6 Interior Designers Who Are Killing it on Instagram

Nowadays, those working in the interior design field need to be very familiar with digital marketing and social media if they want to see success. Visibility on social media is an essential way to showcase work, build a following and connect with potential clients.  

But while there are new interior design professionals popping up on Instagram every day, some have worked out how to game the algorithm and are reaping the rewards. Here are six successful interior designers who are killing it on social media right now, providing endless inspiration for aspiring designers. 

Kelly Wearstler

With over 2 million Instagram followers, interior designer to the stars Kelly Wearstler actually began her career as a photographer but soon realized her passion for design. She's received numerous design awards since launching her design business and has worked with A-listers such as Gwen Stefani and Cameron Diaz, and countless luxury hotels around the world. Wearstler is known for her bold patterns and graphic prints, with a deeply luxurious look to every project she takes on. 

Farah Merhi

The creator behind one of the most popular interior design accounts online, @inspire_me_home_decor, Farah Merhi is a self-taught interior designer who started out as a political science student with aspirations for a career in law. But her passion for home decor was too strong and she's since gone on to carve out a truly successful career in this industry, ranking as one of the most influential interior designers on Instagram and launching her own lifestyle brand in the process, with over 3 million followers supporting her.

Corey Damen Jenkins

Media personality and successful author, Corey Damen Jenkins posts sophisticated designs and high-end luxury on his feed, having landed his first project in 2009 by going door-to-door in Michigan during the recession. After knocking on 779 doors, he landed a client and posted the completed photos to his website where he was subsequently picked up by HGTV, and voters named him the winner of the network's design competition. Famed for his maximalist approach to interiors, he blends elegant, contemporary and playful styles for something unique and timeless, with nearly 1 million followers loving his work. 

Shea McGee

A New York Times best-selling author and third-most influential interior designer on Instagram with a following of over 3.7 million at Studio McGee, Shea McGee even has her own Netflix show and online store. She's a leading influencer in the interior design space, bringing in thousands of dollars per sponsored post, and favors simple, minimal and neutral designs for her clients.

Chip and Joanna Gaines

HGTV power couple Chip and Joanna Gaines are two of the most influential designers online at the moment, with a combined Instagram following of over 18.8 million people. With multiple HGTV shows, book series' and even their own television network, they're successful in more areas than just social media. Famed for what the Gaines' called 'updated rustic', they celebrate old farmhouse style interiors with a modern twist. 

Sintija Gallagher

Our last pick doesn't have as many followers yet, but we wanted to include her because she has some amazing content for interior designers and her follower count is growing quite quickly.

Sintija's channel @spacesforedit gives practical advice to aspiring and new designers. Her modus operandi includes pop culture memes, tips and slice-of-life videos.

What does it take to create inspiring interior design content?

Having looked at six accounts that are enjoying success on social media, let's explore what these types of accounts all have in common. What do you need to do as an interior designer to bring in swathes of followers and attract potential clients?

1. Create unique content

Firstly, creating unique content is vital in such a competitive industry, and keeping your Instagram or TikTok pages up to date with the latest trends and educational content is a great way to encourage engagement. 

This is particularly important as a new interior designer looking to build their following and grow their reach online. "When you're first getting started as a content creator, it's crucial to value practice over perfection", explain the Instagram creatives and team at MPB, "You can't become great unless you're constantly creating, so you might as well develop portfolio pieces in the meantime". Instagram Stories are the perfect way to do this, showing your work while also bringing awareness to your brand with behind-the-scenes content or sneak peeks of new projects.  

2. Ignite your brand

Secondly, branding is also something that these successful designers have in common — a clear and recognizable brand is vital to get yourself noticed online. Maybe you're known for your bright colors or patterns, or maybe you take a minimalist, timeless approach to interiors that have a common thread in terms of colors and materials. Translate your unique design style into the branding of your content.

3. Be an engaging storyteller

Lastly, you need to be a strong storyteller. It's not enough to simply post a picture of your latest project and move on to the next. If you want to engage audiences and grow your following, and ultimately your brand, then you need to take your followers on a journey and give them the backstory behind each design iteration. It builds personal connection and trust, and businesses that successfully convey their purpose through their content achieve a profit performance ratio 750 times higher than those that don't.

Due to the visual nature of interior design, it's no surprise that more and more professionals in this space are building a following on platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok. As these designers have shown, using social media to showcase your projects and build a portfolio can result in huge success for your career, if you know how to use it to your advantage.