Eilyn Jimenez Biography: Age, Career, Husband Ray Jimenez, Netflix, HGTV, and Net Worth

Eilyn Jimenez is a Cuban-American interior designer, entrepreneur, and television personality best known for starring in Netflix’s Designing Miami and HGTV’s Divided by Design. She is the founder of Sire Design, a Miami-based firm specializing in luxury residential and commercial interiors. Born and raised in Miami to immigrant parents, Eilyn pursued higher education in Costa Rica, where a chance encounter at an architecture school inspired her pivot from business studies to a career in design. Since then, she has built a name around clean, structured aesthetics rooted in architectural principles.

Her rise to national recognition was fueled not only by her design talent but also by her on-screen partnership with her husband and fellow designer, Ray Jimenez. Together, they’ve balanced competition and collaboration—both in business and television—while showcasing their contrasting styles and shared creative vision. This biography traces Eilyn’s journey from her early life and education to her growing impact across the worlds of design, television, community service and personal life.

Early Life and Background

Eilyn Jimenez was born on August 29, 1989, and raised in Miami, Florida, to Cuban immigrant parents. As a first-generation American, she grew up balancing traditional family values with broader educational aspirations. Her parents had fled Cuba in search of freedom and opportunity, and their sacrifices instilled in Eilyn a strong work ethic and sense of purpose. Her Latina heritage and Miami’s multicultural environment also influenced her early views on design and culture. She explored various interests as a child—taking dance lessons, joining a choir, and showing a particular curiosity for the legal world, often imagining herself as a lawyer or judge, drawn to the structure and logic of the field. The idea of becoming a lawyer or a judge appealed to her sense of structure and order.

She graduated from high school at 16, a milestone that pushed her to think seriously about her future while still exploring her interests. Soon after, she moved to Costa Rica, where she lived for six years.

Education in Costa Rica and Design Awakening

She initially enrolled in Business Administration at Universidad Latina de Costa Rica, thinking it would offer versatile career opportunities. “Business administration is something that I could use at any point in my life,” she later explained in the Boujee Best Friend podcast interview, recorded on September 12, 2022. But fate had other plans.

During her time at university, Eilyn struck up a friendship with the dean of the architecture school. That relationship became a turning point. One day, she wandered into the architecture building and was captivated by the student work displayed on its walls. “I had never seen the places that we live and the places that we go to designed by someone,” she recalled. “My brain never wrapped around that somebody’s designing this.” Eager and inspired, she picked up the phone, called her father—who was financing her education—and asked for permission to switch her major. He said yes.

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Immersing herself in the study of architecture, Eilyn quickly found herself thinking beyond structure. She was drawn to how people lived inside the buildings she was designing. Her class projects frequently included fully imagined interiors—layouts, materials, furniture—despite repeated reminders from professors that interior design fell outside the scope of her coursework. One professor, noticing her consistent attention to interiors, gently pulled her aside and suggested she consider a double major or even shift tracks entirely.

At first, Eilyn resisted. She took the advice as a challenge and became determined to prove she could excel as an architect. But over time, the truth became undeniable: her deepest creative instincts lay in interior spaces, not just in walls and roofs. She completed her architecture degree, yet by the time she left Costa Rica, her heart was firmly set on a different kind of design. Architecture had given her a strong foundation—but it was interior design that would become her true calling.

Early Work Experience

Eilyn’s first professional role had nothing to do with interiors. At a young age, she took a job as a receptionist at a seafood import/export company that catered to cruise lines. Just three days into her new role, the office manager unexpectedly quit. Without hesitation, Eilyn stepped into the leadership void, despite having no prior experience. She reorganized workflows, identified improvements, and approached the job with initiative. That experience stuck with her, and years later she reflected, “I think one of the biggest successes is if you’re working for somebody, is treat that company like it’s your own… and as an employer, as an owner of a company, I see that.”

Return to Miami and Founding of Sire Design

Eilyn returned to Miami with a newfound appreciation for the city’s vibrancy and cultural texture. She began laying the groundwork for her own firm, which would eventually become Sire Design—a Miami-based interior design studio specializing in high-end residential and commercial build-outs. The firm’s portfolio includes high-rise condominiums, private estates, commercial and retail spaces, and luxury yachts.

She started out as a solo entrepreneur, offering $99 consultations through Groupon. One of her first client projects brought in about $2,000. These initial projects helped establish her reputation and business footing. Drawing from her architectural foundation and evolving passion for interiors, Eilyn developed a minimalist aesthetic influenced by function, structure, and global context. Her work soon gained traction within Miami’s competitive design scene.

Reflecting on her early challenges, Eilyn recalled wearing every hat in her fledgling business—from answering phone calls and drafting plans to preparing proposals and managing job site visits. Her business began to grow through word of mouth and client referrals, and she remained grounded in her belief that “success is a series of small wins.”

As the daughter of immigrant parents, Eilyn was shaped by what she described as an “immigrant syndrome” mindset: a cultural emphasis on security and survival. However, she chose to rewrite that narrative, combining her parents’ resilience with her own ambitious drive. “Why be a regular designer when you can be an amazing freaking designer?” she said during a September 15, 2023 interview on Behind Her Empire with Yasmin Nouri, explaining her desire to aim higher than the traditional path expected of her.

Eilyn attributed her progress to “hard work and a good heart and, like, good intentions,” describing these values as the foundation of her approach to business.

Television Experience and Netflix Breakthrough

Before her Netflix debut, Eilyn had already gained limited television exposure. In the “Boujee Best Friend” podcast interview (published September 2022), she shared that around the age of 20 or 21, she appeared in design-related segments on CNN and participated in a special renovation project for musician Macklemore, completing the transformation in just 48 hours. She maintained contact with a producer from those early projects via Instagram, which eventually led to a pivotal opportunity.

The turning point came when a former producer Eilyn had worked with in the past called her unexpectedly. As she recalled in the interview, “I look at my phone, I’m like, why is Gardner calling me?” During their conversation, she mentioned that she had gotten married and that her husband, Ray Jimenez, was also an interior designer. When she explained that they ran separate firms and were, in fact, competitors, the producer was immediately intrigued. He asked to call her back in two hours—and when he did, he pitched the idea of filming a pilot.

Eilyn agreed to move forward with the idea, although her husband, Ray Jimenez, was initially hesitant about joining the project. As he was heading out the door, she asked him once more, and he casually replied, “Okay fine, whatever.” That spontaneous moment turned out to be a game-changer for their careers in television. As Eilyn recounted with a laugh, if he hadn’t said yes, things could have turned out very differently—”I probably would’ve had my own show,” she joked. Soon after, the production team traveled to Miami to film a “reel,” a short-format pilot used to pitch new unscripted design shows to major television networks like Netflix.

To their surprise, interest came fast. Just one day after the pilot was submitted, Netflix responded and scheduled a follow-up call. The executive producer on the Netflix side turned out to be someone Eilyn had previously worked with on the Macklemore renovation—now part of the Netflix team. The alignment of timing, past connections, and story potential led Netflix to pick up the series.

Filming for “Designing Miami” took place over eight months, four days a week, while Eilyn and Ray juggled 19 real-life design projects. The experience was grueling yet deeply rewarding. The couple opened their professional and personal lives on camera, including moments like Ray separating from his previous business partnership and Eilyn renovating her own office space. Their authentic portrayal struck a chord with viewers, and when the series premiered on September 21, 2022, it marked Eilyn’s breakthrough into national recognition and ushered in a new chapter in her career as a television personality.

HGTV Appearances and Villa Jimenez Renovation

Following the success of the Netflix series, Ray and Eilyn transitioned to HGTV in 2024 with the launch of Divided by Design, which premiered on August 20. This series took their competitive dynamic a step further, with each episode featuring the couple pitching their contrasting design visions to the same client.

Beyond the client showdowns, Divided by Design also spotlighted a major personal project—the full renovation of their own home, Villa Jimenez. In the season finale, which aired on February 6, 2025, Ray and Eilyn gave viewers a first look at their finished home in an episode titled “Villa Jimenez.” The episode followed the couple as they scrambled to resolve last-minute challenges before hosting a housewarming celebration. It marked the conclusion of a three-year renovation journey and provided a full-circle moment in their shared design narrative. In a related social media post, Eilyn wrote, “We’re finally opening our doors and sharing a glimpse of the place we call home… from the curated color palette to the hand-selected stonework.”

In April 2025, Ray and Eilyn appeared as guest judges on Season 6, Episode 3 of Rock the Block, titled “That’s a Veteran Move.” The episode aired on April 28, 2025, and was filmed in Salt Lake City, Utah. In a playful teaser, Eilyn described their judging experience on Instagram, asking fans to guess which space “stole their hearts.” Their appearance on the long-running HGTV competition series reflected the couple’s rising stature in the design world and cemented their roles not only as designers but also as influential tastemakers within the television home renovation space.

Personal Life and Relationship with Ray Jimenez

Eilyn met Ray at Miami’s Art Basel through a mutual friend in 2016—Christian Fong, Ray’s high school best friend and a wallpaper vendor. After they began dating, Ray and Eilyn discovered a series of uncanny coincidences: they had grown up just blocks apart, attended the same elementary school, had the same teacher, lived on the same street, and shared overlapping friend circles—yet never officially met until that moment at Art Basel.

On August 29, 2018, during a romantic birthday trip to Santorini, Greece, Ray proposed to Eilyn while aboard a catamaran anchored near an island formed by crystallized volcanic ash. The island’s shimmering black surface set a unique and memorable backdrop for the private proposal.

They were married on October 16, 2019, in a destination wedding in Barcelona, Spain, attended by close family and friends. The ceremony reflected their shared appreciation for timeless elegance and design: Eilyn wore a fitted lace gown with illusion sleeves and floral appliqué, while Ray paired a white tuxedo jacket with black trousers and a bow tie.

They honeymooned in Africa, where the vast and remote landscapes left a lasting impact on Eilyn’s creative perspective and design approach.

Though they do not currently have children, Eilyn and Ray continue to nurture a relationship grounded in mutual admiration and shared humor. Eilyn has described their dynamic as a contrast of personalities—”He’s cool, calm, and collected, while I’m a hurricane, disguised in calmness”—yet united by daily laughter and emotional intimacy. She has reflected on their bond by writing, “If I were to live a million lives, I would have fallen in love with you a million times.”

Marking their third wedding anniversary, Eilyn noted, “I’m still in awe of the life we have created for ourselves these past six years… for the dreams we continue to accomplish and how we still manage to do it while holding each other’s hand.”

In June 2025, the couple shared highlights from a weekend escape to Palm Beach, Florida. Their social media post featured curated imagery and thoughtful reflections: “Sunlit mornings by the ocean, afternoons spent curating vintage finds, and evenings wrapped in Palm Beach’s timeless charm… a weekend of beautiful textures and quiet inspiration—the kind of escape that always feels like home.” The post encapsulated their shared design instincts and emotional ease, illustrating how their personal and professional lives continue to blend in harmony.

Though their professional styles differ—Eilyn favors minimalism while Ray leans maximalist—they collaborate effectively, drawing from each other’s strengths. Their home reflects a blend of their experiences and mutual respect, serving as both sanctuary and design statement.

Volunteering and Community Involvement

According to her LinkedIn profile, Eilyn Jimenez has been an active volunteer with the Kid Sanctuary Campus in Palm Beach County since May 2015. As part of the 2015 Design Team, she contributed her talents as an interior designer for the Boys Cottage project. Kid Sanctuary Campus is a charitable organization that serves children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment.

The Boys Cottage campaign brought together 20 top interior designers to create special room features and living spaces for boys in foster care who would be residing on the Kid Sanctuary Campus. Eilyn’s participation in this long-running initiative reflects her commitment to using design not only as a luxury service but as a means to create healing and dignity for underserved communities.

Net Worth

Based on available data and industry benchmarks, Eilyn Jimenez’s estimated net worth ranges between $1 million and $2 million as of 2025. This estimate reflects her earnings from Sire Design, high-end residential and commercial projects, brand partnerships, public speaking, and television appearances on shows like Designing Miami and Divided by Design on HGTV.

Eilyn Jimenez – Wiki Bio Facts Table

Field	Details
Full Name	Eilyn Jimenez
Date of Birth	August 29, 1989
Age	35 (as of 2025)
Place of Birth	Miami, Florida, United States
Nationality	American (of Cuban descent)
Ethnicity	Latina / Cuban-American
Education	Universidad Latina de Costa Rica (Degree in Architecture)
Profession	Interior Designer, Entrepreneur, TV Personality
Company	Founder & Creative Director of Sire Design
Years Active	2010s–present
Notable TV Shows	Designing Miami (Netflix), Divided by Design (HGTV), Rock the Block
Spouse	Ray Jimenez (m. October 16, 2019)
Children	None (as of 2025)
Residence	Miami, Florida
Design Style	Minimalist, Architectural, Function-Driven
Known For	Starring in Designing Miami, Leading Sire Design, Luxury Residential Projects
Philanthropy	Volunteer Designer, Kid Sanctuary Campus (since May 2015)
Instagram Handle	@eilynjimenez_
Net Worth (Est.)	Between $1 M and $2 M