We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Rebekah Moore Murphy. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Rebekah below.
Rebekah, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.
The biggest risk I’ve ever taken was stepping away from a successful, established design firm to start something entirely my own, during a season of professional transition, motherhood, and uncertainty. My sister and I had spent years building a reputation for high-end cabinetry and architectural design, but we felt a quiet pull to create something more personal – a firm that merged classic design with a sense of narrative and artistry.
Leaving the comfort of a known brand, a steady stream of referrals, and the structure of an established company was not easy. We had no marketing plan, no website, and no certainty of what was next, only a conviction that good design and integrity would find its way. We started Murphy & Moore Design at my kitchen table, sketching floor plans between nap times and late-night client calls.
Our philosophy became our compass: that design should feel like literature – layered, storied, and timeless. Each home became its own character. Every detail mattered. We refused to rush the process or dilute our aesthetic for volume’s sake, even when that meant slower growth in the beginning.
That risk of choosing depth over speed, craftsmanship over convenience became our defining strength. Today, we’re designing homes across the country, collaborating with artisans, and building a brand known for its refined cabinetry and thoughtful, story-driven interiors.
The risk wasn’t just starting a business. It was choosing to trust intuition over fear, to create something deeply personal and enduringly beautiful. And that has made all the difference.
Rebekah, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m Rebekah Murphy, co-founder of Murphy & Moore Design, a boutique interior and cabinetry design studio rooted in traditional craftsmanship, architectural detail, and a love of storytelling through spaces. I came into this industry through a deep family lineage of creativity – my mother is an artist and historic-home lover, my sister Katherine is a gifted designer and strategist, and together we grew up drafting furniture layouts and obsessing over historic millwork before we even knew what “interior design” really was.
My path into design was never a single moment, it was a calling that slowly revealed itself through years of studying architecture, walking job sites, sketching cabinetry details, and learning how profoundly a well-designed space can change the way someone feels in their home. In 2024, Katherine and I launched Murphy & Moore Design as a true extension of who we are: designers who bridge architecture and interiors.
What We Do
We specialize in:
Architectural cabinetry design (kitchens, pantries, bars, bathrooms, custom furniture)
Historic renovation advisory
Space planning + floor plan solutions
Custom millwork, hardware, and finish selections
Curated sourcing of textiles, antiques, artisanal lighting, and fine craftsmanship
Selective interior design
Our work ranges from reimagining century-old homes to crafting thoughtful new builds, always with an eye toward preservation, proportion, color, and the emotional rhythms of a family’s daily life.
The Problems We Solve
Clients often come to us overwhelmed by decision-making or feeling “stuck” in their home’s layout. We solve:
* dysfunctional kitchen footprints
* disjointed additions
* poor storage
* underutilized rooms
* confusing contractor communication
* the desire for beauty but no clear starting point
We bring clarity, warmth, and masterful problem-solving into every project, balancing form and function until a space simply ‘feels right.’
What Sets Us Apart
Murphy & Moore Design is known for:
Our architectural lens – cabinetry is our foundation, not an afterthought
Our historic sensitivity-we honor old homes rather than modernizing them into anonymity
Our storytelling approach – every project has a literary code name (Bingley, Norland, Willoughby…)
Our refined, European-influenced aesthetic – layered, timeless, graceful, and meticulously detailed
Our deep involvement – we guide, advocate, draw, source, problem-solve, and champion our clients from concept to completion
We design spaces that feel as though they have ‘always belonged’ in the home.
What I’m Most Proud Of:
I’m proud of the trust our clients place in us, the long-term relationships we’ve built, and the level of craftsmanship we’ve been able to bring back into the residential market. I’m also proud we’ve created a family-run firm that blends talent, integrity, and vision, producing work that feels deeply personal, layered, and genuinely beautiful.
What I Want People to Know:
Murphy & Moore is more than a design studio – it is a philosophy. We believe a home should be both functional and poetic, both lived-in and deeply loved. We are fiercely committed to quality, to the art of classic design, and to creating spaces that stand the test of time.
Our greatest joy is helping clients fall in love with their homes.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Murphy & Moore Design isn’t a styling firm or a fast-paced trends studio. We work the way artisans work. We study the millwork profiles of the 1920s, hand-sketch cabinetry like furniture, source vintage pieces with provenance, and design rooms that feel like they’ve always belonged to the home. Clients often tell us our spaces feel “inevitable” and also unexpected and full of unfolding detail, as though the home was waiting for them all along.
We also operate with a clear standard:
Kindness + Competence + Rigor.
We believe creative excellence collapses without integrity. We communicate thoroughly, measure obsessively, collaborate with trades respectfully, and treat every project – large or small – with reverence.
And because we’re a family-run studio, clients experience a level of personalization and stewardship that feels increasingly rare. They know we’re not chasing volume, we’re chasing meaning.
Over time, those values became our reputation. And that reputation has become the foundation of everything we’ve been able to build.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
The best source of new clients has been something both deeply humbling and profoundly affirming: word-of-mouth referrals from past clients, architects, builders, and other interior designers who trust our vision and process.
Because our work blends architectural cabinetry, historic sensitivity, and refined interiors, many of our projects begin with someone saying, “You have to meet the women who designed this kitchen,” or “You’d love their architectural approach and the way they honor the bones of a home.”
Instead of focusing on traditional marketing, we’ve grown through reputation, relationships, and results. Clients see how deeply we listen, how personally we take their homes and stories, and how invested we are in craftsmanship and timelessness. That connection becomes the most powerful marketing we could ask for.
Every referral feels like someone handing us a piece of their own credibility and saying, “I trust you with this.” And that level of trust is something we will never, ever take for granted.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.murphyandmooredesign.com/
- Instagram: @murphyandmoore @rebekahmooremurphy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Murphy-Moore-Design/61575956645671/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/murphyandmooredesign
- Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MurphyandMooreDesign/
Image Credits
Photography: Peter Larson
Florals and Styling: Marcie Sherman; Revel and Hearten