4 Black Designers to Follow on Instagram, Stat

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WORDS BY Gillian Grefe

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Published on June 10, 2020

Right now it can feel trivial to focus on anything but the vitally important conversations around the Black Lives Matter movement.

As a design company, our goal has always been to share content that inspires and helps you create a home you feel good in. We realize that we have an opportunity to ampliphy Black voices, which have historically been underrepresented in the interior design industy.

These are just a few of the many incredibly talented, insanely creative designers who will bring inspiration to your Instagram Feed.

Michigan-based interior designer, TV host and all-around tastemaker Corey Damen Jenkins imbues traditional, upscale designs with a modern edge. We particularly love his Instagram profile for the detailed descriptions and insights he provides on various projects—he offers great information about why he chooses a certain piece of furniture or decor and how it relates to the overall vibe of the room. And for the jewel-tone lovers out there, take note: vibrant tones of amethyst, turquoise, garnet, emerald and sapphire are a fixture in Corey’s feed.

Is there a design-challenged person in your life? We got you.

Just because you’re renting doesn’t mean you can’t create a sense of home. That’s the guiding maxim for Medina Grillo, @grillodesigns, a designer, author and blogger who describes herself as a “proud renter.” She’s also de-stigmatizing more than just renting. Medina brings her authentic self to every. Single. Post.—like this one about the pressures of Instagram, or this one about the hidden dangers of Disney Plus—while also delivering clean, mid-century modern style tinged with a boho aesthetic.

Is there a design-challenged person in your life? We got you.

If you don’t follow Justina Blakeney on Instagram already, what, exactly, are you waiting for? This multi-hyphenate talent—designer, entrepreneur, New York Times bestselling author, mom—personifies bohemian living. On that note, she’s also the founder of The Jungalow, a.k.a. the best place to find home goods that radiate boho style. It’s hard to believe Justina says she never thought she could be an artist. We are so grateful for her lesson on self-confidence, which she shared on Instagram in early May: “If you’re going to let one person’s opinion be the loudest, why not make it the person who was the most encouraging, the most enthusiastic?”

Rhode Island-based wife and mom of four, Carli Alves, or @madebycarli, is tackling a 140-year-old Victorian fixer-upper her own way. We love Carli’s use of timeless, neutral palettes with undeniable elegance, which she often shares on Instagram paired with all-too-relatable hashtags. If classic, relaxed design speaks to you, so will Carli. If you have kids, take a look at how she lets a child’s unique taste blossom—even when it’s different from your own.

Black Designer Round-up

Words by Alena Courtney