Jahanna Nichols is the proud owner of Jahanna L. Nichols Interior Design, Inc. Her company is passionate about creating beautiful spaces for their clients that reflect their personal style and always strive to make the process simple and enjoyable. We’re excited to shine a light on Jahanna and are eager to share her journey as a designer with you!
What is your favorite part about being a designer?
I really love and appreciate so many different design styles. Being a designer gives me the opportunity and challenge to create spaces that really vary. Whether it’s a historic home, a beach house or a city penthouse, every project is different and every client is unique. It’s so much fun to develop an individualized look for every project.
Who or what would you cite as your most important influence?
My parents were my biggest influence. They had a successful art glass business while I was growing up. My mom was the artist and my dad ran the business. They worked long hours but also loved what they were doing. I watched them put together presentations and collaborate with clients, designers, architects and contractors. I often went along on meetings. I remember seeing these beautiful grand homes that they were working on. It definitely sparked a passion for design at an early age.
If you could travel back, what advice would you give yourself as you start this career?
As a designer, I would encourage myself to be fearless, to take risks on every project, think big and think outside the box. Good design can be missed by paying too much attention to the “rules.” As a business owner I would tell myself not to try and do it all. It’s impossible! It is really important to work smart. If you want your business to grow you have to surround yourself with a talented team who can do the things you can’t do. Focus on what you do best, and let others do what they do best.
What is your favorite current resource?
Juggling being a mom and having a career, I think it’s really invaluable to have online resources. It allows me to work any time, 24/7. Being efficient is more important than ever. I’m loving the companies that group lots of vendors together at different price points. It really helps reduce sourcing time and allows me to be more productive.
Fun fact about yourself…
Even though I’ve been doing this for twenty years, I still get nervous before most presentations and certainly before every install! I’ve also made it a tradition to place one accessory at the end of every project as a little ‘thank you’ gift from me to my clients.