An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
Be intentional with decor. Display pieces that reflect your personality and interests. I’ve found that it reminds me to make time for hobbies when I can visually see them. It’s also a fun conversation starter when you entertain. Coffee table books and decor objects are two of my favorite ways to incorporate them.
As part of my series on the “5 Things You Can Do To Help Your Living Space Spark More Joy”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Zara Khan. (www.zarakhan.design).
With a background in engineering, interior design is where Zara’s technical mind and creative intuition come together seamlessly. Zara has fully embraced her passion for all aspects of the design process. From construction to decor, Zara is driven by her desire to make sure every detail of the project is completed to perfection.
Thank you so much for joining us in this series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
I honestly never considered interior design as a potential career path. My undergrad was in biomedical engineering and it was clear that I was not passionate about the field even though it was the fastest growing industry at the time.
I was venting to a friend about how scared I felt at the idea of spending the rest of my career doing something I didn’t enjoy. She revealed that she always thought I would be a natural at interior design. She reminded me that every year we moved in college I took the lead on how the apartment should look (even suggesting how others should decorate their rooms). Once she planted the seed, I started researching interior design and the more I learned the more I realized it might be the perfect fit!
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career?
When I decided to pursue interior design, it never occurred to me just how personal it could be. I chose biomedical engineering because I wanted to help people and the more I interacted with clients I realized that interior design is helping people, just in a different way.
Being inside someone’s home, learning about how they live their life and getting to know their family is so intimate and necessary in order to design a space that meets their specific needs. I think the hardest part for me is completing a project because you don’t see the clients as often, but I am so grateful that they transition into being friends.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I was designing a little girl’s room and had tunnel vision for finding a very specific nightstand style at a specific price point. After searching for what seemed like forever I found one that fit the criteria. When it arrived the box was small, really small…it was for a dollhouse! I check the dimensions on EVERYTHING now.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? How do you think that might help people?
I primarily work on residential projects and there is such a range of spaces within that category. I have found that I gravitate towards wine cellars. I enjoy talking to clients about the importance of a conditioned space, organizational preferences and how to make the space cohesive with the rest of their home.
I recently completed my first commercial project- a wine tasting room for Emercy Wines in Paso Robles, CA. I am going to start working on a boutique hotel soon in Morro Bay, CA, which I am really excited about!
Commercial spaces really push you to think about how to create a space that can be used by people with different needs and still provide a memorable experience for everyone. I am so fortunate to live in a place where most people vacation, and the goal is always to provide a unique space where they can relax and make memories.
Most of my friends and family aren’t able to see and experience my work so it has been neat to have a space to take them to visit and enjoy ourselves too.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Friends and good manners will carry you where money won’t go.” — Margaret Walker.
Relationships are the most important thing to me, but it is also so easy not to make time for them when life gets busy. I am convinced most of the opportunities and experiences I have had can be traced back to surrounding myself with great people.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
When I was still in the research phase of what interior design even entailed, I emailed a few designers in my area and took them to coffee to ask them more about day to day work. One of the designers I met with, Erica Gomez, offered me a part time job a few days after and I worked with her for a little over a year. I am still so grateful that she took the chance on me, invested the time into teaching me and for all the experience I gained working with her.
Thank you for that. Here is the main question of our discussion. What are your “5 Things You Can Do To Help Your Living Space Spark More Joy” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
- Have a home for everything. I believe a neat space helps us relax and we are more likely to put things away if there is a designated spot for it.
- Always have a candle on hand. Enjoying a space isn’t just about what we see, but how we feel. You can influence the type of experience you want to have just by the scent you choose!
- Be intentional with decor. Display pieces that reflect your personality and interests. I’ve found that it reminds me to make time for hobbies when I can visually see them. It’s also a fun conversation starter when you entertain. Coffee table books and decor objects are two of my favorite ways to incorporate them.
- Add greenery. I can’t be trusted to keep plants alive, but I have found that a unique vase filled with eucalyptus branches has the same effect and can last a couple months before they need to be replaced (with zero care in between!).
- Less is more. I love a perfectly styled bookshelf or coffee table, but make sure you’re taking scale and balance into consideration, otherwise you can end up with a cluttered, over-styled look.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
I would require that everyone study abroad in high school or college- I wish I had done it myself!
I believe that if more people were given the opportunity to live somewhere completely different, have experiences they otherwise wouldn’t and understand how others live, we would all live in a much more tolerant, accepting and accessible world.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this, especially if we tag them.
Bethenny Frankel- I really admire all that she has been able to accomplish in business and philanthropy while being transparent and completely herself. We seem to have similar personalities and I think she would be able to understand and offer guidance in a way that would resonate with me. I also just love her style!
How can our readers follow you on social media?
Instagram/Facebook: @zaraseharkhan
Website: www.zarakhan.design
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational!
Zara Khan: 5 Things You Can Do To Help Your Living Space Spark More Joy was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.