Today we’d like to introduce you to Riki Shafigi.
Hi Riki, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Since childhood, I’ve had a passion for the arts. I was a professional ballet dancer and loved to draw and sketch. I would spend hours drawing wedding dresses in my spare time, received the high school award for design, and just knew I wanted a career in the design field. But life doesn’t always take you in the direction you had envisioned; I ended up earning a degree in finance, getting married, having 4 kids, and working with my husband in the family business. However, that passion for design never faded, and I was growing bored and unfulfilled with accounting and sitting in front of a computer screen most of the day. I decided to see if I can engage in interior design as a hobby, designing for friends and family. I took courses as part of the interior design program at UCLA and began offering my design services to those who needed a design on a budget. Over the past few years, my career has taken off. I specialize in design for remodels, new construction, and investment properties, and I am grateful to fulfill the intrinsic passion I have always possessed for interior design.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It certainly hasn’t been without it’s challenges.
It’s not easy growing a business while still giving full attention to my family. I’m also very involved in the construction aspect of design, so I’m often working with multiple contractors, and each have their own way of working which I need to adapt to. I work all hours of the day because oftentimes my clients are working all day, so discussing their project may happen after my kids and their kids have gone to bed.
As you know, we’re big fans of RikiSDesign. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
I specialize in interior design for remodels, new construction, and investment properties. I help my clients with the entire design process, from reviewing architectural plans to designing their room layout and ordering all finishing materials. I work with my client’s budget in mind always. I will never push my client for a design they are not comfortable with, and I make a stressful process very easy and enjoyable. My client feels like they are very much a part of the process, but I take away much of the unease and stress of construction. I don’t have a particular design style I’m known for. I’m flexible and knowledgeable in all design styles which makes me available to design for everyone, whether their style is modern, traditional, or contemporary. I’m proud that for the past few years, all of my projects have come from word of mouth/referrals. I also pride myself in always being ahead of the contractor in terms of having all finishes selected before the contractor needs them. This takes away construction delays which often happen due to delays in decision-making. I now have a network of contractors, architects, and suppliers on my team which I am happy to offer to my clients.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Happiness is walking through a completed project with my clients. Seeing the look on their face when their homes are complete and going over before pictures with them as a reminder to both of us of how far we’ve come. It’s validation of my hard work. I also love putting together the tile combinations for the home. It’s that creative process that bring out the best in me. It makes me happy to get texts from my clients months after their projects are complete, saying how happy they are in their newly renovated or newly constructed home. You have to Love what you do, and I’m thrilled to be doing what I love every day.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rikisdesign.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/rikisdesign
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/rikisdesign
