Photo by Michael P. H. Clifford (left) Photo by Spacecrafting Photography (right)
The interior design world is abuzz with the announcement of The Expert Top 40 list. For 2026, the list includes two Minnesota-based designers.
The Expert is an interior design resource where consumers can shop products, book expert consultations, and read home project stories from featured designers. It’s also a platform where industry professionals can connect with clients through paid, one-on-one consultations and access perks via the site’s retail trade program. The brand’s Top 40 list is a data-backed spotlight of the site’s top-preforming designers—broken down by region and select breakout categories, including rising stars.
Minneapolis-based interior designer Anne McDonald of Anne McDonald Design made it onto the list for the third year in a row. “My work on The Expert is truly so rewarding. One of my favorite parts of being a designer is the process of getting to know our clients over time—really homing in on their style and what gets them excited about design and their home,” says McDonald. “A one-hour session on The Expert is a crash course version of that and allows me to use my experiences to help them reflect that emotion and tone into their home design.”
Bria Hammel, whose firm Bria Hammel Interiors is based in St. Paul, Minnesota, with a chapter in Charleston, South Carolina, is new to the list this year. “Being included in The Expert Top 40 is truly an honor,” Hammel reflects. “The Expert is an invite-only platform that includes some of the most respected designers from around the world, so to be recognized among such a talented group is both meaningful and very humbling to me both personally and professionally.”
What Hammel enjoys most about her work with The Expert is that she can connect with a broad range of clients and help them feel confident about their home design decisions—from furniture layouts to paint colors to cabinet plans. She appreciates having a tangible impact for people in the short, accessible sessions facilitated by The Expert.
Something else she loves? Connecting with fellow designers through the platform. “I love sharing what I’ve learned over my 20-plus years in the industry,” says Hammel. Supporting younger designers and exchanging ideas with her peers make her work with The Expert that much more meaningful.
Both designers are available for sessions at The Expert, where you can book a consultation and shop Anne McDonald’s showroom.
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