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Kelly Wearstler, Top Interior Designers We Love
Known for what interior design source Architectural Digest calls a “fiercely glamorous approach,” Kelly Wearstler’s bold and eclectic style defines the luxury interior design world of the 2000s to date.
An L.A. Times best-selling author, hotel interior design trailblazer, and commissioned interior designer for some of California’s biggest stars, Kelly first entered the design world with her firm, Kelly Wearstler Interior Design, in 1995. Since then, her acute eye for detail and artistic use of colors, patterns, textures, and eras have flooded the interior design industry and adorned the pages of every top fashion and interior design magazine.
“I look at every piece of furniture and every object as an individual sculpture,” Kelly famously told Elle Decor in 2009.
The Kelly Wearstler look is often described as maximalist and bold, vintage-inspired, with a modern, playful twist. Rich materials, textural mixes, and unique creative visions span the legendary interior designer’s portfolio. The designer’s catalog, now 25+ years in the making, features stunning interiors in luxury hotels, residences, restaurants, and retail spaces alongside a collection of furniture, lighting, and home accessory designs. Plus books, fashion, TV, and surely more to come!
While Kelly’s interiors bring business and joy to their occupants, her furniture and lighting designs showcase her famous signature style. A look defined by bold shapes, luxurious materials, and cozy colors. In addition to her own online Shop, Kelly has designed for numerous collaborations. These include name brands such as the Rug Company, F. Schumacher & Co., Pickard China, and Sferra.
On @kellywearstler on Instagram, you’ll find her latest inspirations. She keeps it simple but elegant and innovative, just like her iconic, modern pieces. Her designs are often inspired by the designs she was exposed to as a child by her mother, an antique dealer, while growing up in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
“By acquiring all of your furniture from different eras and places, and things that are expensive and inexpensive,” Kelly told Elle in 2013, “it will make your end product have great spirit.“
She’ll also occasionally feature her family on her social media. Including her husband, real estate investor Brad Korzen, and their three sons, Oliver, Elliott, and Crosby. But most of all, she shares her fabulously iconic design style.
In addition to her vast boutique interior design experience, Kelly Wearstler has dominated the design industry all-around, winning numerous awards—from Vogue’s “Top 10 Best Dressed” in 2007 to Elle Decor’s Best Designers A-List and AD’s AD100 year after year!
She told Vogue in 2014 that she’s used to spreading herself across industries with ease. “I’m a great multitasker,” she said. “Probably from all my years waiting tables!“
Kelly has authored several design books, including “Rhapsody”, “Modern Glamour: The Art of Unexpected Style”, “Hue”, and more. These books offer insights into her design philosophy and showcase her signature style through stunning visuals and expert advice. The famous interior designer also has a MasterClass in Interior Design, should you wish to learn from the best.
Aside from interior design, Kelly Wearstler is also known for her impeccable fashion sense. In 2011, she launched her eponymous fashion line, which echoed her signature look. While the fashion line faded by 2015, prior Bergdorf Goodman carried the collection exclusively as did top retailers such as Neiman Marcus and Net-a-Porter. Kelly’s fashion sense has always been present on her Instagram as well. But in 2023, we began to see even more fashion influence. The design legend continues to prove she is a lifestyle brand to know!
We’ll leave you with some of Kelly’s best advice to ponder!
“Love color. Take risks. Stay curious.“
Follow Love Happens on Instagram for more interior design and fashion to love!
Words by Miguel Neto
Feature Image: Kelly Wearstler at Bottega Veneta fashion show during the Milan Fashion Week Womenswear FW24-25 | Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images
