Rushda Hakim Design | Interior Designer NYC

Most interior designers in Manhattan cater to a broad aesthetic spectrum, but Rushda Hakim Design keeps its focus tight—specializing in spaces that balance contemporary lines with cultural depth. The firm operates in a part of the city where residential projects often demand both precision and personality, a duality that defines much of their work. Unlike larger studios that spread thin across commercial and hospitality sectors, this team devotes attention to private interiors, from compact apartments to sprawling townhouses. Their portfolio suggests an affinity for material-driven design, where texture and heritage play as critical a role as layout or color theory.

Finding a design practice that identifies as both women-owned and Asian-owned isn’t uncommon in NYC’s diverse creative landscape, but it remains a deliberate choice for clients who prioritize representation in their collaborations. The studio’s location—276 5th Ave #704, New York, NY 10001—places it squarely in an area where pre-war buildings meet modern renovations, a fitting backdrop for a firm that bridges traditional influences with urban pragmatism. Nearby, the flatiron district’s mix of historic facades and glass towers mirrors the kind of contrast they often resolve in their projects.

Interior design in New York isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about navigating the practical constraints of older infrastructure while injecting character into cookie-cutter layouts. This is where a smaller, niche-focused studio can excel, offering tailored solutions without the overhead of a larger firm. Whether it’s reconfiguring a galley kitchen in a 1920s co-op or selecting finishes that honor a client’s South Asian roots, the work leans into specificity. They don’t advertise a signature style so much as an approach—one that treats each project as a dialogue between space, client, and context.

For those mapping out potential collaborators, the studio’s directions are easy to pull up, and initial conversations typically start with a call to 646-645-3376. Fifth Avenue’s stretch between 20th and 30th Streets has long been a hub for design-related businesses, though this one keeps a lower profile than the showroom-heavy blocks downtown. It’s the kind of place you’d bookmark after stumbling on a portfolio detail that feels unexpectedly personal.