decorating and appeared on the television show iVillage LIVE. She has also appeared on the Today show. She earned a “One to Watch” award from the DC Design Center in 2011. Most recently, she has designed houses in the Washington DC area, NYC, the Hamptons, and South Florida. Her work has been featured in Best of DC (Runner-Up for Best Interior Decorator), The Washington Post, Lifetime, and Apartment Therapy, among others.

For her DC DesignCenter Dream Home room inspired by a gold and diamond ring from Shah and Shah Appraisers, Feldman started with marbleized gold, silver, and cream wallpaper in this master suite. She then dressed the bed in luxurious covers, which she notes is one of the most important features of a bedroom. Gold accents are present throughout the room, especially on a unique coffee table. Yellow accents provided by benches at the foot of the bed give a pop to the room as a whole. Feldman’s apartment has been featured on several websites. Feldman started with the paint colors throughout the 1,200-square-foot apartment. Each door was repainted to be a decorative point in the home. Classic furniture is paired with eclectic artwork.

Ranking Methodology

To evaluate the performance of designers, our methodology employs a systematic approach that considers various factors contributing to customer experience and satisfaction. We focused on assessing the interior designers in the Washington DC area. The methodology involves assigning weightings to specific categories based on their significance in determining customer service quality. Here’s the breakdown of the categories and their respective weightings:

• Average Customer Satisfaction (35%): This metric represents the average rating given by customers across the same review platforms as the Average Customer Satisfaction Score. A higher average rating indicates greater overall satisfaction with the service provided.
• Service Rating Score (25%): We analyze the ratio of high (4-5 stars) to low (1-2 stars) ratings for each business across multiple review platforms: Google, Houzz, and Yelp. A higher percentage of positive reviews contributes to a higher score, reflecting better customer satisfaction.
• Complaint Percentage (25%): We analyze the ratio of complaints to total reviews for each business. A lower complaints ratio indicates better service quality and results in a higher score.
• Business Hours and Availability (10%): The operating hours of each business are assessed to gauge accessibility. Companies with extended operating hours are awarded a higher score, as they offer greater convenience to customers.
• License Status (5%): We verify the licensing status of each contractor with their local licensing board to ensure legal compliance. Companies with valid licenses receive a higher score, reflecting professionalism and adherence to regulations.
• Total Score: We determined the overall rating for every contractor by calculating a weighted average, with the category weight determining the amount the subscore contributed to the total score 

Additional Note: Service Rating Score, Average Customer Satisfaction, and Complaint Percentage are calculated with a Bayesian estimate to account for if the contractor has a low number of total reviews. A Bayesian average is a statistical method used to calculate the average of a set of data points while taking into account prior information or beliefs about the distribution of the data. It combines the observed data with a prior distribution to generate a more accurate estimate of the true average.