Chic Interview: Nina Magon

Nina Magon – Contour Interior Design

Hi, chic readers! We hope you had an amazing 4th of July–and we are so excited to bring you an interview with a designer we positively adore: Nina Magon! Find out how the talented founder of Contour Interior Design made the transition from finance to interiors, why Zaha Hadid inspires her and the go-to white paint that she can’t do without!

1. How did you get started as a designer?

From a young age, I knew creativity was beckoning me, yet I double majored in Economics and Finance as that was the equitable thing to do. After obtaining my degrees, I felt something was missing, and decided it was time for me to follow my true passion. I believed fashion design was my forthcoming, and so I pursued another degree in fashion design. Slowly but delicately, I discovered Interior Design through my love for fashion and opulent things and realized the creation of emotion-provoking environments would be my true calling. With that, I realized that the luxury landscape of the world was widening, and that’s when Contour Interior Design was born.

2. Where do you get your inspiration?

Travel. Traveling around the world from the ripe age of 3 evoked a feeling of connectedness as I realized how small the world really was, yet how captivating and vast it could be.There are so many different design styles throughout the world, so by traveling, you get to open your mind to see design from each culture and you gain a very global view of design. With more of a global knowledge on the many diverse design styles, it allows you to create designs that blend the old with the new in a forward-thinking and modern way that is updated with the times of today.

3. Do you have a favorite project to date?

51fifteen restaurant inside of Saks Fifth Avenue in Houston, Texas. 51fifteen will always hold a special place in my heart because it was my first restaurant to ever work on and it propelled me to the luxury market of hospitality design. The group that hired me has presented my firm with an empty shell which really allowed us to use our creativity in a very expressive way. We completed all the interior architecture and design for the space.

4. What is the biggest challenge you face as a designer?

Having to say no to clients sometimes because of their budget. Many times clients come to us because they want a luxurious and unique experience, a space that would wow every person that walked in the door. They see our work and know we can deliver the modern and forward-thinking aesthetic they are trying to achieve, but sometimes their overall budget does not match their high level of expectations. When we know that we cannot deliver what the client wants for the budget they present, which would ultimately result in an unsuccessful project for both parties, we, unfortunately, have to say no. It’s honestly the hardest thing to turn down clients that really respect your work and aesthetic based on budget, but when you value your work then you know in the end you want your clients to be completely satisfied and happy.

5. What do you consider your biggest accomplishment to date?

To be selected to appear on NBC’s American Dream Builders in which 12 of the most notable, respected, and established designers and builders from around the country competed to win the title of the first American Dream Builder. I was a semi-finalist in this national competition and was praised for my high level of taste and aesthetics. The success and the exposure gained from being on TV propelled my career in the design world and elevated my name in the industry.

6.Are there any designers that particularly inspire you?

Yes, Zaha Hadid. Zaha Hadid is truly one of my greatest inspirations, in the fact that she constantly went against the grain and stood out by being different and staying true to aesthetic. She is widely seen as the greatest female designer of contemporary times, who reshaped design for the modern epoch – something difficult for women to do in her time. Against all odds and a great deal of prejudice, she broke one glass ceiling after another. Zaha Hadid will always be someone that I look up to because she was not scared of being different and instead embraced it, which made her work beautiful masterpieces that will go down in history.

Go-to paint color?

Pure White – Sherwin Williams. I know white is typically not a go-to paint color, but I love this color because it really allows you to achieve a sleek light and bright space. It also presents the opportunity for your walls to become blank canvases for bold art to be displayed without over-cluttering space.

Ebooks or hardbacks?

Hardbacks. The beautiful thing about hardbacks is that after you read them, you can use the books as decorative accessories for bookshelves and consoles.

M&Ms or Skittles?

M&Ms. I am a chocolate lover. They are the perfect little sweet snack to munch on during your workday.

Coffee or tea?

Tea. I have always been a tea drinker, there are so many different kinds and I really enjoy a calming tea in the afternoons to relax me after a long workday.