From Childhood Dreams to Design Excellence: A Q&A with Rachel Nelson, CEO and Principal Designer of Concetti

Discover how Rachel Nelson’s early passion for transforming spaces and her unique experiences in Italy inspired her to create Concetti, a design firm dedicated to crafting personalized, functional, and beautiful spaces that reflect the true essence of their clients.

Rachel, could you share with us what first inspired your passion for interior design and how that led you to start Concetti? 

I've always been incredibly artistic, and my maternal grandparents nurtured that creativity from a young age. As a kid, I loved decorating for the holidays and was obsessed with transforming spaces—I even tried to convince my mom to let me paint the walls for Christmas! By the time I was 16, I knew interior design was my calling. 

While studying abroad in Italy during college, a professor helped me discover my specialty: concepts, or "concetti" in Italian. This inspired my mission of creating beautiful and functional conceptual designs tailored to each client. Conceptual design is all about using subtle elements to evoke a specific look and feel within a space. 

I started Concetti because I wanted to approach design differently, whether for homes or businesses. At Concetti, we believe everyone deserves to live and work in spaces that truly reflect their authentic selves. When we can fully be ourselves, the world becomes a better place for all of us. 

What do you find most rewarding about working with clients to bring their vision to life? Can you provide an example of a particularly memorable project? 

It's an honor to create spaces that truly reflect a family's personality or a brand's identity. Considering we spend 87% of our lives indoors, it's a big responsibility but also an amazing opportunity to positively impact someone's quality of life through interior design. 

One project that stands out is our work with Good Cakes and Bakes. Their mission is to provide wholesome, organic baked goods in an environment that's positive, creative, educational, and friendly for both employees and the community. They needed help designing their space—from the dining area to the baking area—to be functional and reflect their community-focused brand. Together, we crafted a space that offers an effortless, inspiring experience for both customers and employees. It was incredibly special to see the positive impact on the community, empowering employees, and inspiring local youth and residents to follow their dreams. 

How does your design philosophy align with the values and goals of Concetti Studio? What unique perspective do you bring to the team? 

Since Concetti was founded nearly 10years ago, I've been pushing the boundaries of traditional design. Concetti came from my desire to do interior design differently, making it more connected to the human experience. By focusing on conceptual, human-centric design and personalized experiences, I lead my team to stay ahead of industry trends. We’re redefining creativity and marketing, which sets Concetti apart and establishes us as a leader in the field.

Concetti believes that good design is for everyone and that the places where we live and work deeply impact our well-being. Our designs and spaces are centered around the client, not us, because well-designed workspaces offer a significant business advantage. When you can fully be yourself in your environment, it makes the world better for everyone. 

We see interior design as more than just making things look good. We aim to bring personality, purpose, and meaning into every space. Our approach is all about connecting deeply with our clients, understanding their unique identities, aspirations, and challenges. 

How do you ensure that your designs not only meet aesthetic goals but also functionally enhance the spaces for your clients? 

We get that interior design can feel overwhelming, which is why we're dedicated to making it stress-free for our clients. We do this through our 3-phase design strategy process which is built on collaboration and partnership. 

First, we take the time to get to know you—something often overlooked by others. We're here to be your advocate and create space for your needs. We don't start designing until we truly understand you, ensuring the result is an authentic reflection of who you are. 

In the second phase, we identify the furniture, fabrics, light fixtures, and other architectural materials and finishes that will turn your vision into reality. This phase also involves clear communication and documentation to ensure builders and contracted partners have everything they need to bring it all together. 

The third and final phase is about bringing your project to life. We act as your champion until the finish line, ensuring the design we co-created remains the focus throughout the project's completion. We advocate for your vision and serve as a translator between you and your team, providing clarity to them and peace of mind to you. 

This is the essence of our strategic 3-phase approach—to craft a space that is boldly YOU, both functionally and aesthetically. 

What role does collaboration play in your design process, both within the Concetti Studio team and with clients? 

We see our clients as co-creators, and we're confident we'll make an unstoppable team, whether we're working on a residential or commercial project. It's more than just creating beautiful spaces—it's about designing bold solutions inspired by your most prized possessions or your business's mission. We understand that the places where we live and work deeply impact our well-being.

At Concetti, collaboration is our cornerstone. From our internal teams to clients and external partners, we believe collaboration is our key to success. This participatory design approach means we're not here to guess; we're here to put our minds together and work as a team. 

What is your approach to staying inspired and continuously growing as a designer? 

Our unique approach to design keeps us inspired and continuously growing. Every project is exciting because we get to learn someone's story, whether personal or professional. As a conceptual design firm, we’re always curious about the latest design trends, whether that’s through social media or walking into a beautiful space and analyzing what made it successful. Although we stay on top of design trends, we only use those as design inspiration when they feel good to our client and their space. Some clients choose to avoid trends, some choose to follow trends - either way our clients stay authentic and aren't afraid to be boldly them - this keeps us inspired! 

We also value our relationships with vendors and are thrilled to get back to trade shows this year to deepen those connections in person. Additionally, we believe in taking care of our team’s well-being. Concetti’s culture focuses on balance, boundaries, and self-care. Our quarterly paid mental health breaks make a huge difference in staying inspired and avoiding burnout, resulting in higher quality results for our clients and unleashed authentic creativity.