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August 3, 2025

Five Canadian Interior Designers Worth Knowing—No Matter Where You’re From

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5 min read

Summary

From tailored west coast minimalism to the polished warmth of Quebec’s best design minds, these five Canadian interior designers are setting a new standard—layered, intentional, and quietly luxurious. Meet the studios worth following now.

Reflection Questions

Many of these designers prioritize “feeling” over finish. How does that change your understanding of luxury?

Ali Budd talks about comfort and character. Is your home reflecting both—or just one?

Jenn Mehrer’s work is deeply collaborative. What role do collaboration and conversation play in how your home evolves?

Les Ensembliers blend architecture and interiors. What would your space look like if you thought of it as one continuous form, rather than separate rooms?

Kelly Deck listens first. If your home could talk, what would it say it needs?

Journal Prompt

Choose one of the five designers. Without researching further, write a description of a space you would ask them to design. What would you want them to solve, feel, or reimagine? What kind of detail would you want them to care about most?

Canadian interior designers are often praised for their restraint, their respect for natural light, and their command of layered detail. The five studios below represent that standard at the highest level. From Toronto to Vancouver, these designers don’t chase trends. They’re too busy setting them. Each brings something distinct to the industry but all share a deep commitment to craft and an intuitive sense of how spaces should feel. From Ali Budd to Les Ensembliers, learn more about each below.

Five Impressive Canadian Interior Designers Working Right Now

Ali Budd in Toronto, Ontario

Ali Budd is the founder and principal designer of Ali Budd Interiors, a Toronto-based studio known for high-end residential that prioritizes comfort, character, and a distinctly Canadian interior design point of view. Since launching her firm in 2010, she’s carved out a clear space in the industry by creating homes that feel warm, elevated, and tailored.

With a background in both art and business, she’s brought the same layered approach to her process and has built an incredible team of designers, stylists, and project managers who treat “luxury as a feeling, not a finish.” Her interiors are elegant without being fussy and are designed to reflect real life and the people who live it.

Ali’s name has become a fixture in the design community, with features in Vogue, Architectural Digest, and House & Home, plus her own TV series House of Ali, which is streaming on HGTV Canada and Hulu in the U.S. While her focus is primarily on residential interiors, her style and solutions have wide commercial appeal. Learn more about Ali and her team here.

Sabrina Albanese in Toronto, Ontario

Sabrina Albanese’s Toronto-based studio has been delivering refined, layered work since 2008. With a background in fashion and a sharp eye for elegance, she brings warmth and glamour to every interior design project, whether it’s a modern family home or a spec development. Her studio’s portfolio includes a wide range of residential and commercial spaces, all marked by a thoughtful balance of comfort, function, and architectural clarity.

Her work has been featured in international publications like Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, and Living Etc., and it’s easy to see why: Sabrina’s interiors never feel formulaic. From soft drapery to custom furniture solutions, every detail is deliberate. Based in Canada and recognized across the design community, she continues to push forward the country’s reputation for smart, expressive, and elevated interiors. Learn more about Sabrina and her projects here.

Kelly Deck in Vancouver, British Columbia

Kelly Deck is the founder of Kelly Deck Design, a Vancouver-based studio known for quiet, light-filled interiors that balance modern refinement with natural ease. Her work spans oceanside retreats, contemporary city homes, and vacation properties around the world, but her process always begins the same way: by listening.

She and her team take on a limited number of projects each year, partnering with architects and craftspeople to build spaces that are tailored, intentional, and lasting. Her interiors are never overly adorned, but they are indeed impressive, thanks to a meticulous design process and an unwavering focus on how people actually live. Her firm boasts features in Architectural Digest, Style at Home, and Canadian House & Home. Learn more about Kelly here.

McKinley Studios’ Jenn Mehrer in Calgary, Alberta

Jenn Mehrer is a partner and the director of interior design at McKinley Studios, a cross-disciplinary practice known for its integrated approach to architecture, interiors, and cultural spaces. Based in Vancouver, she leads the interior studio across multiple Canadian cities with a focus on clarity, collaboration, and performance. Her work consistently bridges design and strategy.

With over 20 years of experience as an interior designer, Jenn has helped shape the firm’s reputation as one of the most respected design companies in the country. Her style is modern and layered, but always rooted in function.

She helps lead a diverse team of architectural designers, technologists, and creative directors, and her ability to translate vision into built form is matched by her ability to guide complex renovations and high-impact projects from concept to execution. In the design community, she’s seen as both a leader and a mentor; she promotes excellence, facilitates meaningful collaboration, and brings clarity to even the most challenging briefs.

Learn more about her work here.

Les Ensembliers in Montreal, Quebec

Led by principal partners Richard Ouellette and Maxime Vandal, with Éliane Bazelais and Émilie Malouin rounding out the leadership team, Les Ensembliers is one of the most impressive groups in Canadian interior design. Their work bridges the gap between design and construction through an integrated studio model. Known for luxury interiors with a formal yet architectural edge, their projects are both artistic and exacting—even a bit romantic.

From high-end renovations to large-scale residential architecture, the firm’s projects are rooted in a strong sense of materiality and form. Whether designing a custom furniture line or managing complex commercial spaces, the team’s approach is grounded in deep collaboration and a shared belief in design excellence.

They’ve been featured in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, and Veranda, and are a constant presence in the French-Canadian design community. Their Montreal studio is a cultural centre that continues to direct the design conversation in Canada and beyond.

Learn more about Les Ensembliers’ team here.

En Résumé : Nos 5 Designers d’Intérieur Canadiens Coups de Cœur

Montreal skyline

What unites these studios is a shared discipline. They know how to work with constraint, how to build clarity into complexity. They understand proportion, tone, and material like language, and use that fluency to design spaces that feel precise without ever feeling cold. Together, they show how Canada’s design culture balances rigor with intuition, restraint with richness. It’s a round-up worth bookmarking, no matter where you’re based.

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