New York School of Interior Design

09/03/2026

For Climate Week NYC, join MPS in Sustainable Interior Environments Program Director David Bergman as he moderates a timely conversation on implementing circularity in interior design! ♻️

On Thursday, September 24, at 4:30 pm, IIDA NY Chapter and the Center for Circularity in Interior Design bring together stakeholders from across the value chain to explore what it will take to close the circularity loop—keeping materials in circulation, reducing waste, lowering costs, creating jobs, and transforming the interiors industry from a linear model of consumption to a circular one.

Speakers include:
• Yarden Harari, Associate Principal, Arcadis
• Robin Reigi, Owner, Robin Reigi Inc
• Doug Pilgrim, Business Development / Sustainability Manager, Davies Office
• Michael Orbank, Sustainability Manager, Sto Corp.

🎟️ Secure your free spot: ow.ly/oZWr50ZG5gh

Connecting the Dots

09/03/2026

🌟 Today, we are spotlighting Sandhya Rajendran '25 (BFA), recipient of the Ana Blanc Verna Award in recognition of her creativity and design excellence in her final thesis project!

Her project, Infinity Resilience Center, featured in the Summer 2026 issue of Atelier, is a community center for children that combines education with mental health resources. Located in her hometown of Chennai in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, her thesis utilizes interior design skills to support those in need. The group therapy room features a board with the children’s names and different colored strings, signifying the different experiences they’ve gone through. 🧵

Explore her thesis: nysid.edu/atelier-mag/portfolio-sandhya-rajendran-25-bfa

Sandhya Rajendran’s ’25 (BFA) Chennai community center combines secluded, nature-connected spaces with workshops and therapy areas designed to foster safety and belonging. Designed for safety, privacy and connection, the center features secluded, nature-connected spaces and a group therapy room ...

09/02/2026

Congratulations to Shaun Fillion, program director of NYSID’s Master of Professional Studies in Lighting Design program (MPSL), on co-authoring an article in LD+A Magazine! 🎊

The article explores how early, accessible exposure to lighting can spark curiosity in young people while helping build a more diverse future for the lighting profession. Through the Equity in Lighting (EIL) Youth Enrichment Program, students explored color, created lanterns, and used Snap Circuits to discover how lighting systems connect to the broader urban grid. NYSID faculty Jason Livingston and Nathalie Faubert also contributed to the enrichment program.

🔗Learn more: nysid.edu/press-releases-and-in-the-news/this-is-the-way-bringing-the-art-and-science-of-illumination-to-children

Shaun Fillion, program director of NYSID’s Master of Professional Studies in Lighting Design program, co-authored an article in LD+A Magazine on how early, accessible exposure to lighting can spark curiosity in young people while helping build a more diverse future for the lighting profession.

09/01/2026

✨ Step inside Westchester Magazine’s Best Dining Room, designed to bring people together.

Atelier Summer 2026 highlights this award-winning space by NYSID alum and faculty member Claudia Tejeda ’08 (AAS), founder and principal of Claudia Giselle Design LLC. Designed for clients who love to host, the room balances warmth, elegance, and functionality through natural materials, layered lighting, and custom furnishings that make the space feel larger and more inviting.

Explore the thought process behind the full design: nysid.edu/atelier-mag/visual-thinker-claudia-tejeda

NYSID alum and faculty member Claudia Tejeda ’08 (AAS) is the founder and principal of Claudia Giselle Design LLC. A Certified Interior Designer with more than 20 years of experience, she has shaped hospitality, residential, and healthcare interiors. Since 2019, Tejeda has also shared her expertis...

09/01/2026

Join us for the opening reception of "Art + Furniture: Designers, Makers, and Advocates" on Friday, September 24, at the NYSID Gallery.

Curated by Thomas Mellins and Donald Albrecht, the exhibition explores the origins, contributions, and legacies of the art and studio furniture movements from the late 1960s to the early 1990s.

Featured artists include Donald Judd, Wendell Castle, Dakota Jackson, Michele Oka Doner, Elizabeth Browning Jackson, Rafael Barrios, Jim Cole, NYSID faculty member Thomas Hucker, Laura Johnson Drake, David N. Ebner, Dan Friedman, James Hong, Tom Loeser, Alex Locadia, Terence Main, Wendy Maruyama, Howard Meister, Forrest Myers, Gaetano Pesce, and Richard Snyder.

The exhibition is designed by Studio Joseph and produced by Poleschuk Design, and is accompanied by a book of the same title created and edited by architect and NYSID Board Member Dennis Miller, published by Abbeville Press.

Reserve your free spot: ow.ly/OJqz50ZzyZu

08/27/2026

🎊 Today, we are spotlighting Catriona Howard '25 (BFA), recipient of the Chairman’s Award for her overall performance at NYSID, whose thesis project is featured in the Summer 2026 issue of Atelier.

Her project, Lekker Market, is a culturally immersive South African market where craft, cuisine, and community intersect. Inspired by her father's upbringing across the African continent and mementos from his travels, she created a project dedicated to reviving the art of apprenticeships and handcrafted goods. The interior explores the juxtaposition between organic curves and rigid angles, representing the coexistence of nature and structure. ✨

Since graduating, Howard has been working as an interior designer at The Lowell Hotel.

Dive into her design: nysid.edu/atelier-mag/portfolio-catriona-howard-25-bfa

Catriona Howard’s ’25 (BFA) Lekker Market transforms a Williamsburg site into a South African marketplace where craft, cuisine and apprenticeship converge. Organic curves, rigid angles, biophilic circulation and flexible vendor displays support a layered mix of markets, housing, library, café a...

08/26/2026

🏆 Congratulations to faculty member Dan Blitzer on winning the 2026 ICON Award from the DLFNY Beacon Awards Committee!

As a lighting educator, consultant, and Illuminating Engineering Society Fellow, Dan has spent more than 40 years advancing the lighting profession through industry leadership, education, research, and mentorship. He founded The Practical Lighting Workshop, taught at the Philips Lighting Application Center and NYSID, and serves as President of the Nuckolls Fund for Lighting Education. Dan will be honored for his contributions and achievements at the 3rd Annual Beacon Awards on October 14.

Join the celebration: awards.dlfny.org

08/25/2026

✨ The cover story of Atelier Summer 2026 spotlights NYSID alumni who have transformed their design firms from ambitious start-ups into thriving businesses.

Featuring Susan Lin ’21 (AAS) of Susan Lin Design, Brooke Lichtenstein ’10 (BFA) and Yiannos Vrousgos ’10 (BFA) of Input Creative Studio, and Susan Marinello ’95 (AAS) of Marinello, this special feature explores the strategies, lessons, and leadership philosophies that have fueled their firms’ growth. From building strong teams composed of NYSID alumni to refining a design voice and leading with integrity, these design leaders share insights for the next generation of design entrepreneurs.

Discover how these alumni are shaping the future of interior design: nysid.edu/atelier-mag/strategies-of-successful-interior-design-entrepreneurs

NYSID alumni Susan Lin ’21 (AAS), Brooke Lichtenstein ’10 (BFA), Yiannos Vrousgos ’10 (BFA), and Susan Marinello ’95 (AAS) have built growing design firms across the country. They share the lessons, strategies, and philosophies that helped transform their start-ups into established brands.

08/20/2026

📖 Introducing “Design Between the Covers,” a new NYSID series exploring the thinking behind interior design books!

We’re kicking off the series with Elizabeth Lawrence ’03 (AAS), partner at Lawrence, discussing Decoration, her new book co-authored with design partner Bunny Williams and forthcoming from New York in September.

Save the date as Lawrence and Williams discuss Decoration at NYSID on Wednesday, September 16 at 6 pm, sponsored by the Institute for Classical Architecture & Art. There are a limited number of free spots available for NYSID students. Students can register by selecting the Member ticket.

Learn more: nysid.edu/blog/design-between-the-covers-elizabeth-lawrence-on-decoration

NYSID’s “Design Between the Covers” series delves into the thinking behind interior design books. We launch this series with NYSID alum Elizabeth Lawrence `03 (AAS) on her first book, Decoration , which Rizzoli will publish in September, 2026.

08/19/2026

🌟 NYSID’s 2026 Service Learning Studio was an amazing experience, with students redesigning a multipurpose community center for Encore Community Services, a nonprofit organization that provides care and services for older adults!

Led by Terry Kleinberg, RA, the team of professional-level Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design students Akalah Bobb, Isabella DiMaggio, Sofia Ditullio, Carmen Graham, Ruta Kraujutyte, Uzma Nur, Lauren Seidenberg, Stefanie T., and Inna Yatskiv worked together to design spaces for Encore's staff, visitors, and volunteers. They also worked with Master of Professional Studies in Lighting Design students Fiona Grunwald, Danny Pachman, and Robert Hill Guarino for lighting consultation.

Read all about it: nysid.edu/blog/nysids-service-learning-studio-designs-a-center-that-will-help-older-adults-thrive

A challenging space will become a safe and beautiful haven for older adults because of this summer social-impact design course with real clients and constraints.