Women have been the driving force behind interior design, thanks to pioneers like Elsie de Wolfe, Candace Wheeler, and Dorothy Draper. They, and others like them, paved the way for contemporary designers. In Pittsburgh, we’re lucky to have world-class interior designers and architects of all stripes. As part of Women’s History Month, TABLE is highlighting Pittsburgh women designers who are redefining the meaning of home.
6 Women Designers Bringing Their Talents to Pittsburgh
Colleen Simonds
The homes Colleen Simonds designs are for adventurous people who want to live in warm, kind, places. The color schemes she uses bring light and engagement into her spaces, all the while looking lush and downright enviable. She shows us that warmth and the feeling of home needn’t come at the expense of the cool factor. Based in Pittsburgh, Simonds’ work is recognized nationally and has been featured in the New York Times, LUXE, Elle Decor, and Martha Stewart Living.
Brenda Friday
If you love Brenda Friday’s style, you can take it home with you with a visit to her design shop in Lawrenceville, Shoppe B. She stocks work by national and international artists, all of it in alignment with the playful, feminine aesthetic of her interior design projects. Friday loves working one-on-one with people to create their dream homes and being a part of what makes their space special.
Betsy Wentz
Betsy Wentz’s mother had an interior design shop, so she grew up understanding the importance of design in the home. She focuses on happiness—her 2023 book, Design Happy, showcases twelve family homes where she honed in on what makes a happy, welcoming space. She is known for her exuberant sense of play, with color, pattern, and finish creating a stimulating environment.
Molly Watson
An “organizer by nature,” Molly Watson brings that spirit to all of her work. Her designs are meticulous, and for her, functionality and beauty aren’t mutually exclusive. “A room for me is complete when it is both beautiful and functional,” she writes on her website. She has a way of making spaces look beautiful, especially kitchens and dining rooms.
Melissa Ewen
While growing up in a military family, Melissa Ewen changed homes many times. She decided that home was something you make yourself, rather than a fixed place. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she realized interior design was a way to express this lifelong interest in the meaning of home. Ewen’s work is clean and concise, respectful of historical context, and carefully thought out.
Katy Popple
For luxury kitchen, bathroom, and home renovation, Katy Popple is at your service. Her design work draws an earthy feel from her use of wood, even as her eye for pattern and color lifts and delights the viewer. The work always feels high-end and spacious. Popple has a great eye for accents like rugs and colorful decorative objets.
Story by Emma Riva
Cover photo by Emily Gilbert
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