Finding Your Way Into Design? Sherrell Neal’s Door Is Open.
Houston designer Sherrell Neal watched her father nurture his remodeling business as she tended her own passion for interiors, and she developed that passion with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Art Institute of Houston. Her redefined-traditional aesthetic has earned Sherrell Design Studio attention and well-deserved accolades, and she wants to help designers who don’t have a toehold in her world find their way in. “Challenge your ego and connect with others in the industry where you do see your perspective,” she advises. “We are out here, and many of us want to help and mentor. Connect with me, I’m here for it.”
Only one in 40 American interior designers is Black, and that wildly misrepresents this country’s talent pool and identity. Neal sees progress over the past few years, and notes that more of the creative Black community is being celebrated and hired. “Keep building on this progress by placing us in front to represent the design community as trusted leaders and experts in our field,” she says. “Give us speaking engagements that relate to design topics and not just the diversity in design conversations. Thread our range of talent alongside our peers of other races throughout the year, and not just during Black History Month. Ask our non-Black peers to highlight their favorite Black-owned business or design resource. We’re out here creating and selling well-made goods through channels the public has no idea is made by a Black-owned business.”
This design double header begins with her tips and continues with a master class from Chicago designer April Gandy. Fair warning: You’ll want to take notes.
