Timala is the creative force behind Decurated Interiors, an online interior design studio launched in 2020 specializing in services that bridge the gap between DIY home improvements and DFY full service interior design.
Tell us a little bit about how you started your business and why you became an interior designer.
I started my business in 2020 while furloughed from my corporate job. Knowing my background as a home decor buyer, a few friends reached out for help with designing home offices as they were suddenly working remotely and needed assistance coordinating functional yet stylish set ups.
These projects were in different states and being that we were all relegated to our homes during that time, I decided to leverage my sourcing skills and find online products that my friends turned clients could purchase themselves. I found a user-friendly client-facing design program to create renders and shopping lists and shared those visuals with clients for self-installation.
Through that discovery period, I noticed a digital shift of interior design services becoming more accessible to everyday people and wanted to become a part of that. Historically, these services were reserved for the affluent – eDesign changed that.
Bathroom decor featuring India’s Knit wallpaper. Image courtesy of Decurated Interiors
What’s a recent client project that you absolutely loved designing? What about it made you excited?
My favorite project to date has been my sister’s home, affectionately named “Abode Noir”. I would describe her personal style as “sophisticated playful” and she wanted her home to reflect that with various shapes, colors and textures. She let me have full creative control which is a designer’s goal for every project. Her main request was for the space to feel like a boutique hotel and that’s exactly what we created. This was also the project that introduced me to Otto Studio. We used “India’s Knit” in black and rose in her home.
What makes Otto Studio’s products stand out and why do you like to use them?
The texture on the wallpaper is outstanding which is something you typically don’t see with peel & sticks. They have a nice weight and feel less like a giant sticker. I also like that the inks are non-toxic.
What’s your favourite Otto Studio pattern (wallpaper & tile)?
My favorite wallpaper is Uzo Njoku’s “There Was A Country”. It feels like a family reunion in art form. For the tiles, I love the Paris Bistro pattern and I wonder if you will produce it in the Swan Lake – Black Emerald Colorway 🙂
How do you use wallpaper on accent walls and in unexpected places?
If I’m doing a wallpapered accent wall, I like to pull out a color from the paper and implement it on the other walls and/or furnishings & decor so the space feels complete. I love an unexpected pop of wallpaper inside cabinets and on the often forgotten fifth wall, the ceiling.
Please shed light behind your creative inspiration and how you come up with new ideas.
I get so much inspiration from color. Color stories in fashion, food, nature, travel, music, beauty, etc. Recently, a book called “Palette Perfect” has been a great source for unique color combinations for me. Whenever I find a color palette I love, I’ll make note of it and it later becomes the starting point for a design. I also like to follow people/accounts of various industries on social media so I’m not trapped in an interior design bubble. Inspiration often comes from things beyond my immediate surroundings.
What are your best design tips for new DIYers?
Pivoting is a part of the process and know when to call a pro!
What are your best design tips for someone who has moved into a brand new space? How should they go about starting to think through the design?
Live in the space for a bit so you can learn how you truly need it to function. Take it one room at a time. Designing multiple spaces at once can be overwhelming…and expensive. Depending on the work to be done, one room/area can have hundreds of decisions that need to be made. Create visuals for yourself starting with the big items like furniture then work your way through the smaller (but still important) details. Are these items coordinating and telling the story of you? Also, know when to reach out to a professional designer to help put words, visuals and products to the ideas you have in mind. The design process is a lot deeper than just picking out pretty things.
What’s your words of wisdom for others who are interested in becoming an interior designer?
Put yourself out there and lean into what makes you unique. Leverage your personality, background, upbringing, design specialty, etc. Start with designing your home or a friend/ family member’s and document the journey. Even if you don’t share it online, it’ll serve as a marker for growth as you sharpen your skills along the way.