Confessions of an Interior Designer: Virtual Design

Working in our current world of social distancing has without a doubt impacted not only Nyla Free Designs but so many small businesses. Has it changed where we work? Absolutely. Has it changed how we work? Not entirely.

In 2002, I started my business in Red Deer, Alberta, with clients mostly in Calgary. I commuted every other week for meetings and sourcings, however most work was done from a distance, albeit a 1.5 hour drive. I had a phone, a fax machine and an iconic iMac G3 computer. I think high speed internet was just starting to be a thing. I had five projects that I managed as a sole proprietor from a far.

The idea of “virtual interior design” has surfaced a lot these days. How can we reinvent ourselves? What can we do differently now that we aren’t able to meet in person, visit showrooms and collaborate in an office space? Designing from a distance has been a part of our business model since the early days. I never called it “virtual design”, because for me, it was already a normal part of our process.

As team NFDI continues to be mindful of social distancing, we are all working from our respective houses, managing projects and designing beautiful homes and spaces. We miss each other! We miss seeing our clients in person, our trades and our suppliers. It’s hard being apart isn’t it?? 

Whether in Calgary, surrounding areas or in another province altogether, we stay true to the ability to work from afar, anchored in the strengths of our business. Since the start of our business we have been working on projects from a distance.

18 years later, and roughly 20 projects completed from a different city, or virtually for that matter, we’re blessed to have technology available to us, and at our fingertips. Smart phones, tablets, laptops, Pinterest, FaceTime, Zoom...I could go on. We’ve been using these resources for years already, and now more than ever they are paramount in continuing to work during a global pandemic. Furniture and decor? Renovation or new-build? Each of these are things we are enthusiastic about, all the time, even over the phone. We love design. We love our clients. No matter, where we are.

Have questions about working with us? Whether you’re in Calgary or not, we’d love to connect. Click below and tell us all about your dream home!