Nicole with IDS Colleagues: Linda Baker, Staci Steidley, Nicole Arnold, Ginger Curtis
Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Arnold.
Nicole, one of the nation’s most uniquely qualified and multi-skilled interior designers, provides a full range of extraordinary design services to luxury residential and prominent commercial clients throughout the metropolitan Dallas area.
As president of an award-winning design firm, she’s earned widespread acclaim for her ability to “make space meaningful” for the customized, personalized residential interiors and the commercial facilities she designs in such prestigious Dallas communities as Preston Hollow, Southlake, Highland Park, Turtle Creek, Frisco and Prosper. She also consults and guides custom home builders and realtors so they can enable their clients to visualize their new space.
Clients and professional colleagues use phrases like “superb design skills,” “superior communication skills,” and “a joy to work with” to describe Nicole, who is the winner of numerous customer service as well as design awards.
She enjoys creating custom residential interiors for CEOs, Fortune 500 executives, business owners, real estate and investment specialists and other successful professionals. In addition, she works with commercial clients ranging from World Trade Center showrooms to professional service provider offices, creating dazzling interiors that improve their customer experience and convey their corporate image.
Nicole’s clients benefit from the project management, budgeting, communication, consulting and rapport skills she gained during her highly successful 16 year sales and marketing career with Levi Strauss & Co. Her corporate background enables her to “speak the language” of the executives she now serves. Her leadership expertise has proven invaluable in current industry leadership her roles such as serving as the former president of the Dallas-Ft. Worth chapter and now a national board member of the Interior Design Society, one of the country’s largest organizations of design professionals.
“The desire to create great environments for my clients is based on a principle on which I’ve centered my work, and that’s “stewardship”. I’m being entrusted to carry something out to the best of my ability while creating a great client experience, because that, ultimately, impacts how you feel about your space when it’s complete.
I feel compelled to get things right because our surroundings, when designed well, let us relax so much more deeply, communicate more easily, and enjoy our lives to the fullest extent. That’s what I want to do for my clients.” – Nicole
She is passionate about her commitment “to invest in the next generation.” She gives presentations to interior design school students, and has taught reading and math to children in Africa, business skills to local high school students, and has led Sunday School classes.
Nicole Arnold Interiors, which has been recognized as a Dallas Top 10 Design Firm, is backed by a team of some of the region’s foremost contractors, painters, lighting specialists, upholsterers, drapery experts, and other professionals. The company also utilizes a nationwide network of vendors and suppliers to provides its clients with the best array of furnishing options.
Nicole co-founded the North Texas Design Group in 2003, an alliance of designers working directly with manufacturers to provide clients with competitive pricing and a wide assortment of exclusive furnishings. Additionally, she holds a dual major Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing and Professional Sales from Kennesaw State University. She is an IDS Professional and ASID Associate.
Meanwhile, we’re grateful to see the fruits of our labor in winning several awards from the Interior Design Society (IDS) and American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), two of the country’s largest organizations of design professionals. I received six awards for client projects and, the Dallas-Ft. Worth IDS chapter won two national recognition awards for projects, while I served as its president.
“I’m equally honored to be featured in and serve as an industry resource for an increasing number of publications and online outlets, including the Dallas Morning News, Texas Construction News, Candy’s Dirt, CultureMap Dallas, KBB Online and Lifestyle Frisco.”
Additionally, Freshome.com, a digital industry partner recognized us as one of the Top 20 Dallas interior designers.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not always…my initial conception of the business started at ground zero and had a slow, but steady momentous build toward for the first 6 years. Staffing and economic challenges took a toll on our production during our 7th year and by the following year, we had fully recovered. There are always challenges with vendors, clients, staff and the economy…it’s the nature of business. I believe to successfully navigate through those involves unfailing perseverance, acting upon laser focused goals and exhibiting patience for seasons to cycle through.
Nicole Arnold Interiors – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
What sets me apart from others in the industry is my experience from my first career with Levi Strauss & Co. A wildly successful, global, Fortune 500 company can teach a budding entrepreneur a lot about business. My industry is stereotypically known for creative talent and very rarely for business talent. I have both, which not only sets me apart, but earns me referrals time and time again. My customers experience the benefit of established back office processes, a clear and timely communication standard, professional issue resolution, which culminates into a very well-managed project. To achieve the correct aesthetic and functional result they seek, we use a consultative selling approach that enables me to help them define their goals to ensure complete clarity. Our number one feedback comment from clients, beyond them loving their design is how well the experience worked for them (removed stress, handled all the details, made things easy, etc.).
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I don’t know that there’s just one…every day when a client or vendor tells me I made a positive difference in their lives through something my company has done, that’s what makes me most proud. I was created to serve others and make a positive impact in their lives using the gifts I’ve received. Hearing that I’ve actually done that for others is what warms my heart and propels me to continue building my business.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nainteriors.com
- Phone: 214-326-1160
- Email: nicole@nainteriors.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NicoleArnoldInteriors
Image Credit:
Michael Hunter
Holger Oberhaus
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
