Heather Rapalo

NICHE MODERN HOME

Heather Rapalo always had an attraction to design and detail. She brought her talents to Niche Modern Home, where she has been for the past five years and is currently the lead designer.

After receiving her bachelor’s in interior design from LSU in 2015, northshore native Heather returned to Mandeville to pursue her design career, knowing the opportunity for growth was there. She developed her design eye and expanded her knowledge during internships with Connie Seitz Interiors and Sheryl Gruenig, designers in the local community. While working with Connie Seitz, Heather learned the balance of mixing old and new to create a timeless space. Now, she uses that same design principle in every project she approaches to create a rich, collected look.

Heather entered her career young, but was confident in her abilities, jumped right into her job, faced challenges and proved she had a knack for design. She says, “I might be one of the youngest designers in the area, but I can bring a fresh eye.” Her love for color and texture allows her to challenge her clients to throw in an exciting design element like a vibrant color pallet or unexpected wallpaper.

From picking out paint colors to completing full renovations, Heather showcases her abilities through all forms of design. Her opportunities at Niche have brought her exciting projects where she has expanded her talents across the country, from a high-rise condo in Washington, D.C., to beach houses in Rosemary Beach. Whether the project is a small powder room or new construction, Heather’s goal is to make the space feel like a timeless, fashionforward, curated space that is home.

“We don’t have a cookie-cutter design, but try to plan each home by bringing out people’s personalities, catering towards the individual and working with any price point,” says Heather. “We also make sure the selected pieces are red wine-, kid- and dog-friendly.”

Heather, along with the other Niche designers, are always finding new and interesting ways to stay within their client’s budget. Often, Heather and the Niche team will repurpose furniture pieces the client already owns, either to use in a different room or in a new way. Niche’s team of designers works hard to provide a stylistic, yet approachable, design service.

In addition to Niche’s personalized design services, Niche also offers a blend of furniture in-store. Guests can find that perfect, classic chair with modern character or a table that’s transitional and smart. The store also holds unique artwork, lamps, accessories, custom etched charcuterie boards and gifts, among other unique items.

Whether in the store or in a client’s home, there is always something new for Heather to learn about the design world. “I love the design work that we do. I enjoy being able to develop close relationships with my clients and work closely through the design process with them. The relationships I build with them are exciting and rewarding.”

See some of Heather’s finished projects and her personal favorites on Instagram at heather_rebekah_interiors.