We Want to Change the Design Industry in Nigeria- Naomi Smith

Naomi Smith, Co- founder & Commercial Director ,Gemona West Interior ,Wassim Bashasha, Business Development, ProBlind Nigeria and Deise Smith, Co-founder & Creative Director, Gemona West Interior during the MADE by Design exhibition, held in Lagos, at Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island Lagos at the weekend.

The Commercial Director of Gemona West Interior Designs, Naomi Smith has said that the firm is determined to revolutionize the interior designs industry in Nigeria by delivering groundbreaking designs that compares with best practice around the world.

Mrs. N Smith made the comment at the recently concluded Made by Design Exhibition held recently at the Balmoral Event Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, which is one of the largest gathering for Interior designs players and vendors in Nigeria. According to her, following its successful outing at the exhibition, the firm is now better positioned to produce exciting projects never before seen in Nigeria.

Speaking on the exhibition, Mrs.N Smith said. “For the first time we are showcasing our designs at a major exhibition and we are excited about the responses we are getting from guests. We are here to demonstrate that the design industry is improving and to show that Nigerians can trust us to deliver the best designs comparable to any company in the world.”

In a bid to offer visitors at the exhibition the best of experience, Gemona West partnered with other leading vendors and manufacturers to build an experience center that offered first hand feeling of the company’s contemporary interior design concepts. The booth was made up of three compartments- bedroom, kitchen and office, all bearing the hallmarks and elegance of the award winning design company.
The partners who came together to create the experience center are Woodstyles, JCI, ProBlind, Evi Vernice Paints and Coating Solution, Jobaco and Brecolights.

And according to Mrs.N Smith, the decision to collaborate is a reflection of the evolution in the industry as many more consumers are demanding a onestop solution from design firms instead of silo offering which is often cumbersome.

“To be very honest, the industry is changing. Clients are appreciating what value the interior designers, woodwork engineers, lighting engineers, interior decorators, paint specialist, kitchen equipment and fabric consultants are bringing to the table, it was time for the different professionals within the industry to come together and collaborate with the aim of servicing the same clients to deliver architectural/design perfection both interior and exterior.

The focus now is how do we make sure that all professionals within our industry are all working as a team so that the clients gets best results. Our belief is – when the client is happy, all the professionals involved within that project are happy.” She said.

The three day exhibition attracted hundreds of visitors from various works of life. Top on the list of distinguished guests at the event were Wife of the Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo and the Honourable Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr Lai Mohammed, They were all thrilled by the transformation and sophistication in the designed industry in Nigeria as demonstrated by the various exhibitors. But it was Gemona West and its partners that attracted the most crowd because of its innovative offering and exhibition concept.

The partners also ensured that the final day of the exhibition was even more thrilling and memorable by hosting its guests to a classy cocktail where they were treated to tasty meal and great tasting wine.

October 22, 2019