Summit has a very specific kind of beauty. Tree-lined streets, historic homes with real architectural character, and a downtown that feels curated rather than chaotic. If you live here, you already know the design bar is higher. The challenge is making your home feel current and luxurious without erasing what makes it special.
Walden Interiors helps Summit homeowners create homes that feel like the people who live in them. Not generic. Not safe. Personal, elevated, and often bold and eclectic when that is true to you. The work is led by Risha Walden, a creative soul and world traveler who brought her performing arts background into a design practice built on storytelling, composition, and confident choices.
Walden Interiors is based in Millburn at 83 Chestnut St, Millburn, NJ 07041, about 12 minutes and 4.4 miles from Summit, and Risha used to live in Summit. That means you get a nearby design partner who understands the local rhythm.
High-end interior design in Summit is rarely about decorating a blank box. Many homes have original detailing, complex room transitions, and proportions that require restraint in some places and boldness in others. It is also a town where people notice quality. You see it in the care taken in places like Reeves Reed Arboretum, a 13.5 acre landmark that reflects Summit’s appreciation for curated landscapes and heritage.
This is the lens Walden Interiors brings to Summit projects.
We respect architectural character. We modernize strategically. We design for real life, not just a photo.
Some designers play it safe to avoid mistakes. That is not the goal here. Walden Interiors is known for rooms that feel intentional, artful, and human. If your taste is bold, eclectic, collected, or simply not identical to your neighbor’s, you will feel at home in the process.
The point is not to force a look. The point is to shape the design around your personality, then make it livable.
A common concern is whether vegan sourcing narrows options. In practice, it does not. Walden Interiors sources vegan products in a way that is evident in the portfolio and does not limit the aesthetic you want. The result is a design that aligns with your values while still delivering the material richness and detail level expected in Summit homes.
Risha is not learning Summit from a map. She used to live here. She also brings a rare creative background: actress, classical musician, can-can dancer, and vaudeville performer before studying at the New York School of Interior Design and launching Walden Interiors in 2009.
That matters because high-end interior design is not only about buying nicer things. It is about composition, mood, pacing, and editing. Those are performance skills translated into space.
Drive time from Millburn to Summit
Walden Interiors is located at 83 Chestnut St, Millburn, NJ 07041. Summit is typically about 12 minutes away and roughly 4.4 miles depending on the route.
Phone: 973 722 3872
Best for: whole home updates, major renovations, and homeowners who want one clear point of leadership.
Full-service interior design typically includes space planning, design direction, finish and material selections, furniture planning, sourcing support, and project guidance so decisions do not sprawl for months. For commuters and busy families, the value is simple: fewer decisions on your plate, better decisions overall.
This is also the right fit when you want the home to feel cohesive across rooms, not like separate projects that never quite connect.
Best for: kitchens in older Summit homes where layout and architecture matter as much as finishes.
Kitchen work in Summit often intersects with permits and trades coordination. The City of Summit notes that building permits are required for many common projects, including kitchen renovations.
Walden Interiors helps you make the high-impact calls early.
If you are balancing historic character with modern performance, this is where design leadership saves money and frustration.
Best for: primary suite upgrades, hall baths that feel dated, and bathrooms where the details are doing too much or too little.
Bathroom design is often where Summit homeowners want luxury that feels calm. You can push bold choices, but you still want serenity. Walden Interiors focuses on proportion, texture, lighting, and finishes that age well. Similar to kitchens, Summit lists bath renovation as a permit-triggered scope in many cases.
Best for: you want expert direction without committing to a full scope yet.
Consultations work well for Summit homeowners who are stuck on layout, finish selections, or how to tie an older home’s details into a modern direction. It is also ideal when you want a second set of expert eyes before you spend on custom work.
A consultation can cover.
Best for: you like your home, but it does not feel finished.
Styling is where a space becomes cohesive. This can include furniture edits, art placement, textiles, statement lighting, and sourcing pieces that feel collected rather than copied. This service is a strong fit for Summit’s design-aware homeowners who want personality and polish without a full renovation.
Summit is not one uniform housing style, and your neighborhood often shapes what the right design approach looks like.
Historic Northside
Close to downtown, with older homes and architectural character that is worth protecting. This is where you often see Tudors, Colonials, and other heritage-rich properties. The design challenge is upgrading comfort and luxury while honoring original proportions, trim, and rhythm.
Woodland Park
More wooded, family-oriented, and often a blend of housing stock. Here, homeowners frequently want practical luxury and seamless indoor-outdoor flow. The design work tends to focus on comfort, storage, durable materials, and spaces that still feel elevated when life is busy.
Homeowners in Summit hire Walden Interiors for taste, clarity, confidence, and execution.
What clients value most:
What clients have said:
• “If you want something that feels like you and looks like something no one else could create, then I would highly recommend Walden Interiors.” Rebecca R
• “Organized, energetic, an excellent communicator, and fiscally responsible with our budget. She’s well traveled, well studied, and just a delight. She creates a home that you can fall in love with.” Sydney S
• “Not a cookie-cutter interior designer. If you are seeking a unique interior that reflects your dreams and desires, Risha is for you.” Virginia R
From Downtown Summit Corridor and Springfield Avenue area
Head toward Millburn via local connectors, then into Millburn to Chestnut St. The drive is typically quick outside school pickup windows.
From Reeves Reed Arboretum area
You are already near the heart of Summit. The route to Millburn is straightforward and typically around the same 12 minute range. Reeves Reed is a 13.5 acre local landmark, and it is a good visual reference for Summit’s taste for curated environments.
From Canoe Brook Country Club
Canoe Brook is a private club spanning Summit and Short Hills, and the route to Millburn is short.
From Summit Station commuter hub
Many homeowners plan design meetings around commute windows. If you are coordinating around NYC schedules, we can structure key decisions so the project does not require constant in-person time.
Walden Interiors proudly serves Summit NJ and surrounding Essex County communities, including Millburn, Maplewood, South Orange, Short Hills, Jersey City, Montclair, and Livingston.
If you want a Summit home that feels personal, elevated, and unmistakably yours, start with a 15 minute discovery call. We will confirm what you are trying to achieve, the likely scope, and whether Walden Interiors is the right fit before you invest more time.
Call 973 722 3872 or book the discovery call through the button below.