As a new generation of clients comes of age, and technology continues to seep its way into every corner of a decidedly old-school profession, it’s likely that design won’t be exactly the same in 2030 as it is in 2020. What will it be like? And just as importantly, what will it be worth? We asked two historians for their view. 

Albert Einstein supposedly said, “If you want to know the future, look at the past.” He probably wasn’t talking about pricing for Scalamandré tiger velvet, but the principle stands. Looking backwards into the history of interior design is a great way to think about the forces that have grown it into such a widely valued profession—and to see what might lie ahead. With that in mind, we reached out to Judith Gura, a design historian at the New York School of Interior Design, and Thomas Jayne, a noted interior designer and historian of architecture and decorative arts.

This is the second installment of a three-part exploration of what the future holds for the design industry. We also asked three futurists and a travel agent.