One-On-One With Farah Merhi—Founder & CEO Of Inspire Me! Home Decor, Author + Furniture Designer

An exclusive, one-on-one interview with furniture designer, author and founder and CEO of Inspire Me! Home Decor, Farah Merhi.

Photo Credit: Farah Merhi

How did you get your start in home décor?

My journey has definitely been an unconventional one. As a self thought designer, I went from wanting a career path in law to realizing I was doing something far from what made me happy. So, I decided to take a step away from school and figure myself out. I wanted to find my passion and live my days working on what made me happy. It all happened by accident (or maybe it was meant to fold out that way). My husband and I embarked on remodeling my home and that is when I discovered my deep love for home decor. Right away, I knew that I wanted to do something about it; I had big dreams and big goals to make my passion into something that would serve others and ultimately offer homeowners the tools they needed to make their house [into] a home.

Describe to me your interior design style, in your own words.

I would describe it as “glam and elegant, timeless with a cozy, warm and inviting feel.” I believe you can make a statement in your home with glamorous pieces without your home feeling untouchable. Our homes should feel like a place that reflects our style and yet still feel livable. Designing a space that makes you feel at peace, away from the hectic day-to-day life. I love being able to do so by making a statement through my glam touch, adding warmth and an inviting feel through texture.

What are some easy ways to update a space for a quick change?

Through your decorative accents! A few new pillows for your sofas and arm chairs, a throw blanket to add texture and color, and some decorative pieces like vases and trays will do the trick. If you’re looking to take it one step further, think of changing out your rug and your lighting fixture. Helloooo brand new room!

Photo Credit: Farah Merhi

What are some tips/things to keep in mind when designing a completely new/blank space?

It can be so overwhelming when designing a new space. Try to take it one step at a time. Think of it as a layering process. Start with your paint color. Then decide on your furniture pieces (sofas and arm chairs and coffee table). Tie in the whole room with an area rug. Then comes in your lighting fixture—now the fun part! Window treatments, pillows, decorative accents and wall art will help finish off the look. Remember, it’s all in the details!

How did Inspire Me! Home Decor start?

It started as a creative outlet where I wanted to share what inspired me with whomever was struggling with designing and furnishing their homes. It was at a time when I was discovering my passion in home decor and figuring out the best way to dive into it. Instagram was just taking off as a social media platform back in 2012. I loved that it is a visual app—it’s all about the pictures you share with the world. That’s how I started Inspire Me! Home Decor.

What do you hope that readers take away from your book, Inspire Your Home?

I really hope that they can learn from the tips and guides I provide them in my book. The whole book was inspired by homeowners. I took all the FAQ I get on a daily basis and answered them in the book. If I have learned anything through these years, it’s that a visual aid is important! So, we included a lot of pictures. The goal is to offer the reader timeless design tips that will forever be there, available whenever they need some inspiration or ideas as they embark on their makeovers or designing their spaces. And when they are not using the book, it is there to be used as a coffee table book.

 

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One of the most frequent statements I get is “you must not have kids in your home”. Allow me to introduce you to my 3 children. Celine, who is 13 going on “ I know everything there needs to know about life”. Julia who is 10 going on 30 and Adam who is 4 and knows exactly what he wants and pretty much has his sisters wrapped around his pinky. They are a handful but they are mine! They have such a kind heart and are genuinely respectful and always nice to others. I’m so proud of them. But… they are kids after all. Chores is not their favorite thing to do but threaten to take their phone and TV time away and they magically become pretty productive around the house ??‍♀️. Homework time is most definitely their favorite part of the day… said none of them ever. Julia loves to sing and play her flute…All.Day.looong. She loves stuffing everything under her bed and calling it a day. Adam’s favorite past time is going around and placing stickers on us. Imagine Oprah in your head… “ you get a sticker… YOU get a sticker! And YOUUU get a sticker!” Celine makes sure I’m always up to date on all the new slang… which may I say is becoming more and more… weird? She loves taking me to a store and making me think she needs my opinion on her clothes… then Proceeds to choose the exact opposite of what I picked. We do live in these rooms, they have rules they have to follow. They are responsible for their messes and making their beds and have to help around the home. They of course complain about it but what child wouldn’t? ?I know they will appreciate it when they get older and have their own home to take care of ❤️Swipe and check out how we love enjoying our home!

A post shared by Farah Merhi (@farahjmerhi) on Jun 20, 2019 at 6:46pm PDT

What’s next for you and what can we expect from Inspire Me! Home Decor in the future?

We have only scratched the surface. There is so much we are working on right now! Inspire Me! Home Decor is expanding internationally, which has been so exciting. We have only scratched the surface and we can’t wait to share it all with you soon!

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