Marissa Perry

“Human-centered design isn’t a trend, it’s the point.”

A desert girl at heart from Sierra Vista, Arizona, Marissa brings curiosity, warmth, and a research-driven approach to interiors. A recent NAU graduate with a BS in Interior Design and a minor in Art History, she cut her teeth early in a Flagstaff architecture studio and through internships at Explore Design, experiences that cemented her love of people-first spaces and thoughtful material storytelling.

Marissa is especially drawn to “third places,” including community centers, libraries, museums, and cafés, where design can nurture belonging and everyday joy. She’s proud of earning third place in her capstone program for the design of a 20,000 SF community center concept, and of presenting a project vision during her 2024 internship that was embraced by the team, moments that truly affirmed her voice and instincts as a designer.

She approaches each project as an invitation to learn, diving into precedent, testing palettes, and crafting interiors that balance function and human experience. Outside of work, you’ll find her painting, reading, writing poetry, or exploring new places; she draws inspiration from nature’s quiet patterns and from the perspectives of the people she loves, especially her younger siblings.