Every interior designer, whatever stage it may be, faces several problems and challenges – from promoting oneself to selling ideas to finding the right clients and managing their budgets & expectations, and so much more. No doubt, interior design is challenging!
Whether you are just starting your career in interior design and lack confidence or are faced with a roadblock as an established designer, you need to hear the story of my special guest today.
In this episode, I sit down with Nina Parvaresh, a highly successful interior designer specializing in high-end residential projects. She generously shares insights, practical advice, and insider tips to help both up-and-coming designers and established ones thrive in this field.
Nina’s fearless approach to learning and experimenting, how she picked herself up after all her struggles and moved past them, and of course, her unique design process are all inspiring.
So tune in, learn her secrets, and get ready to conquer your design challenges!
Why you’ve got to check out today’s episode
- Discover the key ingredients that will make you and your projects stand out
- Gain insights into building and maintaining strong relationships with contractors, artisans, and suppliers
- Learn effective strategies for managing client expectations and delivering exceptional client experiences
About the Guest:
Nina Parvaresh was born and raised in a charming town an hour away from Paris. She studied Architecture at the École d’Architecture de Paris-Malaquais in the distinguished Les Beaux-Arts site in Paris.
Her approach to work is holistic. The boundaries between the divisions of the field, from lighting to structural design to FF&E, inspired her to build something that could carry the project through, fully and completely, without jeopardizing or compromising on the thread that ties the whole characteristic narrative of the project together. In her curiosity, she explored so many fields that she was not specialized in, learning how to become an interior designer and a lighting designer. She even learned a lot about things she disliked, including plumbing and automation systems, which still causes her anxiety.
She has incredible projects all over the world (think Middle East, Dubai, Europe).
Connect with Nina Parvaresh:
Website: concept-me.com
IG: @conceptmebynina
Check out these episode highlights
04:39 – Nina’s origin story and how she gets into the School of Architecture
07:56 – The reason why Nina studied architecture and the link between architecture and interior design
09:15 – Moving from France to the Middle East and teaching the first batch of female interior design students in Saudi Arabia
14:29 – How Nina experimented on various projects before specializing in high-end residential projects that operate in Europe and the Middle East
15:07 – How Nina, at 23 years old, signed her first 40,000 square feet residential project
18:30 – Nina’s interior design journey starts
21:04 – How Nina started her design company
23:23 – Why Nina accepts internship and how she mentors her interns
25:33 – What matters most in interior design studies
- to understand problem-solving
- to understand relationships with clients
- to have a conceptual mind (how to put an idea into paper)
26:27 – Why Nina primarily works on high-end residential projects, and the difference between residential and commercial projects
- Quality is money
- Quality is time
29:18 – The broad spectrum of competencies in interior design and architecture
32:55 – The #1 mindset an interior designer has to maintain when mistakes happen
“At the end of the day, it is just design!”
36:50 – The importance of being conscious and factoring in finances and risk when designing high-end, custom detailing
A tiny mistake on the drawing is a mistake in the production.
37:49 – How to manage expectations and timing
39:58 – Nina’s advice for an up-and-coming designer
- Be passionate and love what you do.
- Always be willing to learn and to give help.
- Always look around and travel.
- Find your path. Once you do, keep pushing it.
- Be patient.
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Next Steps
Grab your freebies:
Join the Design Mentor to kickstart a successful career in interior design!
Check out the best books every interior designer should have here.
Enroll in Business of Design with Kimberly Seldon or DesignYou with Tobi Fairley today to scale your interior design business!
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