We’re about a month into 2026, but it’s still early days. If you haven’t already, it’s not too late to set some intentions. To the designers, manufacturers, design lovers and good-hearted humans reading this, I’ve got three things I want you to think about as we embark on this new year: joy, optimism, and trust. I’m focused on how we can foster all three, and what can lead us forward as we journey through 2026, and beyond.
First, joy. I’ve been talking about it for quite some time. Last year, at IIDA’s 27th Industry Roundtable, our annual think tank convening thought leaders and decision-makers across firms, manufacturers and academia, the theme was about designing for joy.
Joy isn’t just a thought exercise; it’s active. It’s important to actively get out there and allow yourself to find and experience it. Take time to soak up joyful details in the world around you — it’s a proven driver of well-being and longevity. Start with what is closest to us: the visual joy engendered by great design and by the natural world. And find ways to share the experience. Celebrating with people around you when they are joyful (also known as empathic joy) is a great way to increase your own joy; in turn, telling people about something joyful is a way to spread happiness. Research shows that experiencing empathic joy sharpens the memory and increases our ability to build friendships. Joy is most powerful when it resides in people, place and purpose.
Optimism is another key tenet of mine, and an inherent part of design. Designers create for what is coming next. They envision a future that includes warmth, welcome and positive outcomes for all. I believe in the power of design to shape a bright future, and I invite you all to extend that optimistic outlook as far as possible: look up, lean in, and let your optimism flag fly high.
Now for trust. I get it: You might be feeling that trust is in short supply these days. You’re not wrong — and that’s exactly why we need to focus on building trust and cultivating consistency. Remember that trust is earned; and the more we put in the work to become that trustworthy partner, friend, colleague, the greater the return on that investment — not just for ourselves, but for everyone around us. Trust is foundational to well-being, and it is transformative. It’s also important to trust yourself, and your creative instincts. A couple years ago, in an interview with IIDA, British designer Faye Toogood shared a piece of advice for young design professionals: “Trust your vision, remain curious, and always be willing to experiment and explore the unknown — it can lead to groundbreaking work.”
You could say trust is a gateway to my word of the year for 2026: kinship. At IIDA, we talk a lot about community and our love of gathering; but this year, I’m looking forward to deepening attachments that go beyond surface-level, tapping into the power of the personal. Kinship is that deep recognition of the bonds we share. It is the resonance of shared stories. It is that unshakable sense of belonging that feels like coming home, no matter where you might be. Design creates space to support and enhance kinship with others and fosters meaningful connections to place — the type that ground us in shared humanity.
If our paths intersect in 2026, I want to hear about how you are cultivating joy, optimism, trust, and kinship. I’m excited and curious for what’s next and exhilarated to see how the design community shapes our shared future. Together, let’s make it a great year for design.
Editor’s Note: Cheryl S. Durst, Hon. FIIDA, is committed to achieving broad recognition for the value of design and its significant role in society. Under her leadership, IIDA sets an agenda that leads the industry in creating community, advancing advocacy and continuing work toward equity. She is a member of the International WELL Building Institute Governance Council; and a Trustee for Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art and the NYSID. Cheryl was the first recipient of the Interior Design Hall of Fame Leadership Award, and is the first Black woman to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.