When we asked the designers on the following pages to tell us about their philosophies, what came up, time and time again, was how their clients inspire them. “No two spaces should be the same,” says designer Gretchen Boulos, whose focus is on office spaces, “because no two clients or sites are the same.” That ability to hone in on what exactly it is that each client uniquely needs, deserves, and desires is perhaps what made these projects in particular rise to the top of the submission pile. (Speaking of unique, don’t miss the croquet-mallet-inspired balustrade designed by Margo Moore Interiors’ Megan van der Kieft.) After weeks spent working with—and listening to—their clients, these designers have all created intuitive and inspirational spaces. But what really sets their projects apart is that they have more than a passion for their work and an eye for beauty: they also have an open ear.