Black Interior Design Leader Is Breaking Barriers with New Series
Corey Damen Jenkins has built a design career that reaches far beyond beautiful rooms. As one of the most recognized names in interior design, Jenkins has turned his creative eye into a business, a brand and now a streaming platform for making luxury interiors feel less distant to everyday people.
Jenkins is the founder and principal of Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates, a New York based interior design firm known for bold color, layered rooms and a modern approach to traditional style.
His work has earned him a place on Architectural Digest’s AD100 and ELLE Decor’s A List, along with recognition from 1stDibs and major features in publications including House Beautiful, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. Architectural Digest notes that his interiors have appeared on the covers of House Beautiful and Traditional Home.
A Black Designer In A Historically Exclusive Industry
Jenkins’ success carries added weight because interior design, especially at the luxury level, has long been an exclusive industry with limited visibility for Black designers.
During the 2009 recession, Jenkins reportedly knocked on 779 doors before landing his first client. That kind of origin story does not sound glamorous, but it explains the foundation of his business. Before the magazine covers, streaming series and national recognition, there was a designer trying to convince one person to take a chance.
That persistence has since grown into a career that places Jenkins among the most influential voices in design today. He is now a MasterClass instructor, an author and a designer whose work speaks to both luxury clients and people trying to better understand how their own homes can reflect who they are.
Design Reimagined Opens The Door To Luxury Design
With “Design Reimagined with Corey Damen Jenkins,” Jenkins is bringing his design process to streaming audiences. The series launched on YouTube in May 2025 and offers viewers a behind the scenes look at luxury interior design, from transformation ideas to practical design choices people can apply in their own homes.
The show centers on Jenkins’ belief in “design democracy,” the idea that beautiful, meaningful spaces should not be reserved only for those with unlimited budgets. Through the series, he walks viewers through bold transformations, design decisions, color choices and the emotional connection people have to the places they live.
That message matters because home design is not just about furniture, paint or wallpaper. For many families, a home is where culture, memory, identity and aspiration all meet. Jenkins’ work leans into that idea, showing that luxury can be personal, not just expensive.
Building A Legacy Through Color, Culture And Entrepreneurship
Jenkins’ design style is often described as vibrant, confident and deeply personal. His second book, also titled “Design Reimagined,” is described by his firm as a continuation of his work blending “vibrant maximalism” with “youthful traditionalism.”
That balance is part of what makes Jenkins stand out. He respects traditional design while refusing to let tradition become a locked gate. His rooms often carry a sense of history, but they also feel alive, layered and specific to the people who live in them.
As a Black creative and entrepreneur, Jenkins’ story also speaks to the larger conversation about representation in industries where access has not always been equal. His career shows what happens when talent, discipline and vision meet opportunity, even when that opportunity has to be created one door at a time.
