6th October 2026 | IN DESIGN ADVICE | BY SBID Share Tweet Pinterest LinkedIn Enjy Fouad, Founder & Principal Designer at Envious Design, has given her insights into the industry. Enjy Fouad is the Founder and Principal Designer of Envious Design, a Vancouver-based residential interiors studio established in 2009. With a Bachelor of Business Administration and formal education in interior design, she brings both design and business experience to her practice. Envious Design began in home staging and property styling and has since evolved into custom residential interiors, including new builds, renovations and fully managed turnkey furnishing and move-in projects. Growing up in Cairo, surrounded by textiles, furniture, architecture and a culture of working directly with artisans, shaped Enjy’s appreciation for craftsmanship. Her travels throughout Europe and life in Vancouver have further shaped her design perspective, grounded in proportion, materiality and natural surroundings. Envious Design Why did you want to work in the interior design profession? My earliest connection to design came from growing up around furniture and objects that carried history. My mother collected antiques, often finding pieces at auctions, and I was fascinated by the stories behind them and by the materials, details and craftsmanship that gave each piece its character. Growing up amid Cairo’s bustling streets deepened that fascination, as the old and the new came together through the city’s architecture, textiles and interiors with prominent European influence. We also had access to skilled artisans, and it was possible to approach them with an idea for a piece of furniture and have it made. That freedom made creativity feel tangible and showed me the possibilities of having something individual made rather than choosing what was readily available. Together, these influences nurtured my passion for design and architecture. Interior design allowed me to bring that lifelong interest into my work, creating homes with character that reflect the people who live in them. Envious Design Which elements of your profession do you enjoy the most? What I enjoy most is understanding how people live and translating that into an interior that feels connected to them. I begin by listening and then looking closely at the home’s architecture, proportions, light and natural surroundings. I let these elements guide the direction rather than imposing a style that does not belong. I also love sourcing and developing pieces with character. I have had the opportunity to work with European artists and furniture designers whose work is shaped by natural materials, specialised techniques and a strong creative story. That experience has deepened the way I approach furnishings within my interiors. Whether selecting natural stone, developing custom millwork or modifying the fabric, colour or finish of a piece, I enjoy creating relationships between elements so the final home feels refined, layered and deeply personal. Envious Design What has been your most memorable career highlight from the past year? The most meaningful career highlight of the past year was completing my Diploma in Interior Design and becoming an SBID Accredited Interior Designer. I founded Envious Design in 2009 and have built my experience through many years of working directly with homeowners, builders and trades. Returning to formal study allowed me to deepen the technical knowledge behind that experience and look at my work from a renewed perspective. Receiving SBID accreditation felt like an important recognition of both that professional journey and the standards I want Envious Design to represent. It was not the beginning of a new career, but a significant step forward in one I have been building for more than a decade. Together, the diploma and accreditation have given me a stronger foundation for the next stage of the studio and the projects ahead. Envious Design What are your favourite types of projects to work on and why? I am most drawn to custom residential projects where I can develop a clear direction for the home as a whole. New builds and substantial renovations are especially rewarding because they allow the planning, materials, lighting, millwork and furnishings to relate to one another from the beginning. It is that thoughtful relationship between material, function and story that gives a home depth and connects each decision to the whole. I also enjoy fully managed turnkey furnishing and move-in projects, particularly for executives, families relocating to Vancouver or clients preparing a second residence. These projects allow me to consider the complete experience of living in the home. I love creating interiors that respond to the architecture and natural surroundings while reflecting the clients’ character, collections, and way of life. Envious Design What are the most challenging aspects of working in interior design? One of the most challenging aspects is protecting the clarity of the original design through a process that involves many people, decisions and practical constraints. A change to the floor plan can affect the lighting, millwork and furniture, while a material substitution can alter the balance of an entire room. Good design depends on maintaining the relationship between all of those elements while responding to budgets, construction realities, lead times and the unexpected issues that arise. There is also a great deal of responsibility in guiding clients through decisions they may live with for many years. It requires patience, clear communication and the confidence to explain when a choice may not support the larger vision. The challenge is not simply to produce a beautiful idea but to carry its intention through every stage until the home is finished. Envious Design What do you wish you knew before working in the field? I wish I had understood earlier that confidence in this profession is built gradually. It comes from making decisions, solving problems on site, learning from craftspeople and seeing how materials and details perform in real homes. Hands-on experience develops a different kind of judgement that cannot be rushed. I also learned that not every idea needs to follow what is current. Trends can be useful indicators of how people are living, but they should not determine the identity of a home. The strongest work comes from understanding the architecture, listening closely to the client and knowing when to edit. Over time, you become more comfortable trusting that process and allowing a project to develop with clarity rather than trying to prove too much in every room. Envious Design Envious Design If you could give one tip to aspiring designers, what would it be? Learn to look beyond the finished photograph. A beautiful image can attract your attention, but a designer needs to understand why the room works: its proportions, circulation, lighting, material transitions and relationship to the architecture. Train your eye to recognise strong design while developing your own judgement. Be curious about how things are made and take the time to learn from contractors, fabricators and craftspeople. Understanding the process behind a material or object will make you a more thoughtful designer. Listen carefully to your clients without losing the ability to guide them. Most importantly, do not rush to imitate what is popular or force a signature style. A genuine point of view develops over time through experience, observation and consistency. The goal is not for every project to look the same, but for each one to carry the same level of thought and intention. How do you see the interior design industry evolving in the year ahead? I believe the industry will continue moving away from interiors designed around short-lived trends and towards homes with greater individuality, permanence and connection to their surroundings. After years of too much, too fast, clients are seeking a slower, more considered way of living and homes that bring greater ease and support well-being. This is creating a deeper appreciation for natural materials, craftsmanship, vintage and collected pieces, and furnishings that can be kept rather than quickly replaced. Technology and artificial intelligence will continue to influence how designers research, visualise and communicate ideas, but they cannot replace discernment, experience or the trust between designer and client. I believe luxury will increasingly be defined less by excess and more by quality, provenance and how well a home supports daily life. The designer’s role will remain deeply human: listening, interpreting and creating something specific to the people who live there. What does being an SBID Accredited Interior Designer mean to you? Becoming an SBID Accredited Interior Designer has meant having my experience, education and commitment to professional standards recognised within an international professional community. Having founded Envious Design more than sixteen years ago, I found that acknowledgement especially meaningful. It also reflects the level of responsibility that comes with designing people’s homes. Clients place considerable trust in a designer, both in the creative direction and in the decisions, coordination and guidance required throughout a project. SBID accreditation reinforces my commitment to approaching that responsibility with integrity, professionalism and continued learning. For Envious Design, it marks an important stage in the studio’s growth and reinforces the values that have always guided the work: close attention, creative focus and a highly tailored level of service, with every interior developed with intention. Enjy Fouad, Founder of Envious Design About Envious Design Envious Design believes each home should tell a story reflecting how its owners live and entertain. Our design philosophy is rooted in proportion, materiality, and shaped by the home’s character, and natural surroundings. The studio’s material language is expressed through bespoke details, rich tactile textures, natural stone, and curated furnishings, layered with intention to create a timeless aesthetic. A signature of Envious Design is our fully managed turnkey furnishing and move-in service for executives and families. Every element is considered from creative direction, and material selections to design management, and final styling. The result is a home that feels refined, collected and deeply personal. Visit Profile If you’d like to feature your news or stories on SBID.org, get in touch to find out more. If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.