Alicia Cannon, founder and principal of New York-based AJC Design, has a unique background that shapes every single one of her intriguing projects. Named one of Hospitality Design magazine’s 2015 Wave of the Future honorees, Cannon is known for a signature approach that balances dramatic, pop-inspired pieces with tailored, classic styles. This stems from working with luxury brands and collaborating with urban artists alike. Injecting each project with professionalism and an inventive edge, her top priority is delivering a product that captures-and extends-each client’s vision. That’s why the WBE (Woman Business Enterprise)-certified designer spends time getting to know every single one of them personally, and embarks on a true partnership to meld functionality and intricate aesthetic details.

Recent AJC Design work runs the gamut from the Westport Inn, in Connecticut, to the Hotel Indigo, in Brooklyn, but Cannon’s affinity for timeless design began shortly after graduating from the Pratt Institute of Art. Named a recent Stevie Award Bronze winner (in the Female Entrepreneur of the Year-Business Products-10 or Less Employees category), Cannon’s wide-ranging design résumé spans full-service and luxury hotels, intimate residences and sweeping corporate interiors. Honing her hospitality skills at Cheryl Rowley Design, in Beverly Hills, and David Easton, in New York, she developed luxury interiors for Hotel Palomar, Los Angeles; the Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco; the Four Seasons, Philadelphia; the Westin Riverwalk, San Antonio; and the St. Regis, Deer Valley. She also led several residential and corporate interior design projects at Barry Rice Architects, in New York.