27th February 2026 | IN DESIGN ADVICE | BY SBID Share Tweet Pinterest LinkedIn Nilfah Adams, Founder & Creative Director of Nilfah Adams, has given her insights into the industry. My career began in interior design over a decade ago, rooted in a deep curiosity about how environments shape emotion, behaviour, and identity. I trained formally in interiors and built early experience within retail, hospitality, and residential projects, which sharpened my understanding of craftsmanship, materiality, and spatial flow. Over time, my work expanded internationally, across Africa, Europe and the UK, where cultural context became a central influence on my design language. Alongside practice, I pursued advanced studies in fashion art direction and luxury brand strategy and business, enabling me to bridge interiors with storytelling, brand thinking, and experiential design. Today, through a spatial storytelling approach, I work across high-end residential projects and luxury lifestyle concepts. Crafting environments and experiences that are considered, emotionally resonant, and culturally grounded rather than trend-driven. Nilfah Adams Nilfah Adams Why did you want to work in the interior design profession? Interior design feels less like a career I chose and more like one that found me. Growing up, I was surrounded by both creativity and an appreciation for the built environment, an influence shaped strongly by my parents. From an early age, I felt an instinctive need to make things beautiful, but also to understand how beauty could serve a purpose in the way we live, feel, and find comfort in our everyday environments. I became fascinated by the psychology of space – how light, texture, proportion, and even silence shape mood, memory, and behaviour. Rather than viewing interiors as decoration, I saw them as a form of lived storytelling, where intangible ideas such as belonging, grounding, and ritual could be translated into physical form. Creating spaces that quietly support human experience, rather than demand attention, continues to anchor my commitment to the profession. Nilfah Adams Which elements of your profession do you enjoy the most? The conceptual phase, where a project is defined before form emerges. This is the moment where spatial intent, identity, and narrative are established, and where design decisions gain coherence and authority. Interpreting a client’s way of living, values, and rhythms, then translating those insights into spatial structure, proportion, and atmosphere, is where the work becomes most rigorous and meaningful. I am equally invested in the material and technical resolution of a space. Working closely with materials, artisans, and construction details allows a project to develop depth and longevity. I am drawn to creating interiors that are composed rather than styled. Spaces that feel anchored, precise, and enduring. The continual negotiation between concept and execution, intuition and discipline, creative vision and strategic thinking, is what sustains my engagement with the profession. Nilfah Adams Nilfah Adams What has been your most memorable career highlight from the past year? This past year has been defined less by a single project and more by a shift in clarity. Completing advanced postgraduate studies alongside practice allowed me to articulate my philosophy of spatial storytelling with greater precision. Seeing my work positioned not only as design, but as cultural and strategic thinking, has been a meaningful milestone. A particularly memorable moment was the special feature of a penthouse project in Cape Town, in the House & Leisure magazine in South Africa. The project offered a culturally rich and considered response to its context, drawing colour, rhythm, and narrative directly from the views beyond the windows and the heritage of the Cape Malay Quarter. Interior and exterior were treated as a continuous dialogue, allowing place and culture to inform the spatial experience rather than simply frame it. What are your favourite types of projects to work on and why? I am most drawn to residential and lifestyle projects where there is room for narrative and nuance. Homes, retreats, and concept-led environments allow for a deeper exploration of rhythm, ritual, and atmosphere. These projects invite a slower design process; one that honours material integrity and emotional flow. I am particularly inspired by projects that engage with place, whether through cultural references, landscape, or craft. When a space reflects where it belongs, and who it is for, it gains authenticity. That sense of rootedness is what I aim to cultivate in every project. Nilfah Adams What are the most challenging aspects of working in interior design? One of the greatest challenges in interior design is maintaining creative integrity while navigating external constraints; budgets, timelines, and the realities of the construction process. The depth required to resolve a project properly often demands more time and attention than the industry typically allows, making it essential to balance rigor with efficiency without compromising the quality of the outcome. Another ongoing challenge is education. There is still a need to reframe perceptions of luxury; away from immediate visual impact and toward longevity, thoughtfulness, and emotional value. Articulating this perspective requires clarity, conviction, and trust, all of which are critical to sustaining a refined and principled design practice. What do you wish you knew before working in the field? I wish I had understood earlier that interior design is about far more than making spaces look beautiful. A significant part of the profession lies in communication, boundaries, and emotional intelligence. Design skill alone is not enough; much of the outcome depends on external collaborators, contractors, and specialists responsible for implementation. This reliance on others is often where design integrity can falter. Having the right team in place and knowing how to manage, communicate, and protect the original intent is essential. Learning to articulate value, manage expectations, and safeguard creative vision throughout the build process is critical to delivering work that remains true to its concept. I also wish I had known that it is acceptable and often necessary to say no. Not every project aligns with your values or direction. Learning to choose alignment over volume has been one of the most important lessons in shaping a sustainable and fulfilling career. Nilfah Adams If you could give one tip to aspiring designers, what would it be? Develop a clear point of view before chasing visibility. In an oversaturated industry, what ultimately sets you apart is who you are – how you see the world, what you value, and the perspective you bring to your work. Trends will come and go, but a defined design philosophy creates longevity and relevance. Mastery also requires patience. Understanding materials, people, process, and yourself takes time, and that evolution cannot be rushed. Allow your work to mature organically rather than forcing definition too early. Depth, authorship, and self-awareness are what build credibility and lasting impact. How do you see the interior design industry evolving in the year ahead? I see a growing shift toward emotional sustainability, spaces designed to support well-being, identity, and longevity rather than constant renewal. Clients are becoming more discerning, valuing meaning, craftsmanship, and narrative over excess. There is also an increasing crossover between interiors, fashion, art, and brand experience. Designers are expected to think holistically, considering how spaces communicate values and cultural relevance. This evolution favours designers who can blend creativity with strategic thinking and cultural awareness. Nilfah Adams Nilfah Adams, Founder & Creative Director of Nilfah Adams What does being an SBID Accredited Interior Designer mean to you? SBID accreditation represents professional integrity and accountability within an industry that is often visually driven but inconsistently regulated. To me, it signals a commitment to ethical practice, continual learning, and design excellence grounded in professionalism rather than aesthetics alone. It also reinforces trust between designer and client, creativity and structure. Being aligned with SBID reflects my belief that meaningful design is not only about vision, but about responsibility, rigour, and long-term value. About Nilfah Adams Nilfah Adams is a spatial storyteller crafting immersive, emotionally intelligent environments where luxury, culture, and narrative converge. Her practice goes beyond aesthetics, exploring how space holds memory, shapes feeling, and supports identity. With a background spanning interiors, luxury hospitality, fashion art direction, and brand strategy, she approaches each project as a world-building exercise—layering form, texture, and meaning with conceptual clarity. Every commission begins with a singular question: What do you want to become? The answer guides a collaborative process that transforms spaces into lived experiences—refined, culturally resonant, and deeply personal. Designed with intention. Experienced with presence. 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.