An Interview with Interior Designer Blaine Robert

Born and bred in Canada, Blaine Robert had a passion for design from a young age. After graduating from the University of Calgary, Blaine spent two years learning the ropes in Canada. As soon as opportunity knocked, he left for Tokyo to work freelance for 12 years, particularly specializing in minimalist design. Throughout his prolific […]

Born and bred in Canada, Blaine Robert had a passion for design from a young age. After graduating from the University of Calgary, Blaine spent two years learning the ropes in Canada. As soon as opportunity knocked, he left for Tokyo to work freelance for 12 years, particularly specializing in minimalist design.

Throughout his prolific career, Blaine Robert has stepped foot in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan, all of where he worked for various amounts of time. His worldly experience allowed him to gain a deeper understanding and knowledge of the cultural preferences of each country.

Let’s dig in to find out more about the man behind the successful company, Blaine Robert Design.

Q: What’s the first thing that catches your eye when you walk into a room?

Blaine: As an interior designer, my friends are sometimes reluctant to invite me over as they feel I’ll have lots to say or to criticize about their house. But that is actually the last thing that I would want to do! Any home or office that achieves the goal of creating love and joy is considered a winner in my books.

Saying that however, when I walk into a room, there is nothing in particular that my eye goes directly to but the overall big picture of the design which is achieved by making it all work together.

Q: What is your favorite project you have undertaken so far? Why?

Blaine: This is a question I have been asked so many times but my answer will always remain the same. When my clients see the results and take in their new room with sheer delight on their faces and in their hearts — those are my favorite projects. Each and every single one of them.

Q: What’s the strangest request you’ve received from a client?

Blaine: Strangest is subjective…. It doesn’t necessarily mean adding or subtracting something unusual into a project. It is our responsibility as Interior designers to bring a client’s vision to life while making sure that the choices are timeless, stylish, practical, and meaningful.

For me, the strangest means not knowing exactly who your boss is and needing to satisfy those who feel they have a right to dictate how others live. These are always the strangest requests.

Q: Who or what is your biggest inspiration? How do you manage to stay inspired?

Blaine: Inspiration is a funny thing. A few years back on a trip to India, we stopped by the road where I saw a bunch of kids playing football near the roadside. I got out of the car and the kids all paused from what they were doing and looked at me, and they all smiled. It was like being hit by a cloud of white light and love. I’ll never forget it and that experience was a pivotal one in my life. So, inspiration is not only in the things we see but more often in the things we feel and how they change us forever. That is where I get my inspiration from.

Q: What was the biggest challenge you faced in your journey as an interior designer and how did you overcome it?

Blaine: Courage. My parents always told me that the only thing that would hold me back is knowledge and courage. I always felt that knowledge could be gained but the courage to make changes in my life would be the most difficult.

Over the years, I’ve since realized that it is actually the courage to make changes, however unfamiliar, that have led my life. From that experience, I discovered that there aren’t really any wrong choices. They all lead you down new paths that present both the good and bad sides of discovery. But they will always keep you moving forward. We all have a life to live and a journey to make. The worst thing would be getting stuck right where you are due to a fear of making the wrong choice.

Q: Would you say that you have succeeded? Did you always know you were going to succeed?

Blaine: Success is relative. I know that may sound like a cliché, but it is so true. Some of the wealthiest people I know are the most miserable yet they are seen as successes in life. I am happy… is that considered a success? I absolutely believe it is and it’s the fundamental principle in my life journey.

Q: Any piece of advice you would give to aspiring designers?

Blaine: Designers are artists. It is that simple. But interior design as a business is not art. It is a business like any other that can succeed or fail. The best advice I could ever provide a designer is to work for at least 5 years under someone that you respect and learn how to make the business succeed financially

Once that is done, confidence is the next factor. Push yourself to do the things you fear the most. When you’ve done them a few times, you will eventually conquer the fear and attain growth. With enough time, there will be no more fear and you will be confident in what you do.

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