Are you ready? The annual platform to celebrate design across the city, NYCxDESIGN, is here. Already, a whirlwind of exhibitions and talks are in full swing while invitations and info about even more festivities are still pouring in. The week seems to be taking a page from Milan Design Week, expanding design to more than just furniture or architecture. Activations range from a survey on kites to a pavilion by Lexus, and a salon by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

In the midst of it all, AN Interior will be hosting panels and events—where you can also pick up the first copies of the Spring/Summer 2026 issue and Deep Cuts, our first-ever guide to design in New York.

There is much to see and do. View our picks for the most exciting happenings (besides our own, of course) below.

144 Vanderbilt Avenue Exhibitions

144 Vanderbilt Avenue, Brooklyn 11205
May 13 to May 27

Multiple exhibitions will take over the building by SO—IL. VERSO and Office of Tangible Space present the group exhibition Nothing Comes From Nothing, pairing contemporary designers with historic works to showcase the creative power of influence. Office of Tangible Space also presents Espasso Apartment which will highlight historic Brazilian design. Paraphernalia will present group exhibition Alien, while woodworker Luke Malaney curates a group show where designers crafted pieces start to finish, titled A Loose Grip.

After Dark

Multiple Locations
May 15, 6:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.

AN Interior and AN’s After Dark series activates multiple showrooms across design typologies and locations. It builds off of the success of AN Interior’s showroom crawl series. Participating showrooms include DOM Interiors, Rimadesio, Robin Reigi, and Tilebar.

The New York Edit

The Blond
11 Howard, New York 10013
May 15 to May 20

Developed by Design Hotels and curated by Simple Flair, the curators behind Milan Design Week’s Convey, The New York Edit gathers collectible design from New York–based designers. Presented in partnership with Lumens, the show will focus on light as a medium and as a narrative device.

High Touch

MillerKnoll Gallery
251 Park Avenue South Floor 9, New York 10010
May 15 to October 2

Curated by Luke Baker, High Touch brings together the work of Joe D’Urso and Ward Bennett, spanning five decades of interior, furniture, and other work, including original sketches and unseen prototypes. Put together, the exhibition turns a spotlight on New York’s modernist minimalism.

Put Together

320 Church St, New York 10013
May 15 to May 16

Livingston, Montana–based gallery Places organized the pop-up Put Together. Curated by local platform playinghouse and hosted by real estate company Rudin, the exhibition embraces playful anarchy, putting together designers who defy the rules of craft. Rubbery lights by Atelier Fomenta, lamps of scrap wood transmuted onto aluminum by Bureau Parso, and more make for a whimsical and surprising show.

Up in Smoke

Lichen
5-64 Woodward Ave, Ridgewood 11385
May 15 to May 17

Lichen brings together designers to get creative around incense holders, an object chosen for its design accessibility as it requires very little to make yet the creative potentials are wide open. After noticing a surplus of queries to stock incense design, the team decided to hold an open call to bring the overlooked typology to light.

Food Form Function

USM Modular Furniture
28-30 Greene St, New York 10013
May 16 to June 19

USM Modular Furniture and Pinch Food Design got together to explore how design functions for food. It turns out a USM credenza makes for a great base for a cocktail fountain. The exhibition also includes a lazy Susan made out of stacked shelving units (boasting a 10-foot tart), a drawer-turn-peek-a-boo-dessert tray, and more tasty twists.

Afternoon Light Design Fair

WSA
161 Water Street, New York 10038
May 17 to May 19

The sophomore fair, Afternoon Light, will bring together over 75 exhibitors, merging independent designers with established brands. AN Interior in collaboration with do you read me?! will present a curated selection of shoppable books. David Feldberg of Teknion will launch IKONstudio, a platform to produce historic furniture by architects. The first release is the Charles Pfister chair, originally designed by SOM for Halston. IKONstudio and Rarify will take over the entry with a reimagining of Halston’s Red Office at Olympic Tower for the launch.

ICFF

Javits Center
429 11th Ave, New York 10001
May 17 to May 19

This year, the last year ICFF will be held during design week, the fair focuses on the theme, “Common Ground: A Global Dialogue on Design and Shared Values.” Special exhibitions and features include: a recharge lounge by Juniper, an exhibition by Rarify and Tecta, a bespoke salon by Post Company, and new Materials section developed with Jonsara Ruth and Parsons Healthy Materials Lab, sponsored by Hydro, Cosentino, and Habitat Matter.

Inside~Out: Bird’s Eye View

Two Trees DUMBO
45 Main St, 10th Floor Rooftop Terrace, DUMBO 11201
May 18 to May 22

Sponsored by DEDON and Gloster and presented by Kin & Company, this show gathers over 30 independent designers to explore multi-species design. The exhibition, now in its fifth edition, works to subvert anthropocentric ideals and consider designing for other beings, particularly New York’s birds.

Dudd Lite

The Future Perfect
8 Saint Lukes Place, New York 10014
May 19 to June 26

Nightlights from 130 artists will illuminate The Future Perfect. Presented by DUDD HAUS, The Future Perfect, and Bocci, the show features emerging designers and established artists across a range of practices. Each contributes one nightlight. As with all things DUDD HAUS, the show will be creative, camp, and crafty.