ADMIRABLE FEAT

If you dream of waking up each day to a sense of fulfilment, being hardworking is a great way to start. Meet Omon Anenih-Mordi, the CEO of Blue Mahogany and the current president of Interior Designers Association of Nigeria who is taking great steps in shaping the interior design industry in Nigeria.

Who is Omon?

I am the CEO of Blue Mahogany Interior Design and currently serving as president of the Interior Designers Association of Nigeria (IDAN). I am a trained interior designer. My background was originally in petroleum law and policy which I pursued to the point of carrying out research at Ph.D. level. However, I made the choice to embrace interior design as a career 14 years ago and I have never regretted it. I absolutely love to travel, I love good food and I love to be surrounded by music and beautiful fragrance. That is partly why I enjoy the work I do so much, it affords me opportunities to explore my passions and to apply my experiences in the spaces I design.

Tell us your story

I was one of the very first few members of IDAN (Interior Designers Association of Nigeria). I remember moving to Lagos to set up a design practice and not really knowing much about the industry, and little to nothing about running a business in Nigeria. There weren’t many IDAN members back then, and only a small percentage of IDAN members were actually trained in interior design, but it felt so good being a part of a group of people with a shared interest. IDAN was extremely helpful as one or two of the members took it upon themselves to help me build my network of local suppliers and manufacturers. Over the last 10 years, I have participated actively on IDAN committees both as member and committee chair. I served previously as secretary general of the association.

I always knew I would go far with IDAN. We have come a long way, but have even further to go. It is an exciting time for me to have the opportunity to play a part in moulding, shaping and building the Nigerian interior design industry and the way we interact with other players in the sector. Along with architects, developers and engineers, as interior designers, we have a vital role to play in changing the built world around us. That, as far as I am concerned, is a privilege and a huge responsibility not to be taken for granted.

What are some of your favourite projects?

I will always remember my first project with fondness. I put so much of myself into creating the ‘perfect’ space for my clients who were a young couple with lots of love, but a tiny budget, and it remains a benchmark for measuring the ‘joy factor’ of every project I have worked on since.

A couple of years ago, I worked on the interiors of some offices at The Wings Complex on Ozumba. It was extremely challenging on so many levels, but again, I always think about it as being on my current top 10 list precisely because of what we were able to create despite the odds. We are currently in the very final stages of handing over an office project for a Fintech start-up. In the category of creative freedom, this is definitely a favourite. We created a fun, expressive space that anyone would enjoy working in.

What are your favourite moments on the job?

Definitely the ‘reveal.’ That final walk through when everything just comes together and the client is happy. That is what I love most about my job.

What/who are some of your design inspiration?

Everything and everyone. Every place I have been and even those I long to visit. I have found that I am always taking little mental snapshots of memories of things I have seen, heard, smelled, tasted. It would amaze you how much we take in as humans. Creativity really is just about reconnecting with these experiences and harnessing them into some sort of expression in a different context. When we design, we are telling a story. Even when it seems totally new and different, every story is a collection of memories.

Tell us about IDAN

IDAN is the Interior Designers Association of Nigeria. It is a multi-faceted network of members. This includes student members, professional interior designers, interior decorators, interior architects, furniture manufacturers, trade partners and suppliers to the industry. Our primary aim is to promote excellence in the interior design industry through education, training and continued professional development and standards. We have members from across the country with the headquarters in Lagos and a regional chapter in Abuja, FCT. For inquiries, visit www.idanng.org or @idan.ng on instagram.

What are the benefits of being a member of IDAN?

The first benefit is probably the country-wide and international network you become a part of. We try to encourage collaboration amongst our members. Through a series of networking events, conferences and our annual design exhibition, GUIDE, we create avenues for members to interact with each other, engage with other professional bodies such as architects, surveyors and so on, as well as prospective clients and developers you can get to partner with. We are also a conduit for relations with international organisations and businesses seeking partnerships and affiliations with Nigerian companies in the sector.

As a design professional, practicing as a certified IDAN member gives a validation and assurance as members are held to a certain level of professionalism and are exposed to opportunities to continually develop themselves and their skills. IDAN serves as the voice of the industry. As a member, the platform you receive access to is one that will shape policy and practice in a way that no single individual or company can.

There are lots of other impactful initiatives you could be a part of regardless of your specific area of expertise or interest. This month, we launched a new IDAN membership card which entitles members to promotions, access to events and special discounts off goods, services and lifestyle experiences with dozens of businesses that have signed up to partner with IDAN in providing value to its members.

What are the challenges the interior design profession is currently facing in Nigeria?

Understanding. In one word, that is how I would define our greatest challenge. Amongst other professionals, the place of the interior designer is still just being given its due recognition and appreciation. But generally, there is still a vast majority of people, ‘laymen’ and industry professionals alike that still do not quite understand what an interior designer is and why you need them on every project. There is a lack of understanding as to the distinctions, albeit, sometimes subtle, between architect, designer and decorator and the value each one adds in their own right. There is a lack of appreciation or understanding of the immense impact design of spaces has on our wellness and productivity as individuals and our overall success as a society. The studies are there. The evidence is irrefutable. Design, and specifically in our case, interior design has the ability to change lives and quality of life. Our role as IDAN is not just to educate the professionals, but to educate the government and the public.

Do you think interior design is well established in Nigeria?

Not yet. Even on a global scale, interior design is still a relatively young profession. In Nigeria, we are certainly just barely into our formative years. For one thing, young people still struggle to find educational institutions within the country that offer a formal and structured course in interior design. Design thinking and creative problem solving is also deficient. For many years, Nigerians have been taught to cram for exams or to copy what they have seen elsewhere without necessarily understanding why or having an inquisitive mind.

For the 13 years I have run my design practice at Blue Mahogany, we have hired mostly architects who transition to interior design or young designers who trained abroad and returned home. And even then, recruiting talent has been a struggle. Another limiting factor is just the access and exposure to materials, finishes, techniques available. This is changing slowly though as IDAN is working with tertiary institutions to ensure that interior design is taught at degree level across the country as well as developing an interior design diploma and other short courses. We also need multiple design centres where students and designers can go explore, experiment and experience materials and innovative solutions that can be applied to projects in creative ways. The foundation we need to establish and build on is education, exposure and professional practice.

What will you like to tell youths who want to embrace interior design as a profession?

By all means, go for it. But do not come with the warped notion that because you have a flair for colours, you are automatically an interior designer. The profession is one that is a delicate balance of art and science. The creative side and the technical. Above all, wellness, health and safety of so many individuals will be trusted to you. It is not all glamour, pretty things and nice photos for Instagram. Only the serious need apply.