“The residential industry is exploding. We’ve never had as many inquiries pouring in as we’ve had this past few years,” says Lori Paranjape, a celebrated interior designer and Instagram sensation who organically grew a modest, solo venture into a team that now champions multi-million dollar new construction and renovation projects all over North America.
She admits to having traveled through a roster of highs and lows, especially early on. There were stretches of downtime with no calls or emails coming in. Setbacks and learning curves that felt like catastrophes at the moment. Jobs that almost were, but never materialized. Communication breakdowns that blew up in her face.
But she continued honing her eye for design, more deeply understanding how to work with the lighting in a given space, add the right amount of texture or tone and create an atmosphere that influenced mood in a desirable way. She continued making homes beautiful, enticing and livable, dousing them with her magical flair, all the while fine-tuning her business model. Eventually, small jobs turned into extravagant jobs.
“The success is in sorting through the failures. You continue to fail in the things you don’t address,” says Paranjape. “While not all of my early projects were failures, when they were, I used those experiences as my training ground to build the successful, scalable, living, breathing practice that I have today–one that’s built on ease, grace and transparency.”
While further streamlining her business model and building a catalog of elated clients, Paranjape took to Instagram, filling her grid with gorgeous photographs of her sumptuous handiwork: A powdery pink closet. A sleek, sun-soaked bathroom. A crisp, white kitchen with elegant chandeliers. A dark and swanky wet bar so visually commanding, you can almost smell the whiskey.
Soon, all of Instagram was swooning. Potential customers began landing in comments and direct messages at a head-turning rate. The growth was so explosive, she realized she needed to assemble a team. And, to her amazement, she’d soon be featured in prestigious media sources like Architectural Digest, House Beautiful and Elle Decor, and her expertise would be requested across distant landscapes and borders–from the Hudson Valley in New York to Mexico.
Paranjape’s career, though a slow progression at first, has become an extraordinary undertaking that’s only amplified in sophistication. She’s partnered with Redo Home + Design, a posh furnishings boutique on Sidco Drive in Nashville, and built a rolodex of high-profile clients, including Bachelorette stars JoJo Fletcher and Jordan Rodgers, country music royalty and numerous A-list athletes.
Along the way, she’s done some commercial projects as well, including e.Allen Boutique in The Gulch, Skin Pharm locations in Nashville, Atlanta and Dallas, and various other projects. Still, the majority of her work remains residential, which she says is her true love.
But, despite having become an empress of home design, Paranjape swears it’ll never be about anything but the people. The celebrations of their milestones and the precious moments in between–from the mother waking up in the middle of the night to nurse her baby comfortably in a cradling, serene space to the couple relaxing in their breakfast nook, sipping coffee and soaking up the early morning light. It’s a responsibility she doesn’t take lightly because she understands that her work serves as a backdrop to their lives and is woven through the tapestry of their unique stories.
“I always fall in love with my clients. Their projects become like children to me,” she says. “When my clients are happy, it’s the ultimate satisfaction."
“Instagram is the piece of my business that’s been most integral to our widespread success. I share anecdotes and tidbits of my life. I share the ugly parts and the beautiful parts, because I genuinely want people to feel connected to us and to our work. For me, that’s the heart of it all.”
