House Beautiful, the oldest continuously published shelter magazine in the United States, is marking 130 years of design leadership by unveiling its 2026 Next Wave class of 15 emerging interior designers. Founded in 1896, the magazine announced the new cohort on May 14, bringing fresh voices and perspectives to an industry that House Beautiful has shaped for more than a century.
The 2026 Next Wave class represents a diverse roster of rising design stars, each bringing their own aesthetic and philosophy to residential interiors. According to House Beautiful, these designers are “redefining the rooms we inhabit, refreshing the objects we reach for, and reminding us that the spaces that hold our lives are worth obsessing over.” The group includes Abigail Marcelo of Casa Marcelo, Louis Lin of Studio Louis Lin, Chloe Heath of Heath Interiors, and Johanna Lyle of Jo Lyle & Co., among others.
What unites these designers is not a shared aesthetic, but rather “an uncompromising point of view, a relentless curiosity, and the rare ability to make the people who hire them feel truly at home,” House Beautiful noted. The designers are cultivating impressive studios, sourcing antiques, hand-drawing bespoke furniture, and drawing inspiration from sources ranging from Brutalist architecture to personal childhood memories.
The Next Wave program itself has become a significant milestone in the design industry. For the past 27 to 28 years, House Beautiful has handpicked an annual class of emerging designers, recognizing the country’s most promising talent. Past honorees have included Nate Berkus, Mikel Welch, and Pierce & Ward, many of whom have gone on to become household names in interior design. The program serves as a launching pad for designers at a pivotal moment in their careers, offering visibility and credibility within the design community and beyond.
House Beautiful’s 130-year journey reflects the evolution of American home design and domestic life. The magazine was founded in 1896 by a Chicago preacher and has remained the oldest continuously published shelter magazine in the United States. Throughout its history, it has documented how Americans live, the trends that shape residential spaces, and the designers who reimagine what home means. Celebrating this milestone alongside the Next Wave announcement underscores the magazine’s ongoing commitment to identifying and elevating the voices shaping the future of interior design.
Sources
- House Beautiful — Official announcement of the 2026 Next Wave class of 15 designers and magazine’s 130th anniversary
- Hearst — House Beautiful’s founding in 1896 and status as America’s oldest continuously published shelter magazine
- Midwest Design Magazine — History of the Next Wave program running for nearly three decades
