Comfort and Informality: How This Black Designer Creates Spaces for His Clients

Acknowledging the contribution of Black interior designers to the design and decor spaces is crucial to moving forward and giving all voices, regardless of their backgrounds, the space to be heard. We’re highlighting talented Black interior designers who are thriving in the industry today.

DuVäl Reynolds, the founder and principal designer of DuVäl Designs, knows a thing or two about finding where you belong and making a space that's all your own there. His design journey, like most, didn't start out the way you'd think—but once he got into interior design, he made a name for himself through curated stunning interiors and giving back to the community.

With a bachelor's degree in interior design, it seems like this is just in your blood. What made you decide that being a designer was your calling?

Actually, this wasn’t my initial career direction. During my first pass as an undergrad, I double-majored in Biology and Spanish, and I double-minored in Chemistry and Leadership. I had plans to go into research for Neurology. However, like for many others, life had a few detours and I landed at California Closets, the leader in custom closets and storage solutions for the whole home. While there, I found a knack for design, which led me to complete my bachelor’s in interior design, rather than the sciences. As much as I’d love to be the designer who knew from a young age, my story definitely finds me stumbling into my purpose.

How would you describe your style and approach to designing spaces? ​

Had you asked me a few years ago, my answer would be very different. Initially, I would have classified myself as a modern farmhouse designer, seeing that most clients were requesting this look/style. It’s easy to assume that you are what you do—especially if others also confirm it. However, over the last two years or so, clients have given us the opportunity to expand our design borders and we’re finding ourselves really inspired by antiques and vintage pieces. Moreover, we’re finding ourselves creating immersive design experiences with our clients—designs that extend past recreating what we have seen. We’re now given a little more freedom to try more than ever.

Do you have any design inspiration, whether it be from your culture, other cultures, or anything else in between?

I don’t believe I have a singular design inspiration, especially with the vast appetite of our clientele. But I’m often inspired by their inspiration. We love to find out where they like to travel, what they like to eat, and which television shows they’re interested in. The more we know about them, the more we can be inspired by their influences and biases, rather than our own. These details inspire our color palettes, our ideas for the use/function of a space, as well as the overall mood and tones.

What’s a design project that you’ve done that’s stuck with you throughout your career?

The one that sticks out the most is probably our project titled, Modern Farmhouse Collective. This was the first project where we were requested to select all the finishes for this new build and then was hired to furnish the first floor. At the time, it was our largest undertaking. And what stands out is the fact that the final product was a home that felt collected and lived in. It did not have the formality of a new home, albeit just completed. This project really set the tone for us creating spaces where color, textures, and patterns didn’t quite match, but the cohesiveness of it all was undeniable. This project helped us move past textbook design, into the next phase of offering curated selections that unexpectedly harmonized.

What's your favorite design project?

I’m really happy with our Introvert’s Quarters we completed in the Whole Home showhouse with House Beautiful. This was the first time we were able to conceive a project that we wanted to do without the constraints of a client’s sentiment, budget, or design ideas. This was truly a room that we composed for ourselves. This, again, is where we pushed the boundaries of not working within a safe color palette. The goal was to challenge ourselves as designers and to fashion something we had not seen before.

What does it mean to you to be Black in your industry?

Historically, and currently, our industry has been dominated by white professionals. To be black in this industry can often feel insular and isolating. Due to underrepresentation, we generally battle with limited visibility, which can often feel like our work is being discredited and overlooked. Biases and unequal opportunities discourage each of us when we feel that we’re working so hard to be seen. And I’ve definitely had my fair share of confronting barriers when it comes to accessing resources and networking, due to the color of my skin.  However, on the flip side, it can be quite empowering to know that obstacles have not stopped us from paving the way for ourselves and others. Offering our unique perspectives has definitely created fresh and innovative approaches to designed spaces that have been recognized by top shelter magazines. Our experiences and aesthetic sensibilities have broadened the range within our industry. Lastly, it’s been remarkable to be a part of this engaged advocacy work by our community—ones that have led to greater inclusivity and diversity within our industry. The work towards creating equitable opportunities and amplifying our voices has been one of my greatest endeavors/achievements so far.

What’s your favorite part of your own home?

Strangely enough, I’m a basement-dweller. I am partial to smaller spaces, darker/moodier lighting, and comfort. When we first moved into our home, the basement was all tile with pale yellow walls. We immediately carpeted the entire basement, along with the stairs leading to the first floor. We have an oversized sectional down there with this tri-light fixture that allows us to create different moods/tones, as favored. A basement is a great place to design for comfort, ease of use, and for maximum expression.

Do you leave a little bit of yourself in every space you design?

That’s a great question! I’m not sure I have ever really thought about it. If so, it’s probably just some level of comfort and informality. I’m not a very formal person, so I try to design with that in mind. I like our spaces to be approachable and inviting. We often throw in some unexpected color/pattern, so that our rooms don’t feel over-designed or too curated. I guess that’s one thing we often aim for–designing spaces that don’t feel over-designed.

What made you decide to start House of DuVäl?

There were actually several motivations behind it, with none being the fact that I wanted to have my own e-comm store. The initial impetus to have a site was due to my wanting just one location/website that could house all of the items I really liked. Often in design, a singular frame for a sofa, or a multi-functional case good, can go into many different styles of homes. And when our vendors list includes hundreds of vendors, it’s hard to keep track of what you saw and from where. And while we were constructing the site, we figured it would be just as easy to make this client-facing, for all the projects we were not able to take on. Rather than turn away a client who wanted a few pieces of furniture, we are now able to point them to a site of approved pieces from vendors we know and trust.

Can you talk about some ways that your firm gives back to the community?

Regarding our BIPOC community, specifically, I’m currently involved in two organizations: Diversity Advocacy Alliance, which is partnered with High Point Market Authority, where I act as Co-Chair. I also started Business Strategies for Minorities, which centers around best business practices for entrepreneurs in the interior design industry. I moderate monthly discussions surrounding contracts, pricing, vendor relations, etc. In regards to our industry as a whole, I sit on the Interior Architecture + Design Advisory Council for Marymount University, in hopes to impact our design students coming into the industry. Lastly, we have proceeds from House of DuVäl that go to one of the forty-eight causes we have listed on our site.