Corey Damen Jenkins is the founder and CEO of the internationally acclaimed, NYC-based firm Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates. With inspirations ranging from world travels to the high-fashion runway, his transformations of residences and spaces are no stranger to the pages of Architectural Digest and Elle Decor — and both publications have named CDJA as among the best in the business.
Jenkins built his design empire from the ground up. His path began in the early 2000s, after the Detroit native was laid off from his job of 10 years as a purchasing agent for Ford, GM, and Chrysler. Becoming an interior designer had always been his lifelong dream — Jenkins had studied architectural drafting and interior design in the ’90s but was urged by his father to choose a career that wouldn’t make him a “starving artist.” Suddenly, he found himself with the freedom to pursue that art. To this end, he mapped out the wealthiest neighborhoods in Michigan and launched a grassroots campaign of knocking on doors to find potential clients. It took 779 doors before he finally found his first.
Acclaimed interior designer Corey Damen JenkinsAndrew Frasz Photography
For a Black queer man, 778 rejections came with several negative experiences, including being run off the property more than once, being called the n word to his face multiple times, and having at least two families release their dogs to chase him off the property. It was a major turning point to be invited in by a welcoming couple who hired him for a job and believed in his ability to create a beautiful space, which is exactly what he did. Once the renovations were finished, Jenkins had the home professionally photographed and uploaded the shots to his website. HGTV casting executives discovered his work there and cast him on the reality competition Showhouse Showdown, where he was voted the winner by audiences. He credits this victory as the catalyst for building his design firm.
“It was literally a Cinderfella experience,” Jenkins says. “I went from being unknown, untapped creative energy into a more public-facing brand. That would not have happened if I had not knocked on 779 doors in the dead of winter to force that dream into reality.”
Andrew Frasz Photography
The early days of Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates, founded in 2008, are a testament to the designer’s self-starting work ethic, ingrained in him from a young age. Jenkins was brought up in a conservative household, and he went against the rules established in his family’s religious community to pursue who he fully is — both in his identity and his creative work.
“It definitely was not the smoothest sailing for me to get where I am right now, but I’m very grateful that I did it. And now I’m in a position where I can mentor and help others to push through their challenges, to push through imposter syndrome and feelings of low self-esteem to overcome those challenges and be powerful in their own way,” he says.
Jenkins' book 'Design Reimagined'
However, choosing to pursue his dreams and live his life authentically created a rift between him and his family to the point that they are no longer speaking. As Jenkins gets older, he realizes how much of his life is like a book — and his family members are characters early on in that story. “They look at you a certain way. They expect you to be a certain way,” he shares. But pages turn, the main character evolves, and “not everyone’s meant to come with you to every chapter.”
Jenkins doesn’t let his personal life get in the way of his business. He finds joy in every opportunity he seizes, including traveling all over the world — he recently spent six weeks in Europe and helmed projects in Australia, Saudi Arabia, and Dubai. On top of releasing his second book, Design Reimagined, last September and creating spaces for residential and commercial use, he finds joy in designing furniture, light fixtures, fabrics, wall coverings, and rugs.
Andrew Frasz Photography
But the excitement of his public-facing job doesn’t end there. Right now he has his own YouTube series airing a second season, is working on a show with NBC, and teaches several MasterClass programs. It’s impossible to think he has time for more commitments, but he also makes sure to give back to charities like the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, where he serves on the board of trustees. To help spark the next generation of talent, Jenkins also supports scholarships and mentorship programs at the New York School of Interior Design.
The award-winning designer knows that his pathway to success is different from that of his white gay counterparts because of how society views Black gay men.
Andrew Frasz Photography
“I’m running a multimillion-dollar firm, so I have to make sure our business is tight and above reproach,” he says. “That’s essential because I think that there are some people who have other stereotypes or biases when it comes to dealing with people of color in any industry. So we have to defy and reprogram that miseducation through our example.”
As for design advice, Jenkins has a few pearls of wisdom for Out readers. “Measure twice. Purchase once. When it comes to furniture scale, egress is all very important. There’s no point in a room being attractive if it’s not functional,” he offers.
Andrew Frasz Photography
“Don’t be afraid to mix and match price points; not everything has to be super expensive,” he adds. “Don’t rule out antiques and vintage pieces from flea markets and estate sales. These are sustainably, environmentally sustainable choices to make.”
And this last pearl may be a little unconventional for some: “Choose your paint colors last for your walls. Match your paint colors to your furniture, to your drapery panels, to your accessories. Don’t try to paint the room first before you move in, and then hope that your furniture will match that…. You burn a lot of money and make a lot of costly mistakes [that way].”
Learn more about Jenkins and his firm at coreydamenjenkins.com. And find his new book, Design Reimagined: A Fresh and Colorful Take on Timeless Rooms, whose photography is sampled in this spread, at rizzoliusa.com.
This article is part of OUT’s Mar-Apr 2026 print issue, which hits newsstands March 24. Support queer media and subscribe — or download the issue through Apple News+, Zinio, Nook, or PressReader.
