# 94 | Diversifying Your Interior Design Portfolio with Dan Mazzarini

Interior design BusinessMindsetAttracting Client2-Establishing1-LaunchingOrganizationInterior Design Services

Oct 3

diversifying interior design portfolio with dan mazzarini

"I always say to people, say yes to opportunities and be open on the trajectory for your career, because often it evolves into something different than what you might set out to do." - Dan Mazzarini

In today's episode, I had a chance to sit down with Dan Mazzarini, Principal and Creative Director at BHDM Design & ARCHIVE by Dan Mazzarini. BHDM Design is an award-winning, bi-coastal, multi-disciplinary firm offering residential, commercial, and hospitality design services. ARCHIVE by Dan Mazzarini provides a curated selection of home and lifestyle products, shopped from all of his favorite resources. Through ARCHIVE, Dan educates, encourages, and inspires a global network of consumers to incorporate luxury to their everyday lives.

We talk about balancing diversifying your portfolio and niching down. We talk about having a signature style and creating "memory points" on projects. We also dive into a new project ARCHIVE by Dan Mazzarini.

Hospitality and Launching BDHM

Dan transitioned from retail to hospitality, starting with residential projects and eventually leading to hotels. He shares how he built his freelance portfolio and the encouragement from a client to start his own firm. Saying yes to opportunities that help evolve your design career is so important. Dan continues building diversity in his firm's projects and they apply elements of retail, residential, and hospitality design to all projects.

Building a Signature Style

Is it necessary to create a signature style in your interior design business or diversify your portfolio and projects that you work on? Dan and I discuss the importance of building a signature style vs diversifying your projects. Dan believes in being a "master of none" and being willing to learn and adapt to different project needs. He and his firm also strive to balance personal style with client needs.

Choosing Interior Design Projects

When deciding on new projects it's important to find an emotional connection and fit with the client while at the same time assessing the feasibility and suitability of the project. The ultimate goal is to make sure that each project aligns with your business's strengths and interests.

Creating Memory Points in Interior Design Projects

Dan shared with me the concept of creating memory points in design projects which was inspired by designing model apartments and the need to make them stand out amongst the crowd. Dan shared the importance of surprise and delight in creating unforgettable experiences for users. Memory points can be used in both large-scale projects and residential designs.

Overall, the idea of diversifying your projects and portfolio comes down to your interests and ideal clients but if you're feeling like choosing a signature style and niching down isn't the best route for you, diversification may be the right fit for your interior design business.

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