In 1980, two former design classmates crossed paths on a sidewalk in Toronto, both hunting for studio space. They decided to share one, and a year later George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg founded the interior design studio behind the rooms where taste gets decided: The EDITION Hotels, W Hotels, Bergdorf Goodman, and Aman. They're partners in work and in life, and their latest project is more personal: Don’t Stop. Stand Up!, a New York exhibition made with UNAIDS on queer history and the unfinished fight against HIV/AIDS. Here they explain why they'll never specialize, the best investment they've ever made, and why their forever inspo is each other.

What do you do when you hit a creative block?

Glenn: The beauty of having two of us rather than one is that when someone hits a wall, we can feed off each other.

George: When our designers hit a creative roadblock, particularly during the initial concept phase when we are constructing the narrative framework for a project, they look to platforms like Cosmos to reset their perspective. It acts as a curated repository for evocative imagery, and those specific visuals help articulate and anchor the atmospheric direction of our mood boards.

What’s the worst recommendation someone’s given you?

Glenn: Instead of confining ourselves to one niche, we expanded across multiple typologies—from hospitality and residential to retail and restaurants—while integrating disciplines like product design, lighting, styling, art consultancy, and branding. While diversifying so broadly wasn’t considered conventional or strategic when we started, it has proven to be infinitely more fulfilling. It allows us to approach environments holistically, ensuring every layer speaks to the same narrative and shapes how the space is ultimately felt.

George: Early in our careers, we attended a summer program at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design where the prevailing advice was to specialize and hone a single skill. We chose the exact opposite path.

What book have you gifted most?

Glenn: A Little Life by our dear friend Hanya Yanagihara. It’s a devastatingly beautiful book that explores human connection and the complexities of how men navigate communication with one another.

Who is your forever inspo?

Glenn: George.

George: Glenn.

What’s the best investment (money, time, habit) you’ve made?

Glenn: People. The strength of who we are, both as individuals and as a company, comes down to the community we surround ourselves with, from our employees to our closest friends and family. Building a community and genuinely enjoying the people you surround yourself with is the best investment on earth.

Follow Yabu Pushelberg on Instagram and Cosmos.