From Chemist to Interior Designer: How My Previous Career Benefits My Design Clients
- Nancy Lane
- Aug 27
- 5 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
Before I launched Nancy Lane Interiors, I spent over a decade as a scientist in industry and research before venturing into the world of interior design. I’ll never forget the day my high school principal walked into one of my AP classes and announced that we all should all focus on a career in either math or science since “that was what our country needed most.” My parents wholeheartedly agreed with her and so back in the day, that's the route I was made to take.
I will say everything works out as its meant to and nothing that's truly meant for you can be stopped or withheld but we definitely have urged our college aged kids to figure out what they are passionate about and then figure out a way to make a living from it. So far two are following that sage advice and we're eager to see what path our third guy chooses but we stand open to any of them yelling "plot twist" and renavigating if so called. All of these recent career discussions at home, got me to thinking about my own calling to design and the circuitous route I took to get here.
At first glance, being a chemist and an interior designer might not seem related, but I’ve found that my previous career taught me so many valuable skill sets that come in handy while managing multiple large scale interior design projects and on job sites.
Skill Set #1: Staying Organized
You may have heard me joke that some days feel like I’m spinning plates in the air while sprinting in high heels at full warp speed with my hair on fire. It may sound a little far-fetched but it's true that being an interior designer requires juggling a lot of moving parts and pieces. I’m often working on 6-8 projects at the same time. That means managing client communication, project timelines, design planning and development, product selections and sourcing, procurement, and logistics for multiple projects which all have different scopes of work and timelines.
Depending on the project, we also collaborate with contractors, architects, and tradespeople to ensure all our projects run smoothly which makes managing vendor relationships critically important as well. If I weren’t organized, there’s no way we could manage multiple projects and deliver the level of quality and customer service that our clients want and deserve.
How My Previous Career Benefits My Design Clients:
When I worked as a chemist, I learned to stay organized by creating repeatable processes with proven results, managing multiple experiments and reactions at the same time, organizing and coordinating various projects to meet critical deadlines. Add to all that the fact that I kept our lab well stocked with necessary inventory through procurement of supplies and maintained a clean, safe working environment which was not always easy to do. I still look back at the time I spent in industry and research knowing those skills are part of why I excel at keeping our design projects running smoothly while delivering an exceptional experience to our clients.
Skill Set #2: Strategic Problem-Solving
Interior design is full of challenges, especially when it comes to multi-room or whole house full service furnishings or renovations and being entrusted with our clients’ homes for long periods of time. I often help clients solve complicated design dilemmas and space planning puzzles including:
Design custom cabinetry or millwork
Select or design custom furniture, textiles, and finishes that work together beautifully both aesthetically and with functionality in mind.
Work within an agreed upon budget to achieve our clients’ desired outcome.
Every day my clients rely on my ability to forward-think strategically ahead and to use my experience and critical problem solving skills to tackle these and other challenges that come up during every design project with creative, quality solutions for my clients.
How My Previous Career Benefits My Design Clients:
When I worked as a chemist, I learned to solve problems like quality control issues, stock shortages of raw materials, equipment failures, production errors, and the occasional machine malfunction or human error. In collaborating with a wide variety of people in industry and research, it meant I had to engage with some very difficult personalities. I’ll save the mouth dropping details for a memoir and simply say that I learned how to navigate volatile situations with grit, grace and good boundaries. Those experiences gave me both the tools and the confidence to handle complex multi-room and whole house projects for my clients.
Skill Set #3: Ability to See the Big Picture
My husband always jokes that I'm always five steps ahead, playing 3d chess in my head while everyone else is playing checkers. I won't disagree with him, ha! Being able to visualize, design, and plan a beautiful space is important, but that’s not the only type of foresight or vision I use in my work. I also think strategic "big picture" skills are critical when it comes to:
Planning my business services.
Building my team.
Understanding my clients’ needs and how their homes can and should work for them.
Collaborating with architects, contractors and other professionals on complex projects.
Developing client budgets while always forward thinking to avoid potential issues yet always planning for contingencies
How My Previous Career Benefits My Design Clients:
While working in both industry and research, I developed big-picture views and superlative critical thinking skills by creating repeatable processes and procedures while developing new products, training and mentoring new staff, collaborating with both clients and vendors to achieve desired goals for production while developing benchmarks for quality and performance. Those experiences taught me to balance big ideas with practical execution—something I do every day as an interior designer.
Skill Set #4: Clear Communication is Key!
Clear communication is essential in design, and it’s something we prioritize with our clients, especially when:
Educating our clients on what they can expect things to cost and getting approval for project budgets before we begin design work
Sharing our design plan vision with clients through drawings, elevations, or renderings.
Keeping clients informed during the design process to reduce stress and confusion.
Coordinating with contractors, vendors, and other professionals to avoid costly mistakes or delays.
How My Previous Career Benefits My Design Clients:
When I worked as a chemist, I had to communicate effectively by maintaining procedural handbooks, writing daily reports, logging detailed project information, and developing project presentations. Those skills now help me keep my projects on track and my clients happily informed. In fact, one recently commented in her review:
“Nancy may not officially be putting her chemistry degree to use to transform her clients’ homes, but there’s definitely an art and a science behind the designs she dreams up.”
My circuitous path from chemist to interior designer has certainly been unique and interesting to say the least. It’s also been incredibly fulfilling and soul-satisfying. The skills I bring from my previous career definitely make me better at what I do on a daily basis and allow me to provide my clients with unique, creative solutions and seamless project management to their home design projects.
If you’re looking for an interior designer who is respectfully but unapologetically authentic and honest, who brings passion and creativity with an open, communicative, client-centered approach alongside forward thinking, problem-solving skills in a judgement-free zone, then we should definitely connect! Click here to learn more about our current design services then reach out through our contact form to set up a discovery call.
