By Crystal Watts
Last week, NKBA | KBIS had the privilege of hosting an exclusive breakfast event at the iconic Hearst Tower in New York City to celebrate the 2025 class of House Beautiful Next Wave Designers. Held inside one of Manhattan’s most striking architectural landmarks, the event brought together a dynamic group of rising stars in residential design.
Heather Shannon, Senior Vice President of Marketing & Communications at NKBA | KBIS opened the morning with a warm welcome and heartfelt congratulations to the new class. She shared the value of NKBA’s community, its commitment to professional growth, and played a lively video recapping the energy and inspiration of KBIS 2025.
Following the introduction, House Beautiful Executive Content Editor Jess Teves led a thoughtful conversation with two special guests: Jerel Lake, owner of Lake Haus Designs, a previous Next Wave honoree and 2024 NKBA Design Competition Winner, and celebrated interior designer Thom Filicia, principal of Thom Filicia Inc. and member of the NKBA Design Council.
Lake shared how his decision to focus more intentionally on kitchen and bath design has helped him build a more profitable and technically informed business. By honing his skills in these high-value areas, he found new ways to grow revenue and expand client opportunities—an insight that resonated with the rising designers in the room.
Filicia reflected on how industry events like KBIS serve as a valuable tool for all design professionals—offering both inspiration and opportunities to build meaningful relationships with brands and peers. Beyond the educational value, he emphasized how meaningful it is to connect directly with the brands—and the people behind them. For Filicia, building relationships at shows like KBIS goes beyond product knowledge; it’s about developing connections that energize creativity and business alike.
This message ties in closely with the recent House Beautiful feature on the power of working with dedicated kitchen and bath professionals—an important read for designers looking to grow both expertise and impact. Explore the article here.
As part of the celebration, NKBA | KBIS proudly acknowledged the full 2025 House Beautiful Next Wave class—a talented group poised to shape the future of residential design:
Lucy O’Brien, Tartan & Toile, Philadelphia, PA
Hance Day Hughes, Cindy & Bridget Tiek, Tiek Byday, Baton Rouge, LA
Brad Thornton, Thornton Projects, New York, NY
Sierra Fox, Studio Mountain, Sun Valley, ID
Ashi Waliany, Cusp Interiors, San Francisco, CA
Regina & Robin Reaves, R&R Interior Design 365, Charlotte, NC
Melissa Oholendt, Oho Interiors, Twin Cities, MN
Autumn Oser & Andre Golsorkhi, Haldon House, Bryn Mawr, PA
Julia Miller, Yond Interiors, Minneapolis, MN
Kelly Collier-Clark, House of Clark, Philadelphia, PA
Stephanie Wiott, Stephanie Wiott Designs, Carmel, IN
Joelle Kutner & Jesse Rudolph, Ome Dezin, Los Angeles, CA
Sara Swabb, Storie Collective, Washington, DC
NKBA | KBIS is proud to support the next generation of design talent and champion those who are not only creating beautiful spaces—but also driving the industry forward. We can’t wait to see where their creativity takes them next.
