About

I’m a New York City-based writer and the former Executive Editor of Elle Decor who specializes in design and everything it intersects—from interiors to travel, culture, food, fashion, and lifestyle. My stories range from the reopening of the Frick Collection to the sets of The Brutalist, along with projects by some of the world’s best interior designers. I’ve interviewed celebrities from David Bowie to Sofia Coppola and Meg Ryan, and profiled numerous icons of design including Terence Conran, Elizabeth Diller, and Karl Lagerfeld.

After graduating with a Masters of Science in Journalism from Columbia University, I started my career in my home town of Montreal, first as a freelancer for CBC radio, then as a wire service reporter for the Canadian Press. I reported on breaking news stories, including the Oka Crisis, supervised the desk on night shifts, and shifted into the culture beat where I got an exclusive on the story of a Quebecois singer trying to break into the English market. Yes—it was Céline Dion! 

Back in New York City, I spent a year as the Canadian Press stringer at the United Nations, then got my first magazine job covering entrepreneurs for Success. My interest in lifestyle journalism resulted in a senior editor position at Martha Stewart Living in its heyday, where I covered everything from digging for clams on Cape Cod to hunting for seashells on Sanibel Island. I even rode in a helicopter with Martha in far West Texas when I was reporting a story destined to become a classic: “Martha in Marfa.”

I have held senior editorial positions at Condé Nast House & Garden, House Beautiful and Veranda. I have also written several books about design, including Holly Hunt: Fearless in the World of Design (Rizzoli), and my own award-winning Restoring a House in the City (Artisan Books), a guide to renovating historic townhouses. 

Based in Brooklyn, I now write about design, renovation, culture, lifestyle, and travel for a variety of publications. I am also available for book writing and brand content consulting.

Get in touch at ingridisms718@gmail.com.