Today we’d like to introduce you to Aisha Lewis-Martin.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Aisha. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
A Detroiter byway of upstate New York, I have come a long way from majoring in the medical field. My creative gene came busting through with a vengeance about 15 years ago and has yet to let me go. Growing up, my mom and grandmother were always creative around the house. From making window treatments to reupholstering their furniture and tiling their backsplash to making clothing, the creative gene doesn’t fall far from the genetic tree.
One day while watching HGTV, I had an epiphany, “Wow, so I can really make a career out of this.” I then stood up tall and said okay let’s do this! My formal design education journey began in Dearborn, Michigan in 2007, while still in grad school working on my M.B.A. Challenge is my middle name (not really), so why not study hard and obtain two degrees simultaneously. It definitely was not easy and the lack of sleep, while being a new mom, was sometimes overwhelming. Although challenging, I appreciate my journey and would not change a thing.
Upon relocating to Texas in 2011, I was able to begin rebuilding my business after leaving a declining economy in Detroit. I was never one to think I would work for someone punching a clock for the rest of my life, so I began my journey towards a lifetime of independence doing what I love. Dedication, hard work, cultural awareness, grit and the ability to remain authentically me has proven a successful strategy in building my business, obtaining and sustaining clientele and growing in this competitive industry.
Has it been a smooth road?
Unfortunately, the road is never smooth when building your own business. In the beginning, it is about creating business relationships, choosing vendors, creating organizational systems to keep you on track and most importantly obtaining clients. This alone is not for the faint of heart. Owning your own business as an interior designer means 10% creativity and 90% business.
As a full-service design firm, you must have access to every tradesman out there. This is one of the most difficult aspects of this business. Building a team you can depend on, who is honest, who shows up for work and a team who chases quality and not money, is not an easy feat. I pride myself on being the designer who is hands-on, accessible, easy to work with and who doesn’t have a shortage of new ideas, so I expect the same from my team. Sunday isn’t always a day off in this industry.
Please tell us about Functional Conceptz for Interiors.
Functional Conceptz, an interior design firm, was born while obtaining my education for interior design. We had to create a company name among other things, while in the program. I loved my company name so very much that it just stuck. Eventually, after relocating to Texas, in 2011, I added the “for Interiors” to Functional Conceptz to ensure my company’s purpose was clearly defined. I consider myself a creative strategist, marriage counselor, litigation expert and an interior specialist but you can just call me an interior designer.
My specialty is creating balanced, distinctive and functional residential interiors. I also dibble and dabble in commercial design whenever the opportunity arises. My design firm is a full-service company, which includes remodeling kitchens and bathrooms, furniture selection and acquisition, lighting, custom drapery, custom furniture, upholstery, flooring, countertop fabrication and turn-key design and an array of other creative capabilities.
I am most proud of the ability to work with various clients from all walks of life. Being in this lovely melting pot here in the DFW area allows me to service various ethnicities and backgrounds. Meeting new people and exploring their cultures, likes and dislikes within their homes, has always been an amazing experience. I love to see the look on my Clients face when I discuss their culture and how it relates to design. It totally gives me an edge, as I have always been fascinated with the design world overseas and throughout various cultures.
In 2016, my husband joined the team fulltime thus creating a remodeling dynamic duo very unlike those couples you see on television. We are raw and uncut and have begun to put out videos on YouTube and IG, called “Design Wine” and “Tip Tuesday,” geared towards helping potential clients become better clients for the sake of the project and any contractor a person may choose to hire. It has been exciting, frustrating and a game-changer for the clients that pursue Functional Conceptz for Interiors. Our videos showcase our personalities and you able to see exactly what you will get if you want us for your remodeling project. As for design, it is still just me on any given design projects.
Design has been my life for over 13 years and I pride myself on being a designer who executes one of a kind designs. All of my Clients are different so I feel a design should never be duplicated and it should always be authentically theirs. That is what sets me apart from the rest. My portfolio is vast and showcases many design styles and zero duplications.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
The DFW metro area is a great platform for the interior design industry. The steady growth and influx of people from all walks of life ensure there should not be a shortage of work here any time soon. This is definitely a place to begin your interior design business. There are so many resources right here in Dallas along with some great people who can be an added benefit to you. You just have to be willing to put in the work.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.
functionalconceptz.com - Phone: 2148563636
- Email: functionalconceptz@
gmail.com - Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/azlewisdesigns/ - Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/ FunctionalConceptz4Interiors/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/
AZLewisDesign
Image Credit:
Donna Dunlap – Picturing Art
Aisha Lewis – Functional Conceptz for Interiors
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