Click on the image to see more of Nicole’s stunning work!

Today in The Lounge Nick joins Nicole Hogarty, principal of Nicole Hogarty Designs. Nicole chats with Nick about growing up in a small town, the importance of design in her childhood, pursuing her education at Parsons School of Design, and diving head first into her design career!

Small Town Charm

Nicole was born and raised in a small town in Massachusetts located south of Boston. As a child, her parents recognized her creative abilities, but it wasn’t until her teenage years that she says her talent blossomed. Her mom was an entrepreneur and the first female franchise owner of a mattress store — so every year she had the opportunity to transform the interior of her room with a new bed.  Within the first few years of majoring in Marketing and Communications at the Fashion Institute of Technology, she realized her passion was design. Shortly thereafter, she pursued interior design at The Parsons School of Design in New York.

Design Career

She worked and designed for her brother, a contractor, for three years immediately after graduation. During those years, she says her biggest achievement was learning and working closely with the trade. In 2002, she found her own creative voice and designed her first spec home with her brother, which sold within the first week and initiated her own business career. She received several referrals with the instant success of the spec home.

 Through networking and building a strong relationship with her sales rep, she continued to receive referral business. Her luggage, her favorite fashion accessory, accompanies her frequently during her long weekend vacations to big cities and the beach. Her drink of choice is champagne!

Successful Business

Today she runs a successful high-end residential Interior Design business serving the downtown Boston area as well as several other cities.  With the help of five trustworthy staffers, she is able to focus on the business AND creative side. An initial free consultation helps her understand the client to determine if she is the right fit for them and vice versa, which has enabled her to take on more projects. She encourages designers to disregard size for the right project. A few other tips of advice from Nicole: take business classes, don’t micromanage, understand your client demographic and be mindful of your first hire (hire a bookkeeper or office manager).

For more information on Nicole Hogarty visit: www.nicolehogarty.com

Instagram @nicolehogartydesigns