Talking interior design trends with Nicole from Wise Owl Interiors

Danny:
Hi, it's Danny Valencia here with My City Nest powered by Keller Williams Property consultant. And I'm really excited to be joined today by Nicole with Wise Owl interiors. Nicole, thank you very much for joining me here today.

Nicole:
Thanks for having

Danny:
Really excited to have you. And just to get some answers and uh, we'll ask you some questions. We call say interior design. Of course our goal is to start series of sharing, neighbors and small businesses in the Hampstead area and NW3 area. So I'm really excited to kick this off with you. So the very first thing I want to ask you really is what exactly is it that you do? Because I know that interior design takes different paths and really what, what inspired you to do what you do?

Nicole:
So, I offer an “E-design surface”, which is basically a “virtual interior design service”. So, you basically don't have to leave your house and it's completely noninvasive and everything gets sent over to you so you can literally sit back and relax while your design gets created by me.

Danny:
Sounds like a perfect solution for, for the current environment that we're live we're living in. Right?

Nicole:
Yeah definitely, like no one comes in and you just sit back and relax It's all done for you. So it's so easy.

Danny:
Yeah. If they need it for you to come in, you could do as well, right?

Nicole:
Yeah. Yeah. I do offer alternatives of coming in, doing site visits, etc., It just depends what the client needs. But the main focus is obviously virtual design. So, if he didn't want anybody to come in, that's absolutely fine and you can still get your design all done for you.

Danny:
Nice nice.. So, tell me what inspired you. First of all, just doing interior design and then how did you get to take the path of E-design?

Nicole:
So, I was working at a high end interior designer in Southwest London and while I was there, I just noticed that it was certain types of client that would only come to get interior design. And I was something like, Oh that's, everybody else has a bit missing out on this. You know, I didn't, I thought that wasn't fair for everybody could have a lovely home. So, I decided to create my own brand about affordability. So, interior design that's supportable for everybody and I wanted to take it there so everybody can have affordable interior design and that's, where I started off of

Danny:
Amazing! So, taking beautiful interior design to the masses, in an efficient manner that's going to be cost effective. That's what I hear you saying, right?

Nicole:
That is exactly it in a nutshell.

Danny:
Amazing. And in terms of trends, I'm just curious just because I know that interior design and everything to do with design moves very quickly and whether that's two years, five years and so forth, what's trending right now?

Nicole:
So, a massive trend that I am seeing on Pinterest, Instagram, everywhere, even clients are asking me is called “Japandi”. I'm not sure if you've heard of it. It's a complete fusion between Japanese design and modern Scandinavian. So, it's all about creating muted tones and a common environment that incorporates a bit of French way. So, it's basically everything that everybody needs right now.

Danny:
Very interesting. Well, common environment is certainly what we need in the current environment that we're living in and especially where we're finding ourselves more in our own homes and where we need something common. So, definitely interesting. But that, reminds me of that word you said that then, what was it? Japandi,

Nicole:
Japandi, yep. That's it.

Danny:
And that's an interesting mix you said Japanese and Scandinavian.

Nicole:
Yeah. So they are sort of similar in a way of how they both look aesthetically. Obviously, the muted tones comes mainly from the Scandinavian side of things rather than the Japanese side, but the furnishings are very similar. But again, it's all about using those muted tones, which creates a timeless design so you're not having to keep changing, you know, your wall decor you can change the soft furnishings rather than having to completely upgrade the whole room over and over again.

Danny:
That's much more practical. Okay. That's cool. I'm am Definitely going to look that up and tell me, why would someone actually choose to hire an interior designer? Why not do it themselves?

Nicole:
I think the massive plus of hiring an interior designer, but not many people actually think that this is saving money, but people don't think that is one. But it really, it really, really is because it avoids.

Danny:
They certainly wouldn't. Most people don't really associate hiring a designer with, saving money for sure.

Nicole:
No, definitely not. But the thing is it actually avoid costly mistakes. If you hire an interior designer. So in the long run you will be saving money, because you won't be making those mistakes. So you might go out and I've had a lot of clients, I've gone out and bought loads of different pieces of furniture and bought them back and thought, Oh my God, that isn't even, what I was after. It's completely different style. It doesn't go, it's not what I was after. I've just wasted all of this money. And what an interior designer can do is keep you on track with that style and work with you. And create a solid plan of what you want to achieve. And they wouldn't go off on a tangent essentially because they know what you're after and they keep you on the straight and narrow, essentially

Danny:
Absolutely, so keep you on the right path, to make sure you achieve the goal that you set out at the very beginning.

Nicole:
Exactly.

Danny:
That's interesting. And that's a good thing to point out because most people's they save wouldn't associate that with, saving money. And I know we had a short conversation as well with regards to landlords and their rental properties, which I found incredibly interesting because that's an area where you've seen things, your business grow, which is landlords actually wanted to hire you to, to make sure that their property in the best possible condition whilst maximizing on their rental. So that, that's something interesting. And, um, and I know I'm really excited that you and I are going to be doing something in the next few weeks, to answer questions. So, the most common questions that people have when it comes to interior design. So watch out people for virtual interior design seminar. But for now, if someone wanted to reach out to you, where would they find you?

Nicole:
So you can find me on Google "Wise Owl Interiors or Facebook and Instagram @wiseowlinteriors as well.

Danny:
Absolutely. And be ready to see some amazing material designed to cause. I, you know, I've gone on to your Facebook and interior and Instagram and it got some great posts out there, so you definitely know what you're doing. Well, thank you so much. Okay, you guys. Well, thank you very much for joining me again, this is kicking off the first of a series of, promoting small businesses and neighbors in the Hampstead area, in NW3 area. So really excited to have some more small businesses. Um, our goal is to just share as much as possible and made sure people buy locally. Thank you so much, Nicole, and speak to you soon. Okay, bye.