Publisher Letter | Legendary: The Top Designers, The End of an Era

In 2021, we recognized our first class of ICONIC LIFE Top Designers. It was our first curated list of the best of the best, as determined by our editorial team and trusted advisors. We took a deep dive into the portfolios of the leaders in interior design.
I beamed with pride that first year when I recognized some of my favorite designers who were truly setting the valley on fire with their work. We featured their profiles in the magazine and celebrated their success with an event and awards to mark the occasion.

Of course, there are more than five top talents in the valley, so we made our selections for the class of 2022, the class of 2023 and this year, the class of 2024. Unlike design franchises that have gone on for decades, we decided this year that we have said what we want to say; we are capping our roster of Top Designers to preserve the integrity and honor of the group.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: DYNAMIC DESIGNERS | ARIZONA’S TOP INTERIOR DESIGNERS OF 2023

To celebrate the culmination of Top Designer, we brought them all together under one roof at one time to produce a historic photoshoot. Inspired by the Vogue cover, “Legendary 40 Icons, 1 Epic Shot,” we produced our own shoot with our legendary designers, and the setting was ICONIC.

Never before has that caliber and depth of design talent been assembled in one place in the valley. Getting everyone together was no easy feat. In fact, it felt predestined to work when 25 busy designers were able to get together.

It was beyond cool; it was inspiring. For someone like me who loves and celebrates refined design, having a studio full of passionate professionals was electrifying. I really do dig this stuff, and the shoot was nothing short of amazing.

Our heartfelt thanks go out to our Top Designers for making this momentous occasion a reality. We also extend our gratitude to our editorial coordinator, Nakayla Shakespeare, for her invaluable role in bringing them all together. Special thanks to Benjamin Moore for inspiring the wardrobe color, Blue Nova the 2023 Color of the Year, and to The Collector’s House Retail + Trade Showroom for their generous donation of stunning and eclectic furniture pieces.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: DYNAMIC DESIGNERS | TOP INTERIOR DESIGNERS IN ORANGE COUNTY IN 2023

And once again, a resounding thank you to our Top Designers for their incredible contributions to our design community, elevating the valley to a nationally recognized design mecca with their stunning and award-winning work.

I’m so proud of our group and hope you enjoy their work as we continue to feature them on our pages.
With Gratitude,
Renee M. Dee

The Tops
2021: Janet Brooks, Kerri Foreman, Mara Green, Kacie Lilley, Stacy Scharf, Claire Ownby, Kaitlyn Wolfe, Holly Wright and Maria Zambrano.

2022: Isabel Dellinger Candelaria, Nikka Bochniak, Josie Fratantoni, Jessica Fratantoni, Angelica Henry, Amy Klosterman, Bonnie J. Lewis and Rebecca Salcito.

2023: Tanya Shively, KT Tamm, Kristin Hazen, Mary Marsh, Sandy Black and Candice Quinn.

2024: Emily Marek, Stephanie Larsen, Jeni Robison and Jeffrey Stephen Florentine