wellington | designer
Nina Williams Offers A Unique International Perspective By Deborah Welky
Nina Williams of Nina Williams Interiors brings clients a unique international view to her work as an interior decorator. Part of it comes from a youth spent on the move. On several occasions, Williams found herself packing up and moving to a new country — a country where she didn’t know the language, the customs, the food or the style of dress. “My father was an engineer who helped build power stations,” Williams recalled. “Our family lived in Hungary, Germany and South Africa. When I got married, I moved to the United States. Traveling around seems like a glamorous life, but when you’re being dragged around by your parents, it really isn’t fun. I had to learn to assimilate.” However, living on three different continents gave Williams a real insight into the citizens and styles of the world, a rare background that she uses every day in her work as an interior decorator.
“I am very sensitive to people’s different needs,” Williams said. “I love to find out where they’re from. I think it’s interesting what people find beautiful in different countries. German décor is completely different than South African décor. There are so many different ways to do things. So, even though these experiences were somewhat traumatic, really, I use all the skills I gained to give my clients what they want.” To do this, Williams first does a walkthrough, having the client show her the house or area of the house that they want her to design. She asks lifestyle questions — how many people are in the family; how many children or pets; how each space will be used. Whether the home is used seasonally or full-time is also important.
“They usually have lots of pictures of the style they like,” Williams said. “And the budget is very important, because not only do I want to stay on budget, I want to get them the best possible bang for their buck.” Once a client has decided to proceed, there’s a contract and a deposit. Then, Williams’ work begins. wellington the magazine | december 2017
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