Listen to Kamelia Rahmatzadeh talk about design or art, or even just creativity in general, and two things quickly become apparent: she乌鸦传媒檚 utterly passionate about what she does and she乌鸦传媒檚 instantly likeable.

She founded Designs for Life乌鸦传媒攚hich offers home staging, interior decorating and interior design services乌鸦传媒攚hen she was just 25 and still in design school, with the whole thing coming about as a bit of an accident.

乌鸦传媒淢y family is in construction, and I always wanted to be an interior designer,乌鸦传媒� she says. 乌鸦传媒淭hey would hire stagers [for the new builds]乌鸦传媒�and the stagers did a good job, but they were using floral fabrics and deep jewelled tones and I thought, this just didn乌鸦传媒檛 appeal to the masses.乌鸦传媒�

Kamelia was in the process of outfitting her own home when an opportunity came up to stage a home with her own furniture, and it was a huge success.

乌鸦传媒淚 just kept getting referrals,乌鸦传媒� she says, adding that it led to an increasing number of clients who wanted Designs for Life to decorate their homes.

乌鸦传媒淭his past year it乌鸦传媒檚 been a lot of interior design,乌鸦传媒� she says, and given her eye for unusual and striking design, it乌鸦传媒檚 not surprising Vancouverites have been lining up to get Kamelia乌鸦传媒檚 expertise.

乌鸦传媒淩ight now I love playing with scale, or patterns and textures and colour contrasts. I love using out of the ordinary artwork, or having huge light fixtures, or very small art in a big room. Things that are out of the ordinary. And I love mixing old world with new world, for decorating, not staging,乌鸦传媒� she explains. 乌鸦传媒淚 definitely love pushing the bar. What I hope to do in the near future is create very avant-garde, eclectic designs.乌鸦传媒�

The 7 Sins

Envy:

Whose shoes would you like to walk in?

Kelly Wearstler! In my eyes she乌鸦传媒檚 like the Lady Gaga of the design world, an absolute icon and visionary to the design industry. She continuously pushes the bar, impressing her audience with unexpected and avant-garde designs. It would be a great delight to walk in her shoes!

Gluttony:

What is the food you could eat over and over again?

I am a huge foodie, so this is a tough question for me to answer. But if I must choose one, I vote for fresh, wild, sustainable seafood! When prepared well, it乌鸦传媒檚 a perfectly light and satisfying meal!

Greed:

You乌鸦传媒檙e given $1 million that you have to spend selfishly. What would you spend it on?

Oh, I乌鸦传媒檇 spend that very fast! I love to play real life Monopoly, investing in real estate. The long-term gift that keeps on giving. (Wink.)

Wrath:

Pet peeves?

I always thought small rugs were my pet peeve, but recently that乌鸦传媒檚 shifted to undersized sectionals or seating arrangements. I believe we should maximize the seating in our living spaces. After all, we乌鸦传媒檙e paying a pretty penny for our square footage in Vancouver!

Sloth:

Where would you spend a long time doing nothing?

It乌鸦传媒檚 not in my nature to be still, unless I乌鸦传媒檓 near the ocean. Put me on a paddle board and under the sun and I乌鸦传媒檒l be at my happiest. Perhaps I乌鸦传媒檓 a mermaid at heart.

Pride:

What is the one thing you乌鸦传媒檙e secretly proud of?

I recently lost a dear friend and it prompted me to think of the legacies we leave behind. I am proud to be able to use Designs for Life as a platform to give back to my dedicated team members and our community. I strive to support my team in purchasing their own homes, and we plan to give back and support single mothers. In this day and age, it乌鸦传媒檚 challenging enough raising children. I can乌鸦传媒檛 imagine doing it alone, and I have a profound respect for all that they do.

Lust:

What makes your heart beat faster?

Burning Man. It乌鸦传媒檚 a magical experience that I think every human should experience. After founding Designs for Life, it is the best thing I have ever done for myself. Contrary to its connotation, this experience can be quite educational, spiritual and liberating. If you love adventure, radical inclusion and self-expression, I strongly encourage everyone to try it, at least once.

You can find Kamelia at

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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