At the intersection of creativity, high end design and emotional resonance is Marissa Reynolds—Founder and CEO of Reynolds Design International, a boutique hospitality design firm known for crafting some of the most luxurious and transportive spaces across the globe. With 17 years in the industry, Marissa brings a rare dual perspective to the table: not only is she a creative visionary with an artist’s eye, but she also spent nearly a decade on the owner’s side, giving her a nuanced, strategic understanding of the guest experience from the inside out.
Her signature style—what she describes as Refined Luxury with a Personal Touch—infuses every project with a deep sense of place and story, drawing from her global travels, an intuitive grasp of colour psychology, sculptural lighting, and a lifelong love of narrative environments. For Reynolds, design is more than aesthetics, it’s alchemy. Spaces should speak, feel, and shift people’s inner worlds.
A perfect embodiment of this philosophy is her acclaimed Velatura project: a luminous meditation on oceanic form and memory. These ethereal, 3D-printed sculptural light fixtures don’t just illuminate; they evoke. By day, they appear as ghostly blooms–light diffusing through them like pigment suspended in glaze. By night, they glow with a dynamic, almost breath-like radiance. Like many of Reynolds’ works, Velatura transcends its function–it is both atmosphere and art, moment and memory, suspended.
In this edition of Culturalee Innovators, we sit down with Marissa Reynolds to explore how she builds worlds, crafts emotion through material, and continues to redefine luxury through the lens of human connection and artistic precision.
Can you go back to the beginning and explain what inspired you to start Reynold Design International, and what was your vision when you first launched?
RDI wasn’t born from a five-year plan. It was born from an undeniable pull, a moment where lift shifted unexpectedly, and I decided to build something I had only dreamed of building “someday.” Only, someday came early. I have always been entrepreneurial by nature, the kind of person who sees the business behind the creativity, but it was a deeply personal and unexpected decision to launch RDI ahead of schedule. And, honestly, it was the best kind of direction. One that forced me to lead with years of experience on my back and lead with a family first vision, not timing.
From day one, RDI has been a celebration of refined interiors, purposeful elegance, and quiet strength. My vision was, and still is, to design spaces that feel as good as they look. Spaces with soul. Details that speak. Rooms that hold the emotional weight of the people who enjoy them. RDI is more than a design firm, it’s a creative force: a reflection of resilience, heart, and unapologetic belief that design is not about perfection. It’s about presence.
La Griglia, Houston, Tx.
You describe your style as “Refined Luxury with a Personal Touch.” How do you translate that ethos into hospitality spaces that feel both elevated and deeply human?
I have always believed true luxury is felt, not flaunted. It lingers in the weight of the linen, the hand polished edge of stone, the scent of fresh cut florals at check in—not because it’s expected, but because it’s considered. That’s what sets our spaces apart.
One of your most talked-about projects, Velatura, is described as a meditation on oceanic form and memory. What inspired the emotional narrative behind that space–and how do you design with memory in mind?
This project was led by a sense of calm within the storm. As the Pisces I am, the imagination doesn’t wander, it swims. Velatura began not just as a sketch but as a memory: the flicker or sunlight breaking through the waves, the quiet hush of seafoam at dusk, the organic rhythm of coral being seen within the waves. I wanted to create something that felt good and brought a sense of nostalgic calm to a room.
Your use of 3D-printed sculptural lighting in Velatura is both technically innovative and artistically poetic. How do you balance cutting-edge technology with handcrafted, soulful design?
I have always been interested in the incredible changes in technology within this industry. Almost all lighting on our projects are 100% custom, which has led the team and I to work with lighting manufacturers to dive into many different options for material use and overall manufacturing. The key for myself and our team is always staying true to the original concept and ensuring the quality isn’t being lost within the manufacturing process.
Your work is deeply influenced by global travel. How do you integrate cultural authenticity into your designs without falling into pastiche or appropriation?
When I integrate cultural authenticity, I avoid grabbing the postcard version of a place. Instead, I dig into the textures, rituals, and everyday poetry of a specific place. I then translate that into mood, proportion, and materiality, rather than copying motifs wholesale. It’s less about borrowing and more about listening.
Narrative seems central to your creative process. What’s your approach to storytelling through space–and do you start with a mood, a guest experience, or a visual concept?
We as a firm never start with a mood board or visual gimmick. I often ask the question: what do we want someone to feel the moment they step in? Anticipation? Comfort? Mystery? From there, the narrative unfolds almost cinematically.
Detail, La Griglia , Houston , TX
With your firm’s growing global influence, how do you navigate cross-cultural client expectations while maintaining your distinct design voice?
Each of our clients bring their own heritage and lifestyle, and my role is to honor that while weaving it into the melody of our distinct design voice. Rather than diluting my design style, I tune it. The result of the design that feels deeply personal to the client, yet unmistakably ours.
Luxury is evolving and becoming less about opulence, more about meaning. What does “luxury” mean to you in 2025, and how is it changing the way you design hospitality experiences?
True luxury now is a time well spent and design that whispers rather than shouts. Our projects have always been bold and opulent, but I am eager to show the world another side of our firm with projects that feel quietly transformative in the next year. We are constantly evolving as a firm and individually.
Looking ahead, what emerging cultural or artistic movements are inspiring your next chapter of work–and where do you see Reynolds Design International evolving next?
There is no coincidence in noting above that we are evolving as a firm. I am very drawn to slow living, craft revival, and the return to tactile and imperfect beauty. I believe there is a global hunger for spaces that feel human and storied, not manufactured.
For more information on Reynolds Design International visit: https://www.rdi-interiors.com
