While major design houses and celebrities often steal the spotlight, it’s the independent voices behind the scenes who are shaping the way we think, feel, and talk about interiors in 2025. In fact, chances are your favorite home trends, room makeovers, and Pinterest boards were all influenced, popularized, or even created by a design journalist.
Whether they’re real estate gurus, the word of authority on architecture, or seasoned experts in fashion and tech, design journalists give us an inner lens to discover perspectives and ideas we may never otherwise consider.
Let’s dive into the 10 design journalists redefining conversations about design, one article, newsletter, and how-to guide at a time.
Perri Ormont Blumberg
Born in New York City, one of the beating hearts of the design world, Perri Ormont Blumberg is a design writer and editor who covers everything from interior design and home trends to travel and culture, with regular features in the likes of Architectural Digest (AD), The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times.
Her multidisciplinary view on design that intertwines aesthetics, wellness, and lifestyle is partly due to her rather eclectic educational background: She earned a BA in psychology from Columbia University and a culinary degree from the National Gourmet Institute.
As a design writer, Blumberg is known for her approachable yet sophisticated tone, which often highlights practical advice and classic design ideas. In her AD piece “12 Industrial Kitchens That Show How Cool the Style Can Be,” she highlights how industrial design keeps evolving and can be incorporated to be both edgy and friendly as she tours raw, refined, and brilliantly lived-in spaces.
Arricca Elin SanSone
Arricca Elin SanSone is a well-seasoned writer, editor, and content creator in lifestyle and gardening. She’s penned articles in numerous household-name publications such as ELLE Decor, Good Housekeeping, Country Living, and House Beautiful.
Sansone’s also making good interior design more accessible to everyone. In her ELLE Decor article, “The Best Online Interior Design Services for Every Budget,” she offers readers a thorough guide to selecting the ideal online interior design platforms to give their homes the perfect refresh. From first questionnaires to final design plans, Sansone breaks down how various digital services run while emphasizing that creating your dream home doesn’t have to break the bank.
Mairi Beautyman
Berlin-based design journalist Mairi Beautyman is among the most influential independent voices in interior design media. An industry veteran, Beautyman comes with over two decades of work and has been published by AD, Metropolis, and ELLE Decor, covering everything from architecture and interiors to product design and sustainability.
As a contributing editor for Interior Design Magazine, she’s helping people keep a finger to the pulse on the latest trends and unique installations through her in-depth coverage of the industry’s biggest events, like Milan Design Week and Stockholm Design Week Reflecting her commitment to presenting many voices in the design community, Beautyman’s pieces frequently highlight the work of both established and upcoming designers.
Alexandra Lange
Thanks to her sharp commentary and academic depth, eminent architect and designer Alexandra Lange is a major voice in the design community. With a Ph.D. from the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University (NYU) and a Loeb Fellowship from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, Lange presents a clear and intellectual perspective in her engaging work. It’s therefore no surprise that she’s held the esteemed role of architectural critic for prestigious magazines, including The New Yorker, The New York Times, and Bloomberg CityLab.
Beyond reporting, Lange is the author of Writing About Architecture: Mastering the Language of Buildings and Cities, a foundational book that walks readers through the subtleties of architectural criticism. Her 2022 book, Meet Me by the Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall, presents a thorough view of the architectural and cultural value of retail centers in American life.
Nikhita Mahtani
Mumbai-born and New York-based writer and editor Nikhita Mahtani has a vibrant voice and cross-disciplinary knowledge, making her a valued and interesting member of the design journalist scene. With a master’s degree in magazine journalism from NYU and a background across print and digital platforms—including editorial roles at Elle Decor, Domino, and AD India—Mahtani offers a polished, trend-savvy perspective to every piece she creates.
Whether she’s deciphering the latest tech in smart home scenting or investigating the evolution of kitchen paint colors, Mahtani’s clear tone and warm writing present both educational and inspirational ideas to readers.
Anne Quito
Barcelona-based writer and design critic Anne Quito‘s perceptive reporting has dramatically shaped the conversation on how design interacts with politics, society, and culture. From the ergonomics of furniture all the way to discussing the branding of nations, her work often explores the subtle ways design shapes our daily life and has been published in prominent publications including AD, CNN, and Fast Company.
Quito’s impressive academic background includes an MFA in design criticism from the School of Visual Arts and a master’s degree in visual culture from Georgetown University. Her book, Mag Men: Fifty Years of Making Magazines, dives into the careers of design icons Milton Glaser and Walter Bernard, analyzing the men who revolutionized magazine journalism.
She’s not just a master of the written word, but the spoken one, too: Quito has taken part in prestigious speaking events such as TED Global, the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and the Parsons School of Design. And as if Quito’s experience wasn’t enough, she was also named the inaugural winner of the Steven Heller Prize for Cultural Commentary.
Larissa Runkle
Experienced writer Larissa Runkle has the special ability to combine her passion for interior design with her expert awareness of the real estate market. Drawing on her background as a business strategist for real estate agents, Runkle offers a sophisticated awareness of how design decisions affect buyer impressions and property values. Her work is regularly published in Realtor.com, where she addresses an array of subjects, from design trends to how particular house additions might raise the marketability of a property.
Whether she’s discussing the comeback of mid-century modern designs to outlining how color choices might affect house sales, Runkle’s material offers practical guidance for both buyers and homeowners as well as design aficionados.
Amelia Mularz
Renowned Los Angeles-based writer and content strategist Amelia Mularz specializes in interior design, lifestyle, and home décor, and her resume includes positions at Vogue and The Knot. But that’s not all: Mularz has collaborated with the likes of AD, Domino, and Real Simple, covering a broad spectrum of design subjects, like room makeovers and home organization to investigating the newest furniture trends and DIY projects.
Mularz’s engaging narrative style emerged from her writing background in lifestyle and fashion, where she became intimately familiar with how aesthetics and personal style translate into design decisions.
Her material is approachable, perceptive, and always interesting, whether she’s writing about sustainable design, small-space living advice, or budget-wise deconstruction of the best ways to modernize a house.
Erica Puisis
With experience in interior design, home décor, and product reviews, Erica Puisis is a seasoned writer who blends a strong academic background with a love of producing interesting and educational materials. A frequently published name in The Spruce, Puisis has helped the platform cover all manner of interior design and home décor subjects.
Thanks to Pusis’ valued contributions to other iconic magazines, including US News & World Report and Forbes, her readership extends far—in fact, Pusis’ professional journey also includes collaborations with leading furniture makers and interior designers. In her contributions to smart home blogs like Smart Home Solver and TechDigg, Pusis also explores the intersection of technology and home design, crafting content that seamlessly bridges design aesthetics with real consumer needs.
Alyssa Towns
Though well-known for her knowledge of workplace culture and productivity, Alyssa Town, a Denver-based freelance writer and communications strategist, has also created a niche at the junction of interior design and intentional living. She regularly examines how our surroundings can inspire creativity, comfort, and clarity and has been published in Business Insider, Yahoo Life, and The Everygirl, where she dissects trends, product recommendations, and wellness-oriented design ideas for a broad readership.
Whether she’s compiling mood boards or highlighting design ideas for small spaces, Towns is a unique independent voice in design journalism with a careful, human-centric perspective to influence the design conversation in 2025.
