Conversations with NIL ERBIL

Today we’d like to introduce you to NIL ERBIL.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My journey through life has always been full of challenges, but every challenge shaped the career and creative path I built for myself.

I once dreamed of becoming an actress and being part of the movie industry, but life led me toward a different kind of creativity . Creating spaces, experiences, and lifestyles that bring people joy, beauty, and quality into their lives.

After 17 years as a creative designer, I still feel like a student every day. There is always something new to learn, new inspiration to discover, and new ideas to bring to life so I can continue delivering my very best.

I have always believed that dreams do not come easily. You must have faith, stay patient, and continue following your vision no matter how long the journey takes. My story began with believing in myself first , and then having others recognize my talent.

Nothing was carefully planned. I followed my instincts, trusted the flow of life, and worked hard. Creating spaces brings me happiness because design is more than aesthetics to me,it is about emotion, energy, and experience.

My first major experience began as a hospitality creative director, which later expanded into designing restaurants, bars, Burning Man camps, and Sundance Film Festival pop-ups. New York City became my first big step, where I spent 12 years building and designing different venues before expanding my work into Los Angeles and Miami.

I’ve had the privilege of designing private homes and creative spaces for talented individuals including Marlon Wayans, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Jalen Rose, and Pharrell Williams, along with many other creatives and artists.

Everything came naturally through passion, dedication, and truly loving what I do.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Life is experience. Of course, I had many ups and downs throughout my career, but every challenge made me wiser, stronger, and more prepared for the future.

As a creative person, I often feel like I give more energy than I receive. Every project becomes like a baby to me; something I nurture, guide, and grow with my vision from the very beginning. At the same time, I am also building my clients’ dreams and turning their ideas into reality.

My role goes far beyond design. I manage vendors, coordinate teams, lead timelines, solve unexpected problems, and make sure everyone involved stays aligned with the vision and execution. It carries a great amount of responsibility and pressure because I always want to deliver exactly what I promised, seamlessly and with excellence.

Making the best decisions on behalf of my clients and earning their trust means everything to me. I give more than 100% of myself into every project and push forward relentlessly to make each vision come to life.

Sometimes things do not go as planned, but I never allow challenges to stop me. I learned not to stay stuck in disappointment or emotion for too long. Instead, I learned to adapt, stay strong under pressure, and always have a Plan B so the project can continue moving forward successfully.

Through all the stress, responsibility, and long hours, my passion for creating has never left me. That passion is what continues to drive me every single day.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am an interior designer, but honestly, those two words alone do not fully explain what I do. I feel I am much more than just an interior designer.

I have a strong creative vision and the ability to expand curated ideas into complete concepts and experiences. My work begins from the ground up, from vision and storytelling to spatial flow, construction understanding, execution, and final details.

My background started in hospitality design, including boutique hotels, private membership clubs, restaurants, bars, creative communities, and immersive pop-up experiences such as Burning Man camps and Sundance Film Festival activations. These experiences shaped my understanding of how design can influence emotion, connection, energy, and human experience.

Hospitality design remains one of my strongest specialties, but I also deeply love residential design, especially transforming smaller spaces into timeless, unique environments that feel like little jewels.

Looking back on my 17 years of experience, I realize that every project I created has its own identity and story. Most importantly, my work has remained timeless, recognized, and successful over the years.

I am extremely hands-on throughout the entire process, from the very first concept meeting to construction, installation, styling, and even long-term maintenance and evolution of the space. Because of this, I have built long-lasting relationships with my clients based on trust, loyalty, and shared vision.

I never relied on marketing agencies or large promotional campaigns. My work has always grown naturally through word of mouth, genuine relationships, and the experiences people have inside the spaces I create.

Every project has a beautiful story to tell, and for me, design is never only about aesthetics; it is about creating feeling, memory, energy, and lasting impact.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Pinterest has always been one of my favorite tools for brainstorming and starting a project. It helps me explore moods, textures, architecture, materials, and visual storytelling during the early creative process.

At the same time, I love watching MasterClass and learning from talented creatives and industry leaders who continue to inspire me and expand my perspective on design and creativity.

I also built a large personal library of authentic interior design books collected from around the world. These books are a constant source of inspiration and knowledge for me, allowing me to study timeless design, different cultures, architecture, hospitality concepts, and creative details from many generations and styles.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.stylemood.design
• Instagram: stylemood
• Other: https://www.dezeen.com/2019/04/21/habitas-new-york-city-members-clubhouse-stylemood/