OUR STORY
WE ALL CRAVE CONNECTION IN THIS OFTEN ISOLATED, DIGITAL-FIRST WORLD. WE HELP YOU CREATE SPACES WHERE PEOPLE CONNECT. STOP IN. RETURN TO AGAIN AND AGAIN. PLACES TO IMMERSE IN THE SENSORY EXPERIENCE OF IT ALL - THE SIGHTS, SOUNDS, SMELLS, TEXTURES, TASTES. IN REAL LIFE. TOGETHER.
We are passionate about people and community. Creating places that foster meaningful connections is our way to give back to the world. This is especially true for historic buildings. Renovating these storied spaces reminds us that we are part of something greater than ourselves.
Who we serve
At Reed Walker Design Collective, we believe great design begins with a great relationship. Our client experience is grounded in trust, transparency, and a genuine spirit of collaboration. We only take on a limited number of aligned clients per year. You get our full attention and expertise. If you resonate with the idea that your space will be a meaningful background to life, let's talk.
Hospitality
Lodging
Food & Beverage
Sports & Entertainment
Retail
Commercial
Workplace
Outpatient Health & Wellness
Higher Education
Mixed-Use
Community
Library
Government
Community Centers
K-12
Living
Senior Living
Multifamily
Student Housing
Single Family
Our vision is to foster a sense of community and belonging for all.
RWDC blends high-touch interior design with deep research, interpretive storytelling, and historic sensitivity. Our process is layered, thoughtful, and grounded in strategic visioning. We’re not just designing interiors, we’re shaping place identities and honoring the cultural and architectural DNA of every project.
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At RWDC, we believe every space has a story and design is the language we use to tell it. Through a thoughtful blend of research, narrative strategy, and spatial design, we bring out the character of each place we touch. From historic landmarks to contemporary cultural spaces, we craft interiors that feel timeless, purposeful, and powerfully connected to the communities they serve.
With a focus on both stewardship of our existing buildings and support for strategic new development, we consider the community, available incentives, code requirements, and budget from the start. We think big, but in context. We precariously balance the irreplaceable historic context (which often translates to big economic incentives in the form of tax credits for certified historic buildings) with creating something new and relevant. We always consider the human experience and the environmental impact, leveraging both the art and science of design.
Our work lives in the details, the curve of an arch, the warmth of a material, the memory in a floorboard. We’re not trend-driven. We’re story-driven. RWDC is where history, culture, and contemporary design come together to shape spaces that don’t just look beautiful, they feel meaningful, because they are.
Your project is important. It's a big commitment and can feel daunting. The good news: you don't have to do it alone. We will support your vision, layer in our creativity and expertise, and ensure it becomes a reality.
Despite all those hours watching HGTV and scouring Pinterest, nothing beats experience when you are investing in your biggest asset. Mistakes can be costly. Delays can create a myriad of issues.
We will support your vision, layer in our creativity and expertise, and ensure it becomes a reality.
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A seasoned guide to navigate complex renovations and historic properties through a thoughtful, organized, and collaborative design process.
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A partner and advocate to strategically balance competing project resources, needs, goals, and restrictions to guide you through decisions with clarity and confidence.
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A human-centered design approach that places people - the communities we serve, our clients, and our team - at the heart of every decision.
04.
The respectful weaving of a new chapter for a meaningful historic building, by aligning design with grants, tax credit requirements, and community goals.
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Experiential, sensory-rich spaces that tell a story of place and the people passing through.
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An insatiably curious design nerd who will continuously seek knowledge and get super excited with you
we just might be the right fit.
our Team
As a small but intentional team, we partner with a trusted network of expert collaborators, many of them fellow small businesses, to build the right team for each project.
This collective approach reflects our belief that we’re stronger together.
Jenna Reed Walker
Founder | Designer | Architectural Historian
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Jenna Reed Walker is an accomplished interior designer, architectural historian, and design strategist based in Detroit. She launched Reed Walker Design Collective in 2024 as the culmination of over two decades of diverse experiences that have shaped her distinctive approach to enhancing the built environment. This practice is firmly rooted in the belief that place plays a vital role in shaping human experiences and identities. She is particularly passionate about rehabilitation of existing and historic buildings, and as a 36 CFR Part 61 qualified architectural historian, she provides preservation planning support including national and local historic district nominations and federal and state rehabilitation tax credit administration.
During her undergraduate studies in Interior Design, she spent a summer studying art and architectural history across Europe before relocating to Detroit to begin her career at Olympia Development. Her passion for Detroit, hospitality design, and adaptive use of historic buildings led to a Master's in Historic Preservation Planning, with an emphasis in Downtown Revitalization. Beyond direct studio experience, she served as a regional design research and strategy resource for Knoll, and as the director of the Interior Architecture and Design program at Lawrence Technological University.
Jenna is known for her ability to connect with clients on a profound level, possessing a talent for deciphering the intricate dynamics of group culture and translating them into design outcomes.
She strives to be a trusted partner in the co-creation of authentic, multisensory interior experiences and historic community revitalization efforts. Fueled by insatiable curiosity, she believes her role is to pay attention and respond through the curation spaces that tell the stories of others and serve as the captivating backdrop to life.
Beyond the design studio, Jenna spends her time reading, writing, gardening, traveling, eating, and enjoying lake life with her husband, son, and two dogs. She dreams of creating a children's book series to chronicle their adventures while visiting the U.S. National Parks in their vintage Airstream.
aren homrich
Interior Architectural Designer
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Originally from West Michigan, Aren has enjoyed the past five years exploring Detroit and surrounding areas. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from Lawrence Technological University, he continued at LTU, where he is currently pursuing a Master of Architecture. This journey has furthered his appreciation for iterative processes and human-centered design, especially the idea of making place. He is passionate about detail-oriented work and believes in a holistic approach to design, aiming to create meaningful experiences, regardless of project scale.
From a young age, Aren developed a curiosity for reading architectural plans, and his interdisciplinary experiences have cultivated a passion for hand sketching. His professional experience includes internships in both architecture and interior design across Grand Rapids and Detroit, as well as assistantships in teaching, research, and campus planning at LTU. Through these roles, Aren has come to value mentorship and hopes to carry that forward for future designers.
Aren enjoys spending time outdoors with family, friends, and his two cats. When not pursuing his creative endeavors, he can be found traveling, near a body of water, or watching a good sunset
The collective
Our co-design process is grounded in evidence-based research and shared vision. By welcoming diverse perspectives early on, we ensure every space we create is meaningful, functional, and deeply connected to the people it serves.
Interested in collaboration or employment opportunities?
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Architects bring the bones while we add the layers to deepen the experience. Together, we build spaces that feel both grounded and elevated.
For mass timber, higher education, multifamily, senior living, and hospitality projects, Whitewater Design is our preferred architectural partner. They are committed to long-term value for the people and communities we serve and believe change leadership is imperative to project success.
For Design-Build, we often partner with The McFate Group. They provide turnkey construction solutions and single source responsibility in Michigan and Texas, providing a full scope of services in all phases of construction, from design and budget development to completion.
On our residential projects, we enjoy working with ZEL Architecture. A Cape Cod–based architecture firm with roots in Michigan, they specialize in single-family homes, with a strong focus on coastal properties.
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Our graphic design partners craft visual narratives that translate brand and place into striking identity systems.
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From custom pieces to curated collections, our furniture vendors help us furnish environments with purpose and personality.
American Interiors
Partnr Haus
Interior Environments
NBS -
We team with preservationists who honor the past while making way for adaptive, forward-thinking design.
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Our engineering partners turn creative ambition into structural clarity, ensuring ideas are both bold and buildable.
Coming Soon
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Skilled, solutions-driven, and essential, our contractors transform vision into reality with precision and care.
For Design-Build, we partner with The McFate Group. They provide turnkey construction solutions and single source responsibility in Michigan and Texas, providing a full scope of services in all phases of construction, from design and budget development to completion.
They’ve helped clients meet their construction needs by transforming building requirements into successful realities for over 40 years. Their ability to consistently complete projects on time, within budget and to the highest quality standards sets them apart from their competitors.
Wolverine Building Group is recognized nationally as a leader in the construction industry. They specialize in industrial, multi-unit residential, healthcare, office, retail, and restaurant construction. They provide quality building solutions through integrity, value and craftsmanship and have been recognized with multiple Historic Preservation awards for their rehabilitation work.
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We work with fabricators who understand that millwork is narrative, crafted , and built to endure.
“Jenna has been a wonderful partner as we embark on reimagining many spaces at Bloomfield Township Public Library. In her early work with us, she conducted in-depth research into our library, our community, and public library trends locally, regionally, and nationally. Jenna helped us imagine many possibilities, while listening carefully to our ideas and engaging with staff and trustees. In her current work creating the design plan in collaboration with another design firm, Jenna is meticulous in her communication with all stakeholders, while keeping her creative, inspiring spirit. We know we can trust Jenna to hold the many pieces of our project and help us through the process..”
-Bloomfield Township Public Library
Why choose us?
Experience
approach
passion
01. we care
We deeply connect to the projects and people we serve. We want you to succeed. We want your project to have an incredible impact on the lives and places that matter most to you.
02. this is not our first rodeo
With over two decades of diverse experience, we may not have seen it all, but we have seen a lot. We can troubleshoot any issue that arises. And something always does. It is the nature of working with existing buildings.
03. you get the expert
We are an intentionally small team. You get the guidance and personal design direction from the founder on every project. Nothing is lost in translation because it is direct communication.
04. you can take the educator out of the CLASSROOM…
But, it is not something you can ever completely escape. I feel it is my duty to educate my clients so they feel empowered throughout the process.
05. we represent you
With experience in owner's representation, we advocate for our clients throughout the project. We will leverage and develop trusted relationships with consultants, suppliers, fabricators, and contractors to work towards a shared goal - staying true to the vision. We are proud of our experience, relationships, and reputation. The majority of our work graciously comes through repeat clients and referrals.
AFFILIATIONS
