The Iced Tulips Seed

I'm a lucky woman. I married my first love, raised three amazing kids who have blossomed into impressive adults and traveled the world with a partner who is the yang to my yin. It's remarkable to think that throughout our 29 years of marriage, David has only worked for two employers, staying with his current employer since he was 26! This career path allowed us to embrace 15 homes across 5 countries, 5 states, and 10 cities.

Such a lifestyle is only for some, but it suited me well. I delighted in the adventure of experiencing places of history, learning different cultures and languages, and cultivating friendships worldwide; it has changed my perspective. Two significant life lessons: one, we have more in common than not and two, everyone has something to teach me.

My favorite bit was the joy of transitioning to a new home and decorating it - I loved planning the layout of each room and dreaming up all kinds of possibilities for furniture placement and design.

With each move, I considered and troubleshot my mistakes in previous homes. I contemplated the kids' ages in our current chapter and how this home would need to function differently. In other words, I was my own client.

Still, making this a profession had not occurred to me for years. That seed was planted by my least favorite part of our moves--waiting for our shipment. David's employer took care of all the hard work involved in relocating; they made sure no detail was left unchecked, shipping everything or at least part of it from the old to new home. But, international moves take time, and moving furniture across oceans can take months.

The wait for Move Number 12 (Nigeria) was exceptionally long - six months. I leaned on planning and envisioning but began to feel restless a few weeks after arriving. I scanned the internet for ideas and inspiration but wanted more. Suddenly, I had an epiphany! I enrolled myself in a virtual interior design class. Doing my due diligence, I searched for the best, and the New York Institute of Art and Design's program found its way into my life. It opened my eyes to a deep understanding of design fundamentals I still needed to achieve. Still, I was learning for personal reasons and skipped past the business side, focusing only on design. I didn't complete course projects; this was a personal endeavor with no intentions otherwise. I explored and experimented with everything I learned, using my Nigerian home as my canvas.

Fast-forward to August 2021, when the world began to re-emerge from the pandemic. I stepped out as a first-time empty-nester. My baby girl embarked on her college journey, and I reflected and reevaluated how I wanted to spend my time purposefully.

I'm a planner, so I planned. I considered my strengths and passions, and they led me to interior design. If I was going to do this, I needed to do it right--become adequately educated and move into this industry with the tools to perform well. So, I registered for the New York Institute of Art and Design's Interior Design program, this time to become a student who would finish the program with 100% project completion and receive a graduation certificate. After that, I tested for and received my Residential Interior Design Qualification Certification, attained a business license, and launched Iced Tulips Interiors. I'm now happily at your service.