AMITY WORREL
Owner & Principal Interior Designer
Amity Worrel’s love of interior design, furnishings, and art started early in her childhood. Growing up in South Austin, her mother would take her to peruse estate and yard sales on early weekend mornings. From there, her passion for collecting, curating, and design continued to grow. She took her zeal for uncovering unique finds to NYC. Here, she would start her early career at Christie’s auction house, working in the jewelry and silver department. The spark her mother ignited continued to kindle as she delved further into the history of the priceless antiques and furnishings that surrounded her. Amity went on to study interiors at the New York School of Interior Design and Parsons School of Design before taking on a mentorship working under two of the country’s top interior designers, Jeffrey Bilhuber and Tom Scheerer.
“Jeffrey taught me the principles of scale, furniture planning, and the definition of true luxury. Tom taught me how to mix highbrow and lowbrow elements to create tension and contrast in a design, pairing museum-quality antiques with the same care as street finds. Most importantly, I learned not to take any of it too seriously and always add a dash of humor! After all, our homes should be fun, not stuffy.”
While working under the guidance of Bilhuber and Scheerer and alongside the seasoned designers of their high-end NYC interior design firms, Amity designed luxury interiors across the globe for tastemakers, industry leaders, and celebrities. With a fervent initiation into the design world, she assisted on projects for Anna Wintour, Paul Wilmot, Bob Pittman, Peter Jennings, and David Bowie. After gaining indispensable hands-on experience, she decided to launch her own New York firm in 2006.
“No matter who the client is or their taste, I love finding out how folks live and helping them create a space that reflects their needs and personal flair. I pride myself on putting my clients’ goals first, rather than implementing forced ideas based on fleeting trends.”
In 2008, Amity decided to return to her hometown of Austin. Now, she conducts a team of award-winning designers with an unpretentious and warm approach to interiors. Design for better living is central to all of her work. She leads period renovations, seamless home additions, and classic decorating projects for intentional clients who desire professionalism and timeless appeal.
In 2021 Amity Worrel & Co. received the Austin Home & Design award in General Excellence for Interior Design. Amity’s range of distinct interiors, from coastal contemporary to Austin eclectic, is praised for its enduring appeal, transportive atmospheres, and dedication to client needs. Her work has been published in national and local publications, including The Wall Street Journal, House Beautiful, Domino, HGTV Magazine, Better Homes and Gardens, Home Design & Decor, and Austin Home.
DESIGN ORACLES Podcast – Amity Worrel & architect Dianne Kett co-host a weekly podcast dedicated to educate, pontificate and evangelize about the subject of residential interior design. The podcast is a discussion of all things related to homes, home design, decorating and architecture. It debuted as a “top 50” Apple podcast.