Nina Williams Offers A Unique International Perspective

Nina Williams of Nina Williams Interiors brings clients a unique international view to her work as an interior decorator. Part of it comes from a youth spent on the move.

On several occasions, Williams found herself packing up and moving to a new country — a country where she didn’t know the language, the customs, the food or the style of dress.

“My father was an engineer who helped build power stations,” Williams recalled. “Our family lived in Hungary, Germany and South Africa. When I got married, I moved to the United States. Traveling around seems like a glamorous life, but when you’re being dragged around by your parents, it really isn’t fun. I had to learn to assimilate.”

However, living on three different continents gave Williams a real insight into the citizens and styles of the world, a rare background that she uses every day in her work as an interior decorator.

“I am very sensitive to people’s different needs,” Williams said. “I love to find out where they’re from. I think it’s interesting what people find beautiful in different countries. German décor is completely different than South African décor. There are so many different ways to do things. So, even though these experiences were somewhat traumatic, really, I use all the skills I gained to give my clients what they want.”

To do this, Williams first does a walk-through, having the client show her the house or area of the house that they want her to design. She asks lifestyle questions — how many people are in the family; how many children or pets; how each space will be used. Whether the home is used seasonally or full-time is also important.

“They usually have lots of pictures of the style they like,” Williams said. “And the budget is very important, because not only do I want to stay on budget, I want to get them the best possible bang for their buck.”

Once a client has decided to proceed, there’s a contract and a deposit. Then, Williams’ work begins.

“I put together a design and e-mail it to them. If it’s a bathroom or kitchen, I send a CAD drawing; if it’s a living room or bedroom, they get a collage of everything that would be in the space,” Williams said. “Then they get back to me, saying, ‘I like this’ or ‘I’d prefer that,’ or maybe they’d like a different color. Hopefully, I’ve looked and listened and put together something they like. We’re not going to buy anything until they’re happy.”

With her decades of international experience, Williams has a lot to offer, but is not focused on any particular style.

“Beach, equestrian, industrial, contemporary — my job is to figure out what my client wants to do and make it a reality,” Williams said. “It’s like cooking — if you tell me what flavor you like, I know which ingredients to put in. Once I’ve seen your pictures, I can put in the right ingredients to catch that.”

Williams does a lot of second homes for equestrians who are in Wellington only part of the year. “Many designers don’t like to do second homes because the owners don’t want to spend as much as they do on their primary residences. As for me, I don’t care,” said Williams, who herself rides every morning on a Grand Prix Olympic-level dressage horse a bit past its prime. “I definitely speak their language. And my travel hasn’t made me hoity-toity as much as it has toughened me up and made me down-to-earth.”

While some may consider it a challenge, getting on the same page as a client is Williams’ favorite part of the job.

“If I walk into an empty space and they just say, ‘Do something,’ it’s very hard,” she said. “Once they start telling me what they want, I am able to get into their brain and become like a personal shopper. I’m always interested to hear what they’ve come up with.”

Sometimes, her clients will bring a unique perspective.

“One lady bought a very formal house in Breakers West and wanted to do it all in bright blues and greens. I never would have thought of that, but it looks absolutely great,” Williams recalled. “Together, we got inspired. Another lady wanted all neutrals, only textiles and a little bit of silver and gold to break it up. It turned out so pretty! Again, I needed the client to inspire that. I love seeing the final project and recording it in photographs.”

If a client simply can’t make up his or her mind, Williams’ go-to look is a laid-back, comfortable-yet-elegant “Hamptons shore” style with a bit of the “worn and distressed” thrown in.

“And yet my store is all Moroccan,” she laughed.

See the store for yourself at 3614 S. Dixie Hwy. in West Palm Beach. Look for “Tree of Life Home.”

However, Nina Williams Interiors’ design studio and offices have always been in Wellington.

“I started riding dressage in Germany and fell in love with it, so when I came to the States, I was like a magnet drawn to horses,” she said. “I have to be in Wellington. I would never live anywhere else.”

Visit www.ninawilliamsinteriors.com to view dramatic before-and-after photos of finished projects. Call (561) 315-0523 to contact Williams.