We are only two weeks into 2026, but resolutions are in full swing. This week, we asked nine designers—Jessica Alpert, Elizabeth Bennett, Andrea DeRosa, Max de Rosée, Enda Donagher, Laura Hammett, Anne Hulcher Tollett, Mallory Robins and Krista Watterworth Alterman—what tweaks they want to make to their firms this year.
Inspirational Outings
“I want to be more intentional about bringing office field trips back into our practice. Visiting buildings, exhibitions, fabricators and job sites together strengthens our shared design culture in ways no meeting or presentation can. It creates a common reference point for the team, encourages learning through direct experience, and reinforces curiosity as a core value of the studio. Just as importantly, it’s a reminder that investing time in education and inspiration ultimately makes us better designers and collaborators.” —Enda Donagher, Enda Donagher Architect, New Yor
Embrace AI
“Over the past five years, we’ve been deeply focused on refining and streamlining our internal processes. In the year ahead, we’re excited to build on that foundation by thoughtfully integrating AI into our workflow. Our goal is to use these tools to enhance efficiency across key touchpoints, such as email templates, inquiry responses, note-taking and summarizing, and project documentation, allowing us to work more seamlessly while preserving the personal, high-touch experience our clients expect.” —Jessica Alpert, Jessica Alpert Design, Los Angeles
Smarter Not Harder
“We are excited to focus on working smarter so we can spend more time on concepting and programming. We’ve been intentionally integrating AI into our workflow to handle tasks that are necessary but time-intensive, like early-stage wordsmithing, quick image edits, organizing research and refining internal documentation. By streamlining these processes, our team can devote more energy to the parts of design that require intuition, taste and collaboration.” —Andrea DeRosa, Avenue Interior Design, Los Angeles
Strengthen the Backend
“The past few decades have taught our team that designing a killer room is the easy part. What sets a great design firm apart is acing the hard part: seamless, timely execution with careful accounting of our clients’ budgets. With that in mind, this year we are growing our purchasing staff and back-of-house team. In addition to our monthly client-facing variance reports, we are creating better snapshots to outline all of our expediting efforts at a glance. This will allow our designers to focus on the interior design elements of the spaces, rather than on logistics. It will free the design team to be available for the creativity our clients love, while adding more muscle to our beloved back-of-house business office, who are the ones making our dreams a reality.” —Anne Hulcher Tollett, Hanover Avenue, Richmond, Virginia
Look Overseas
“I feel incredibly energized about the next chapter. We’re expanding into international markets, particularly the U.S. and the Middle East, where we have a wonderful range of projects coming together. I’m also passionate about continuously developing our design aesthetic. The goal is always evolution, not repetition, so I’m excited to see how far we can push into new styles and still feel very ‘us.’” —Laura Hammett, Laura Hammett Living, London
Quality Over Quantity
“For a long time, I ran my business the way a lot of designers do—say yes, figure it out later, stay booked, stay busy. It looked great on paper. It was also exhausting. Somewhere between running a growing studio, raising a family, and realizing that constant hustle isn’t a personality trait, I had a moment of clarity: I didn’t want a business that only worked if I was always on. I wanted one that worked with my life. So next year, I’m editing. Fewer projects. Bigger vision. More full-scope, start-to-finish work where we’re involved early and shaping the entire experience—not trying to inject magic at the eleventh hour. I’m also building real structure behind the scenes—systems, teams, boundaries—so creativity can thrive and the studio doesn’t rely on burnout as fuel. The goal isn’t to be the busiest designer in the room. It’s to build something sustainable, influential and genuinely fun to run.” —Krista Watterworth Alterman, Krista + Home, Palm Beach Gardens
Set the Pace
“We want to continue refining how we guide clients through the design process so their experience feels as seamless and supported as possible. Every project and every client is different, and thoughtful pacing plays a meaningful role in that. By more clearly setting expectations around the timing of feedback and decision-making, we can help ensure each phase unfolds as it should, allowing the process to feel intentional rather than reactive. Ultimately, this is about protecting momentum while honoring each client’s individual needs, and ensuring the experience feels thoughtful, efficient and well-orchestrated from start to finish.” —Mallory Robins and Elizabeth Bennett, Kobel + Co, Kansas City, Missouri
Growing Scope
“The business is focused on expanding into the hospitality sector in 2026. Over the past year, the Mayfair Apartment project has sparked increased interest in the studio’s interior design offering, prompting a shift from a solely architectural practice to one that now delivers architecture, interior design and FF&E. The year ahead is about continuing to strengthen this integrated approach, which naturally aligns with hospitality projects, where cohesion across all elements is essential.” —Max de Rosée, De Rosee Sa, London and Lisbon, Portugal
