At Yates Desygn, we have always believed that great design extends far beyond beautiful spaces.
It is built through relationships, continuous learning, collaboration, and a commitment to raising the standard of our profession. We are proud to share that Mike Yates, CEO and Managing Director of Yates Desygn, has been admitted to the Design Leadership Network (DLN), joining Bryan Yates, Founder and Creative Director, who is already an active member of this distinguished organization.
This milestone represents more than a personal achievement: it reflects our studio’s ongoing commitment to excellence, innovation, and serving our clients at the highest level.
What is the Design Leadership Network?
The Design Leadership Network is an invitation-only community composed of many of the most accomplished professionals in residential design. Its membership includes leading interior designers, architects, landscape architects, builders, manufacturers, artisans, and industry partners who are shaping the future of luxury residential design across North America.
More than a professional organization, DLN serves as a collaborative think tank where members exchange ideas, share best practices, discuss emerging trends, and work together to elevate the design profession. Through educational summits, peer groups, exclusive programming, and meaningful industry relationships, members gain access to knowledge and perspectives that ultimately benefit the clients they serve.
Membership is earned through demonstrated leadership, professional achievement, and a commitment to advancing the design industry. Being invited into the organization is a recognition from peers who value both creative excellence and business leadership.
Why This Matters for Our Clients
For homeowners embarking on a luxury renovation or custom home, choosing a design firm is about far more than selecting someone with a beautiful portfolio. It is about partnering with professionals who are continually learning, growing, and refining their craft.
As members of the Design Leadership Network, Mike and Bryan have direct access to conversations happening at the highest levels of the design industry. They regularly learn from nationally recognized designers, innovative architects, leading builders, and premier product manufacturers. Those insights translate directly into better project management, stronger vendor relationships, earlier access to new products, improved operational systems, and ultimately a better client experience.
Luxury design is constantly evolving; construction methods change, new materials are introduced, and technology continues to reshape how homes function. Client expectations become more sophisticated every year.
Communities like DLN ensure that Yates Desygn remains at the forefront of these changes rather than simply reacting to them.
Our clients benefit from the collective knowledge of some of the industry’s most respected leaders while still receiving the highly personal, tailored approach that defines every Yates Desygn project.
A Shared Commitment to Community
One of the defining characteristics of both Mike and Bryan has always been their belief that design is collaborative.
Throughout their careers, they have invested in organizations that strengthen both the profession and the communities they serve. From participating in Kips Bay Decorator Show House Dallas and supporting charitable initiatives to engaging with professional organizations throughout the country, they have consistently viewed leadership as something that extends beyond the walls of their studio.
The Design Leadership Network is a natural extension of that philosophy.
For Mike and Bryan, the opportunity to learn from fellow designers is equally important as the opportunity to share their own experiences. Every conversation, every summit, and every professional relationship creates opportunities to improve not only their own practice but also the broader design community.
Great design has never been created in isolation. The strongest ideas emerge when talented professionals openly exchange knowledge, challenge one another’s thinking, and celebrate each other’s successes. That spirit of collaboration has been foundational to Yates Desygn since its inception.
Mike’s Leadership Journey
While Bryan leads the creative vision of the studio, Mike oversees the strategic and operational side of Yates Desygn, ensuring that every project is delivered with the same level of excellence that clients expect from the firm’s design work.
His path to interior design is both unique and valuable: he holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and Choreography and a Master of Fine Arts in Performance Design with an emphasis in Production and Company Management from Arizona State University. Before co-founding Yates Desygn, he spent more than two decades managing complex productions and leading multidisciplinary teams in the performing arts.
That background fundamentally shaped his leadership philosophy.
His focus on operational excellence enables the design team to spend more time doing what they do best: creating extraordinary homes.
Producing live performances requires balancing creative vision with budgets, schedules, logistics, communication, and the coordination of dozens of moving parts. Today, those same skills are applied to luxury residential projects, where thoughtful planning, organization, and clear communication are essential to creating a seamless client experience.
As CEO and Managing Director, Mike has helped build systems and processes that allow the studio to deliver highly customized projects while maintaining exceptional service. His focus on operational excellence enables the design team to spend more time doing what they do best: creating extraordinary homes.
His admission into the Design Leadership Network recognizes not only his leadership within Yates Desygn but also his growing influence within the broader design industry.
Stronger Together
With both Mike and Bryan now members of the Design Leadership Network, Yates Desygn gains an even stronger connection to one of the industry’s most respected professional communities.
Bryan continues to contribute through his creative leadership and award-winning design work, while Mike brings expertise in business strategy, operations, and organizational leadership. Together, they represent the balance that has defined Yates Desygn from the beginning: exceptional design supported by exceptional execution.
That partnership is ultimately what benefits every client who walks through our doors.
As we celebrate this exciting milestone, we remain committed to the values that have guided our studio since day one: curiosity, collaboration, continuous improvement, and designing homes that are deeply personal to the people who live in them.
We are honored to be part of a community that shares those values, and we look forward to contributing to the future of luxury residential design alongside our peers in the Design Leadership Network.