Summer isn’t just a season, it’s a shift. The pace softens. The days stretch longer. And in the design world, the familiar rhythm gives way to summer hours and sporadic vacations. Recent graduates are prepping for the next academic chapter or taking their first steps into the profession, while seasoned professionals juggle Zoom calls, and the occasional enthusiastic child running through the background. It’s a moment of transition and reflection, and for many leaders, an opportunity to reach back and mentor those coming up behind them.
This seasonal shift also gives a moment to celebrate and invest in the future of our profession. At Chicago Design Week, I was fortunate to witness the passionate speech of recent CCU design graduate who was eager to translate her education into practice, Nitya Reddy Cheruku, winner of the IIDA and OFS Student of the Year Scholarship. At the same time, investments in summer pipeline programs like IIDA’s Design Your World are opening doors for high school students from a wide variety of backgrounds and introducing them to the transformative power of design.
To explore what it means to nurture the next wave of creatives, I sat down with friend and senior interior designer at Edwards + Mulhausen, Krystal Lucero, RID, NCIDQ, IIDA. Her insights offer practical wisdom, heartfelt reflection, and a call to action for all of us, no matter where we are on our career journey.
If you’ve been thinking about career paths, mentorship, or what it means to support emerging talent in our industry, this conversation is for you:
What is one piece of advice you’d give to a recent design school graduate?
Lucero: If I had to narrow it down to just one piece of advice, it would be this: connect with people both inside and outside the industry. Interior design is a surprisingly small world, and relationships are everything.
During Chicago Design Week (NeoCon + Design Days), I bumped into a group of students from my alma mater, Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX. After chatting with one of them for just five minutes, we discovered a mutual connection; her best friend and teammate is also connected to me through family friends who went to high school with her. It had nothing to do with design, but that personal link brought us together.
Now, I’ll be cheering her on as she starts her career. You never know where those connections will lead—so stay open, stay curious, and keep building your network.
As a mom of 2, would you want your kids to follow in your footsteps into the design profession?
Lucero: Absolutely! In fact, we’ve already launched our first design studio… still working on the name! Right now, our go-to materials are Legos and cardboard. Design is a daily topic in our house: we ask questions like, “Why do you think someone designed it that way?” and they proudly present their latest creations.
They’re naturally curious and thoughtful little humans; qualities that I believe make great designers. Whether or not they choose this path professionally, I love that they’re already thinking like designers.
What themes or trends in education design have you seen that changes the way you view today’s students?
Lucero: Technology integration has been a leading theme in education design for years and it’s not going anywhere. At the same time, there’s a growing emphasis on flexibility to support diverse learning styles and teaching approaches.
The real design challenge lies at the intersection of these two trends: How do we create adaptable, mobile learning environments when students and educators still need access to power for devices? Balancing flexibility with functionality is key, and it’s reshaping the way we think about space planning in education.
What are the greatest challenges that recent graduates will face within our profession?
Lucero: Time management is one of the biggest challenges! Not just for recent grads, but for seasoned professionals as well. The reality is that client expectations and tight deadlines are often ambitious (to put it mildly), and that pressure isn’t going away anytime soon.
There will be times when the workload doesn’t fit neatly into a 40-hour week. Learning how to manage your time and understanding what that looks like for your lifestyle is something many new designers have to navigate early in their careers. Finding that balance is key to staying both productive and sustainable in this field.
Name the single most important feature that makes someone a great candidate for hire?
Lucero: Being a great teammate! Our industry is highly collaborative; great design doesn’t happen in a vacuum or through one brilliant individual alone. It takes a coordinated, communicative team to bring a project to life successfully.
As the saying goes, there’s no “I” in team…and in design, that couldn’t be more true.
What is one thing that companies or firms can do to support new graduates entering the profession?
Lucero: Give them opportunities to get out from behind the screen. Bringing young designers to furniture installs and active construction sites is incredibly valuable. When you see how things come together in the real world, it changes how you design. You’re no longer just drawing details, you’re understanding them.
It’s also important to visit projects after occupancy. Observing how people actually interact with the space helps designers become more thoughtful about material choices, layouts, and overall functionality. These real-world experiences build stronger, more intuitive designers.
What is your favorite part of working with young design professionals?
Lucero: I love that they set boundaries and protect their personal time! They’re often better at separating work stress from their personal lives, and that’s honestly inspiring. They also bring a fresh energy to the table. They’re not jaded by clients or the pressures of the profession yet, and their enthusiasm reminds me why I fell in love with this industry in the first place.
What makes you optimistic about the future of design?
Lucero: I’m optimistic that sustainability and inclusive design will become seamlessly integrated into every project; without needing a special label. It will simply be how we design, as a natural part of the process rather than a separate initiative.
As we consider the next generation of designers, it’s clear our profession thrives when we extend a hand, share our stories, listen intently, and create space for growth. Krystal’s reflections remind us that whether you’re guiding, learning, or both, each connection helps shape what comes next. As summer invites us to pause and refocus, it’s also the perfect time to invest in the people who will design our future.
Want to learn more about Krystal Lucero? Listen and meet her here!
Editor’s Note: Maria VanDeman, NCIDQ, Ind. IIDA, is an interior designer, published children’s book author, Director of Design Strategy at OFS, host of the Imagine a Place Podcast, and advocate for equity in the workplace. Passionate about people and purposeful design, Maria is dedicated to creating meaningful impact through environments, storytelling, and mentorship. Say hello and follow along on LinkedIn!