Danielle Colding
© Brittany Ambridge
Danielle Colding is a New York–based interior designer whose work is defined by a deeply personal and intuitive approach to space. Through her studio, she develops environments that balance elegance with ease, layering texture, art, and collected objects to create interiors that feel both considered and lived-in.
Rooted in a sensitivity to how people inhabit their surroundings, her practice moves fluidly between architectural clarity and expressive detail. Each project is approached as a narrative — shaped by the client’s identity, yet elevated through a distinct and confident design language.
Her work has gained international recognition and has been brought to a wider audience through television, where she emerged as a singular voice within contemporary American design. Today, she continues to explore the intersection of comfort and composition, creating spaces that are at once refined, soulful, and enduring.
1. Could you tell us how your journey into interior design started?
Prior to being a designer, I was a teacher, a modern dancer, a Pilates teacher, and a hostess at a San Francisco restaurant all at the same time. I was exhausted. And broke! I was in my mid-twenties, working every day and still not making enough to live on. I knew it had to be time for a change.
It was at that point I did what so many creatives do — I booked a trip. In Brazil, I sat on the beach, stared at the ocean, and reflected on what I was naturally good at, and also what I could stomach doing every day without getting bored. What emerged was a vision that would define the next 25 years of my life. I combined my aptitude for problem solving, working with people, and shopping… with other people’s money. I returned from that trip and immediately enrolled in design school. It was there that I was able to build a foundation for a career as an interior designer.
2. Do you think there has been a defining moment in your career?
A defining moment for me in my career was my time doing design on TV. While it was not a time that worked out in any real way, it did give me exposure and clarity around what I could give the design world. Previously, I had been chugging through life with a fledgling business, severely handicapped by the 2008 financial crisis. I was living at home, struggling to find clients, and on the verge of giving up the dream. Something had to give.
So, in a strange twist of fate, a friend encouraged me to try out for a TV show, and I somehow made the cut. I went on to win the show, but was soon disappointed by a network that didn’t honor the win by giving me my own show. But that opportunity gave me new exposure in NY, where I had already been working. I was given the opportunity to participate in the Ronald McDonald House with so many other talented designers. I found a new entree into the industry and strengthened my relationships with vendors and the design community at large. In spite of all the twists and turns, those two experiences helped me to reestablish my business and start making inroads into the world of design in different ways.
© Brittany Ambridge
© Brittany Ambridge
3. What do you think is the key to a successful interior design? And in your business in general?
The keys for me have been surrender and perseverance. Surrender is key because, with any business that mainly relies on word of mouth, there are a lot of moments to panic. It is difficult to really plan a future when you don’t know what’s coming down the pipeline. So you have to trust that something will come. And in all my years working, something always has.
The other key element is perseverance — the simple act of sticking with it. Easier said than done. I have wanted to quit so many times. I have written myself off more times than I can count. The simple act of just keeping on keeping on has been invaluable. And I hope that one day, in the retelling, this act of perseverance will have made the difference.
4. How do you start your interior design projects? Do you usually start with a certain element of design or a keyword? And how do they develop?
Whenever I am asked this question, I always imagine that my approach is different with each new encounter. But when I really examine the question, there are some commonalities in the way I work. In general, I always start with the construction plans. It is so important for me to establish a flow in the space. I have to solve the architectural issues first. From there, I am free to delve into the fun parts.
And that is always about color and light and impact. I have to identify what I want to feel and where I want to feel it. The transition spaces are crucial for this process — moody, impactful hallways leading into rooms that either call for intensity or lightness. It is, at heart, an intuitive act.
One of my favorite ways to work is around art. Clients who already have things that define their styles really help guide the ultimate design. I am a vessel, after all. I am here not to design what I want. I am here to design what the client needs and wants, and elevate that vision as much as I possibly can. I am a translator. I take what I observe from the clients, I filter that through the practical needs of the space, and hopefully, I execute all of it in the most artistic way I can.
5. How would you define your signature style? Do you have “a mantra” that encapsulates your taste in design?
My signature style is highly personal design. I don’t have one style that I love. That is part of what I really enjoy about the job. I can love it all, do it all, and use it all. So my goal is to interpret the client and create a home that is uniquely theirs.
I have little interest in trends — although, of course, I am influenced by them — but I want to create spaces that are timeless and highly personalized. I also push for layers, texture, and sculptural artistic pieces that can meld seamlessly with classic pieces.
I also value spaces that are comfortable to be in. Nothing too precious or too fancy for me. I want for people to feel at ease in my spaces. Highly artistic spaces do not need to feel off-putting or stuffy. Warm and soulful is always the goal.
6. What are your 3 favorite pieces from the Philia Collection?
What I love about Galerie Philia is that everything is a piece of standalone sculptural
art.
Carmen Bar Cabinet by Comité de Proyectos
This cabinet makes me nuts… in the best way possible. The legs. The hardware. I probably need this in my life and home at some point. Mind blown!
Proportions of Stone Stool by Lee Sisan
The mix of metal and natural stone is so elegant. I love the metal finish and incorporating that into a more architecturally classic room. The clean lines juxtaposed with the rough rock are just beautifully in proportion in a way that is very pleasing.
Contemporary Table by DAM Atelier
I am obsessed with verdigris. I always think that if I ever have a paint line, this would be a color in the collection. The natural finish paired with the clean lines is dynamic and simply stunning.
Licitra Chair by Pietro Franceschini
I am obsessed with one-off chairs. It’s a dream of mine to have a room of random chairs. Sculptural and brutalist colliding in chair bliss. And this one is so fun. The blocking, the color. It is a moment stealer in any interior.
7. Could you tell us about one of the favorite projects that you worked on?
My favorite project to date remains a home I worked on for four years in Kips Bay, NY, a super skinny townhouse with adventurous clients. It was a dream. There were so many space planning issues to solve. There was original detailing and high ceilings. There were so many rooms that each, while still connected to the whole, could have its own identity.
The dining room in this house is my favorite room I’ve ever done, with hand-painted wallpaper and my dream dining chairs from my friend Mario Milano. The mix of art and sculpture all came together in a dynamic space, which feels amazing to be in.
8. If you could pick one interior design tip that is important to you, what would it be?
Start with what you love and don’t worry about the finished look. If you can fill your home with things you love, you will always be happy. I am the queen of taking everything down and moving stuff around to give my space new life. When you really love what you have, it will always be a pleasure to reimagine your things in a new environment or grouping. And books. Buy way too many books!
9. What was the best advice you have received in your path?
Stay focused on your own path. Do not look at what other people are doing (too much). Keep your head down, go inside, and create from your own story.
10. What would be your advice to beginner interior designers?
Be true to yourself. Find what matters to you and stick to that. There are so many ways to do this business. I know folks who are so business savvy, it’s almost as if the design is secondary. Then there are folks who are such artists that they are really moving our understanding of how we live forward in unique ways. They are all valid and all needed. Know yourself, go inside, do the work of self-discovery to find your lane and stay true to that.
11. What was one of the hardest learned lessons in your journey?
I think the hardest lesson is to remember that, in this industry, dominated by the wealthy and connected, my voice is valuable and that it matters. People who collect on their travels deserve to be seen. People without means can also live in beauty. It has been challenging at times to remember that my vision deserves a platform. I don’t come from money and the typical social circles lauded in this industry. I don’t have my own house to completely outfit in my vision… yet. And still, the way I work and design speaks to a whole segment of the population who value meaning and beauty and want to be surrounded by both. We all deserve to live in spaces that give us refuge and are unique to our lived experiences.
12. Are there any books/podcasts you would like to recommend to our readers?
I love the Grand Tourist podcast for all things design. There is just so much to learn, and the interviews are captivating. I also love Trevor Noah… I know outside of design, but it’s so good.
The most influential design books are also by some of my favorites in the biz: Axel Vervoordt, Steven Gambrel, Shamshiri Interiors, and I love the new Laura Gonzalez.
© Brittany Ambridge
13. Finally, what are your upcoming projects? Anything you’d like to share or add to the interview?
I have some fun things in the works. An apartment in an incredible building on the Upper West Side — my second project in this landmark. A pair of houses for mother and daughter in Connecticut. And a Brooklyn townhouse that I have been working on in phases for over ten years. They are all different, and all push me beyond my comfort zone. That variation keeps me sated.
Thank you so much Danielle, for this lovely interview!