Listen to Kamelia Rahmatzadeh talk about design or art, or even just creativity in general, and two things quickly become apparent: she鈥檚 utterly passionate about what she does and she鈥檚 instantly likeable.
She founded Designs for Life鈥攚hich offers home staging, interior decorating and interior design services鈥攚hen she was just 25 and still in design school, with the whole thing coming about as a bit of an accident.
鈥淢y family is in construction, and I always wanted to be an interior designer,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey would hire stagers [for the new builds]鈥nd the stagers did a good job, but they were using floral fabrics and deep jewelled tones and I thought, this just didn鈥檛 appeal to the masses.鈥�
Kamelia was in the process of outfitting her own home when an opportunity came up to stage a home with her own furniture, and it was a huge success.
鈥淚 just kept getting referrals,鈥� she says, adding that it led to an increasing number of clients who wanted Designs for Life to decorate their homes.
鈥淭his past year it鈥檚 been a lot of interior design,鈥� she says, and given her eye for unusual and striking design, it鈥檚 not surprising Vancouverites have been lining up to get Kamelia鈥檚 expertise.
鈥淩ight now I love playing with scale, or patterns and textures and colour contrasts. I love using out of the ordinary artwork, or having huge light fixtures, or very small art in a big room. Things that are out of the ordinary. And I love mixing old world with new world, for decorating, not staging,鈥� she explains. 鈥淚 definitely love pushing the bar. What I hope to do in the near future is create very avant-garde, eclectic designs.鈥�
The 7 Sins
Envy:
Whose shoes would you like to walk in?
Kelly Wearstler! In my eyes she鈥檚 like the Lady Gaga of the design world, an absolute icon and visionary to the design industry. She continuously pushes the bar, impressing her audience with unexpected and avant-garde designs. It would be a great delight to walk in her shoes!
Gluttony:
What is the food you could eat over and over again?
I am a huge foodie, so this is a tough question for me to answer. But if I must choose one, I vote for fresh, wild, sustainable seafood! When prepared well, it鈥檚 a perfectly light and satisfying meal!
Greed:
You鈥檙e given $1 million that you have to spend selfishly. What would you spend it on?
Oh, I鈥檇 spend that very fast! I love to play real life Monopoly, investing in real estate. The long-term gift that keeps on giving. (Wink.)
Wrath:
Pet peeves?
I always thought small rugs were my pet peeve, but recently that鈥檚 shifted to undersized sectionals or seating arrangements. I believe we should maximize the seating in our living spaces. After all, we鈥檙e paying a pretty penny for our square footage in Vancouver!
Sloth:
Where would you spend a long time doing nothing?
It鈥檚 not in my nature to be still, unless I鈥檓 near the ocean. Put me on a paddle board and under the sun and I鈥檒l be at my happiest. Perhaps I鈥檓 a mermaid at heart.
Pride:
What is the one thing you鈥檙e secretly proud of?
I recently lost a dear friend and it prompted me to think of the legacies we leave behind. I am proud to be able to use Designs for Life as a platform to give back to my dedicated team members and our community. I strive to support my team in purchasing their own homes, and we plan to give back and support single mothers. In this day and age, it鈥檚 challenging enough raising children. I can鈥檛 imagine doing it alone, and I have a profound respect for all that they do.
Lust:
What makes your heart beat faster?
Burning Man. It鈥檚 a magical experience that I think every human should experience. After founding Designs for Life, it is the best thing I have ever done for myself. Contrary to its connotation, this experience can be quite educational, spiritual and liberating. If you love adventure, radical inclusion and self-expression, I strongly encourage everyone to try it, at least once.
You can find Kamelia at
Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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