By Emily Merrell
Has spending time in your apartment during quarantine made you question your entire living situation? It sure has for me – what used to feel spacious and abundant now feels compact and overwhelming. Fortunately for us, there are magical humans out there like Nitu Patel, founder of NJ based interior design and home organization company Cedar & Palm Interiors. Nitu has an energy that makes you feel like she can solve any of your problems. While she can’t solve everything, she can maximize your home for better flow and function, helping to boost the energy of the space. Read on to learn how Nitu stepped into her gift and transformed not just spaces, but lives.
SDS: As the founder of Cedar & Palm Interiors, you’re a NJ based interior design and home organization expert — can you explain to us how you got started?
NITU PATEL: Absolutely! I began staging homes while I was working as a residential real estate agent in Washington, DC in 2008. I realized that I could use what clients already had in their homes instead of hiring expensive staging companies. When I go into people’s homes, I move around their existing furniture, home decor, artwork, and accessories to create better flow and function; the process is fun and creates an entirely new look and feel without breaking the bank. As a self-taught designer, I rely heavily on my intuition to guide me through the process.
Nitu Patel, founder of Cedar & Palm Interiors. Courtesy of Nitu Patel
SDS: While we all spend more and more time inside during these crazy times, can you share some success stories and explain how tiny shifts can make all the difference?
NP: Last December I worked with a married couple who were unhappy in their space. The wife felt really frustrated and wanted to hire an interior designer so her husband reached out to me to book an appointment. In four hours, we moved around 15 pieces of furniture and I re-staged their artwork, plants and accessories to make the space feel loved and lived-in. A month after our session, my clients said they have never felt happier in their space and were relieved they didn’t need to spend money on making new purchases because we were able to use what they already had in the home!
In my own home, I recently swapped out all my artwork and replaced it with images that represent friendship, sisterhood, celebration and happy community. I wanted to bring in more people into my life and started with the images I was surrounding myself with. This small, yet extremely significant shift, really helped me feel less isolated and more motivated to build community and connect with like-minded people. It’s amazing what can happen to your life when you refresh the artwork in your space – your home starts to transform into a manifestation tool!
SDS: Can you give us some free tips on how to create a nicer space?
NP: The most valuable free tip I can offer is to clean the four corners of every room. That’s where the energy concentrates and it’s the fastest way to make your space look larger and cleaner.
The other tip would be to examine all your artwork and make sure it aligns with your personal and professional goals. Avoid images of winter (which represents death) or lonely images of one if you are trying to meet more people or find love.
SDS: For those of us living in small apartments and staying inside during the quarantine, what room would you focus on to create the most change?
NP: The bedroom is the one space that we have to pay extra attention to during this crazy time! We are most sensitive to the energies in our bedrooms because when we are asleep, we are in a very vulnerable and passive state. Make sure to clear clutter, keep the corners clean and create a sleeping sanctuary in your bedroom. I’d also recommend removing items from under the bed – you want air to be circulating freely beneath you during sleep.
SDS: What piece of advice do you wish you had received when you first started your business and do you have any mantras that you live by now?
NP: What a great question! I wish someone had told me to hire a business coach or advised me to join a group like Second Degree Society in the beginning stages. I think I felt very lonely starting a business and needed guidance from others who had been through the process. I have learned that building community and helping others is where true happiness and success come from in any business endeavor.
Nitu Patel, founder of Cedar & Palm Interiors. Courtesy of Mary Beth Koeth.
