My name is Jennifer Berger and I am Owner and Designer of Plum + Slate Interiors Studio, a New York-based practice specializing in small spaces and quick turnaround projects. Plum + Slate is inspired by many years of living in New York and Boston and having first-hand experience with the challenges of small space limitations.

Plum, slate gray, and slate blue — one of my favorite color schemes in my small apartments over the years — represent creativity and stability in feng shui. A home should be a place where beauty and creativity are cultivated and where one feels grounded. My design philosophy is based on the belief that no space is too small to be beautiful, functional, sustainable, and healthy.

I became aware of the essential role interior design plays in our mental health during childhood; on the last day of each school year, my mom handed me roses from her garden to give to my teacher as a token of her appreciation. My mom’s kind gesture taught me that something small and beautiful can brighten up a room, and also brighten one’s day.

As the proud daughter of a talented photographer and the granddaughter of two painters, I inherited a passion for the arts that led to studies in various arts disciplines and a career in fundraising for arts/culture and higher education.

I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Art History from Smith College and completed both a Master’s degree in Education (with a specialization in Arts in Education) and a certificate in Museum Studies from Harvard University. Years later, while approaching midlife, I decided to go back to school (again!) to pursue a formal degree in interior design, obtaining an Associate of Applied Science in Interior Design from the New York School of Interior Design.

With LEED Green Associate and WELL AP certification, I am committed to reducing the negative impact on the environment and prioritizing my clients’ well-being.

In my spare time, I love exploring off the beaten path, enjoying cultural activities with my family and friends, and swimming laps in a pool, one of my happy places. I also have a personal rule to walk through a green space every day.