Chioma Williams founded Design by C. Williams in 2014 and has since then delivered exceptional, comfortable, and individualistic designs that grant lasting pleasure for their clients. Working under the philosophy that great design can enhance your life, they strive to execute projects with delicacy and thoughtfulness. Design by C. Williams is based out of Lagos, Nigeria where they curate residential and commercial spaces such as retail stores and affluent homes. Their design is inspired by their desire to bring comfort and a sophisticated palette to their clients while creating interiors that are accessible and beautiful.
Located in Ikoyi, Lagos, this neutral-dominated interior featured bronze and silver metal decorative pieces to give the room a sense of opulence and tranquility. Photography by LuxuryInteriorImage.ng.
Reed Davis: Do you produce entirely in Africa?
Chioma Williams: Yes, we do. S.ea Homes handles all our furniture production in Nigeria.
Reed: What is your source of inspiration?
Chioma: I am inspired every day. It can be something as simple as nature… the orange shade of a sunset. Beautiful objects are an endless supply of inspiration. A layout of a space can provide the fuel for an entire house. Because I’m a visual person, images often give me the map to my final design. I often flip through my favorite app – Pinterest – to catch an interesting detail and to see what my eye is naturally drawn to. I like to break the interiors down, identifying how the room is pulled together. I like to decode the designer’s process. I often draw on ancient designs and reinterpret them with today’s materials in a timeless, clean and elegant way. And when I am in need of more inspiration, I pack my bag and hit the road.
This bright white space is modern and offers ample space for the adjacent windows to flood with light. The showstopper? Those electric blue chairs sitting gracefully around the dining room table.
Reed: What’s something you always travel with?
Chioma: My adapter and chargers. These are literally the first things I throw into my box when traveling.
Reed: What was your first job?
Chioma: My first job was a residential project. It was challenging but the challenges and the achieved final design made it worthwhile.
Integrated lighting is essential for any new home. This living room is so inviting and includes design principles lifted from the painting displayed on the back wall.
Reed: What inspired you to start designing/creating?
Chioma: When I was really young, I loved going to the fabric market with my mum to make curtains because I didn’t like her choices and fabric selections for curtains was the only voluntary task I’ll happily do with so much excitement. I was never excited going to the market for grocery shopping compared to making curtains… I also loved going into old abandoned houses, because you’d find some old pieces that would interest you….. I’d then bring it home and try to wash and clean it. I was always really interested in materials and old spaces because the transformation is always fulfilling, and this is likely why I gravitated towards design.
About The Designer | Design by C.Williams was founded in 2014 and is a Lagos-based interior design firm. Chioma is a creative person who believes in the power of beautiful interiors to transform daily life. Chioma Williams Nwosu is an Interior designer with a Masters degree in International Business from Coventry University, England and BSc in Business Administration from University of Benin. She has 8 years of experience in interior designing.
Click here to see more of the Voices of Africa series.
Like what you see? Get it first with a subscription to aspire design and home magazine.