I joined MR as a Junior Designer in January of 2025, a little under a year after graduating from Pratt Institute with a degree in Interior Design. Like many people new to the workforce, I imagined I was more prepared to begin my career than I actually was, and nearly two years later, I may just be getting the hang of it. It would be an overstatement to say that the past year-and-a-half “flew by in the blink of an eye,” but it does feel as though I have been part of the MR team for much longer. Since joining, I have had the opportunity to work alongside an incredible group of people dedicated to bringing beautiful creative visions into physical reality. Looking back on my time with the MR Decor team, there is a lot that I have learned.
I became a New York transplant in 2019, moving from Boston to attend school here. Throughout my studies, I interned at several design firms, worked part-time in industry-adjacent jobs and even took on freelance projects for the early twenty-something bachelor apartments of Murray Hill. By the time I graduated, I felt I had developed a cursory understanding of the world of interior design and some of the surprises that come with working in the profession. Shortly after graduation, I returned to Boston to begin my first full-time role at a high-end residential design firm.
Before long, I found myself missing New York, craving exposure to new clients, project types, and design challenges that would keep me on my toes. While living here during school, I recognized that the city’s energy permeates everyday life in a way I never experienced in Boston. I had to return. So I began to search for opportunities.
I was first drawn to MR for its position as one of the top architecture and interior design firms in the city. My interest was further piqued after reading an entry on this blog that emphasized an appreciation for the thoughtfulness and effort that goes into designing print-ready interiors which includes not only embracing new design and incorporating elements that are of the moment but also looking to the past for inspiration. That perspective resonated with me immediately. And as I explored the firm’s portfolio, I found that the range of work MR has executed—across scales, styles, and project types—was incredibly compelling. Most importantly, I saw a place where I could grow.
And now, after a year-and-a-half with MR, I can see the personal growth that has taken place and all of the knowledge that I have gained. For one, I understand more clearly the balance between respecting the process that goes into a design and being flexible. Even when every detail has been thoughtfully planned, unexpected challenges arise and circumstances change. I have learned that adaptability is just as important as preparation. Being able to pivot requires a set of skills that no classroom can fully teach. It is something that can only be learned through experience, collaboration, and the day-to-day realities of bringing design projects to life. I’ve also begun to see opportunities that help me understand my own preferences as a designer. At one point, I even pondered whether returning to school for architecture might be in my future.
Another aspect of the profession that MR has emphasized is the importance of working in collaboration with others. While the relationship between designer and client is obviously inherent to this work and more or less anticipated when preparing to enter the workforce, the relationship between the designer and their colleagues is not so considered. School encourages independent thinking, filters out those who decide to pursue other careers, and forces students to develop their own delegation and time-management skills. However, what school does not teach you is how to be a small part of a larger whole. In a studio class, you are the principal, the designer, and the junior designer—maybe even the HVAC and lighting designer—all rolled into one. You determine where your time is best spent in order to create the strongest visual story, and in many cases, the work you do is the work that is presented. It’s all about the “capital D Design,” often hiding the effort and coordination required behind the scenes. In the real world, however, it doesn’t work that way.
The collaborative environment at MR, and the way teams work together to support one another, reflects exactly what I originally saw in the firm’s portfolio. What appears seamless in a finished photograph is the result of countless conversations, decisions, revisions and contributions from people across disciplines. Over the past year-and-a-half, I have come to appreciate that good design is rarely the product of a single individual. It is built through trust, communication and a shared commitment to a common goal.
That realization has changed the way I think about my role as a designer. Rather than focusing solely on the work directly in front of me, I have learned to think about how my contributions fit into the larger process. Some of the most valuable lessons from my first year have come not from a drawing set or a presentation, but from the people around me—their experience, perspectives, and willingness to share what they know.
Looking back, I am grateful that my time at MR thus far has provided me with the opportunity to grow in my career. I have adopted many of the firm’s practices as my own and have benefited greatly from not only working on design projects, but from being part of the team I work alongside. The support, collaboration, and adaptability that I admired from afar while on my job search are the same qualities I have experienced every day as part of MR’s decor department. I am also thrilled to be back in this city. Whether it is the pace, the ambition, or the constant sense of possibility, MR has opened an entirely new side of New York for me. The creative urgency can be bracing, and it pushed me to adapt more quickly than I ever expected. Yet that pace is also something I have come to love. As the saying goes, there is never a dull moment. As I move toward my second year milestone, I am excited to continue learning, contributing, and discovering where this profession—and this city—will take me next.
