Nearly two decades ago, AD 100 2016 list Darryl Carter left a successful law career to pursue his love of design, a passion he has since exercised in spare, elemental rooms—as well as in his lighting collection for the Urban Electric Co., paints for Benjamin Moore, and his namesake Washington, D.C., shop.

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“It is our belief that any environment should be centered around the experience and lifestyle of the dweller, in both the residential or commercial context. Our design ethos is consistent with this philosophy, uniquely prone to respond to the person, place, and setting. All of these, when thoughtfully considered, create the most outstanding rooms – livable, ever-engaging, and ever-lasting” – interior designer Darryl Carter Inc.