PBN 2023 Business Women Awards
CREATIVE SERVICES WOMAN TO WATCH: Ally Maloney Winzer | Maloney Interiors principal
WALLPAPER ON THE CEILING. An accent pop of hot pink or orange. These are “the thrilling streaks of the unexpected,” said Ally Maloney Winzer, principal of her Newport-based Maloney Interiors design firm.
Maloney Winzer earned a degree in interior design from Wentworth Institute of Technology and a certificate in yacht design. She began her career with Ted Hood Yacht Design and subsequently founded Maloney Interiors in 2014 as a solo practitioner. Her firm provides high-end interior design and project management services for new custom homes or entirely remodeled homes.
“There’s something fun about new construction where nothing ever existed there, but I truly love renovations, with that ‘wow factor’ when you see before and after,” Maloney Winzer said.
Maloney Winzer, more importantly, helps build relationships, strengthens access to continuing education resources and professional discounts, and advocates for the industry. She is president of the American Society of Interior Design’s New England chapter and a member of the Rhode Island Builders Association.
As the Rhode Island representative for ASID’s advocacy efforts, Maloney Winzer and others are supporting proposed legislation in the R.I. General Assembly to recognize interior design as a distinct profession.
“I like being a member of these organizations … it’s important to have true relationships with other interior designers and industry partners,” Maloney Winzer said.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Maloney Winzer successfully co-led efforts to quash state legislation that would have taxed interior design services. Had that bill become law, Rhode Island designers would have been seriously disadvantaged, as neither Connecticut nor Massachusetts impose such taxes.
Maloney Winzer’s “core team” is a full-time designer, a part-time bookkeeper and part-time marketing coordinator. The firm offers internships for college students and young graduates. Her firm’s clientele is focused on homes valued at more than $1 million.
Looking to the future and eager to pursue growth and new prospects, Maloney Winzer says expanding her firm’s size would not only allow for more job openings but also enable it to undertake bigger projects. It would also extend its reach to homeowners in more regions.
“I am optimistic about the possibilities ahead,” she said.
