Q3 2021

18 BUILD Q3 2021 Jun21631 Best Full-Service Interior Design Firm - Southeast USA & BUILD Award for Excellence in Residential Interior Design - Southeast USA TEW Design Studio is a full-service interior design firm working with residential and commercial clients to form distinctive, livable spaces that lift your spirit and surround you with beauty. ima Nasser founded TEW Design Studio on the principle that design should be fun, exciting and daring. The company mantra is that ‘great things never come from comfort zones.’ It offers this approach to all clients, especially those that may have conservative tastes with a monochromatic palette. Its clients come to TEW Designs for diversity and a bold portfolio of ideas. “They’ve already gone outside the box by coming to us. All we need for them to do is take one more step, to help them tap into their personality and marry that with their family’s functional needs,” states Rima. The most rewarding part of the job for Rima and her team is knowing that a homeowner’s investment in interior design has helped life become brighter, more comfortable, and more efficient. For businesses such as salons, retail and restaurants, the team takes pride in helping owners bring in more foot traffic thanks to an inspiring, well-designed environment. “This keeps me motivated to learn new things, source better products, and be innovative in our designs.” Rima continues, “We serve both commercial and residential clients to create uplifting spaces that are visually inspiring and easy to live and work in.” Each TEW Design Studio team member brings a fresh approach to interior design thanks to the firm’s cultural diversity. This results in unique insights based on experience both domestically and abroad. Rima was born in Palestine and immigrated to the U.S. as a teen, before studying abroad at the Florence Design Academy in Italy. She grew up enjoying architecture from around the world and fancies earthy design and the use of greenery and Moroccan influences with bold colors and patterns. Rima is proud of establishing TEW as a diverse team of women of various nationalities who bring a fresh approach to interior design. “Our team impacts the day-to-day life of our clientele and how they feel about their work/home environment,” states Rima. It’s clear that the biggest industry challenge is sourcing quality materials in a timely manner. For home remodelling and interior design projects, it has been very important for the team to communicate to its clientele that timeframes for implementation are now greater than prior to the pandemic. This is especially true for exceptional quality materials, fixtures, furnishings, and the like, which can take longer to produce. “We all must remain patient and confident that good design takes time. As the R adage goes ‘Don’t rush the process’,” states Rima. The unexpected benefit from the pandemic year is the newfound importance that families are now placing on functionality as well as beauty in homes. “There is certainly a new appreciation for home, and not just around traditional notions of comfort and beauty, families are now considering the importance of flow, functionality and flexibility.” Rima continues, “Our homes have never meant so much to us as they now do. They’ve become our shelter, our office, our school, our gym, our entertainment space, our sanctuary and much more. A well-designed space helps families integrate their daily lives to these new demands. Since our living space has become our everything space, many of us had never had to think about how to make home function for so many needs – some taking place at the same time!” In February 2020, her staff began moving into their larger design studio headquarters and showroom that had been in the works for months. However, just before everyone moved in, the world shut down. Its “grand opening” plans were put on hold. Today, however: “We are very proud of the relationships we’ve built and have been blessed to be busy over the past year. We’ve been in our new space for more than a year but have yet to host a large celebration with clients and friends. So, we hope sometime in 2022 to host that celebration of our new space,” says Rima. “When I started TEW Design Studio in 2015 at my dining room table, I envisioned an approachable yet bold design firm. One where the focus isn’t on transactions, but rather long-term and trusting relationships between designer and client. So, I’m very proud to see our vision become reality with an amazing team of diverse women supporting our clients’ design goals, and a beautiful space that reflects who we are as an organization,” states Rima. In fact, TEW Design Studio has been recognized as Best Full- Service Interior Design Firm - Southeast USA and the BUILD Award for Excellence in Residential Interior Design - Southeast USA. The future of interior design is bold and in good hands. Company: TEW Design Studio Name: Rima Nasser Email: [email protected] Web Address: www.tewdesignstudio.com TEW Design Studio