Voyage Michigan Magazine Interview

Exploring Life & Business with Nicole Saleh of Mavella Home

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Saleh.

Hi Nicole, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to share where your story begins.
I was working in the advertising/marketing field for 10 years and felt very unfulfilled. Before I had my second child, I made a conscious decision to stay home and raise my children. I was very fortunate to do so and don’t regret it, but throughout those years, I also felt like I had lost myself. When my youngest daughter was about to start preschool, I had to be honest with myself about what I wanted to do, since I would soon be back in the workforce. Did I really want to go back to marketing? I knew in my heart and gut that it was not the right decision for me. I wanted to do something that I was passionate about, something that was both fulfilling and rewarding to me. The answer that I kept coming back to time and again was Interior Design. I have always had a love for design and it was something that came naturally to me, but I was unsure if I could turn this passion into an actual career.

I decided to just go for it and went back to school for Interior Design. I immediately started working in my field and about two years later, I decided to take the plunge and started my own business. I was given a referral through a friend whose cousin wanted to complete her unfinished basement. From that one job, I’ve received many referrals and I have never looked back. It has been over three years since I’ve started Mavella Home and it’s now a thriving Interior Design business.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth road and there have definitely been struggles along the way. I’m a first-time entrepreneur, so just learning about the business and all of the processes has been overwhelming at times. I had to navigate my way through all of the uncertainty. It was, and continues to be, a lot of hard work and I don’t believe I will ever stop learning in this business.

There’s no such thing as a perfect project and there are always obstacles during a renovation, but I tell all of my clients that we are partners and if something goes wrong, we’ll find solutions together. Sometimes what appeared to be a wrench thrown into the overall design actually worked to our benefit. Currently, there are challenges with the supply chain, so we are waiting longer periods of time for items to be delivered.

Naturally, there is the challenge of finding balance between raising three children and running a growing business. It can be a lot at times, but to be able to do what you love on a daily basis is such a blessing. The fact that I get to express myself creatively has been a dream come true.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The name Mavella Home originated from the fusion of my children’s names – Matteo, Ava, and Ella. I specialize in designing residential spaces, both new construction and renovations. I also designed my first commercial space this year, which was the SkinFiniti Beauty and Wellness Spa in Royal Oak.

I’m known for creating classic and timeless designs and for approaching every project like it’s my own. If clients struggle with envisioning a space, I am able to visually present to them what the potential of the space could look like through vision boards and material samples. I’ve often said, and I firmly believe, that a beautiful space can be achieved without a high-end budget.

I’m most proud of the relationships that I have built with my clients because we truly are partners. I am fully invested in the creative process and am empathetic to my client’s needs and budget, in order to achieve the best possible outcome. When that mutual trust and respect is nurtured, you are able to create great things together. To be able to design someone’s home is a privilege and that is not lost on me. The fact that I can create spaces that my clients love and will create memories in for years to come is by far the most rewarding part to me. When a client sees a space for the first time and they are over the moon excited or have tears in their eyes, that is the reason why I do what I do.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Something surprising that most people don’t know about me is that I’ve been involved in theatre and was the lead role in a local movie many years ago.

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