Spotlight on Nashville Designers

FROM LEFT: Eric Ross, Lori Paranjape, Laura Thurman and Jana Platina Phipps

Spotlight on

NASHVILLE DESIGNERS

On Friday, Nashville interior designer Lori Paranjape with Mrs. Paranjape Design + Interiors delivered a Lunch and Learn presentation entitled “Mastering Social Media and Growing Your Design Business.” During her interactive discussion about the confluence of design and the digital movement, she shared her personal social media strategies and gave the audience tips on best practices.

Paranjape recommended using professional photography on the Instagram feed, which puts the business out front. In her contracts with clients, she gets permission to publish photos of the work she does for them. People love having their interiors published, she noted.

She described Instagram Stories as “the parties in the back.” Stories post for 24 hours and then disappear. This is where Paranjape shares behind-the-scenes challenges and solutions and a bit about herself. “Stories create an emotional attachment to me and my business and that’s how they are valuable,” she said.

Noting that fewer than 10 percent of the target audience actually sees a post, Paranjape said, “Engagement is key. Reply to every comment.” When she first started using Instagram, she also made a commitment to commenting on other people’s photographs. That put her in front of people whose work she admired. This regular interaction helped her gain a larger following, and also put her posts near the top of people's feeds so they were seeing her work regularly.

Paranjape took the stage again on Friday evening, along with Nashville designers Eric Ross of Eric Ross Interiors and Laura Thurman of Thurman Design Studio, for a lively panel entitled “From Nashville to National Notoriety.” “Trim Queen” Jana Platina Phipps served as the moderator.

Phipps started off by asking each designer to explain how they used one of their most important marketing tools—their website— to tell consumers something about them and their style. “I lead with images so that people know my aesthetics right up front,” said Ross. “I have a ‘more is more’ mentality and everything I do is luscious and layered.”

Thurman has a video of herself on the home page that introduces her and her style to viewers and adds a personal touch. Paranjape’s website leads with a Q&A that gives insight into her personality and design style.

The trio also discussed what types of window coverings they tend to use. Thurman likes drapes that add texture and pattern to a space. Paranjape, who uses double pinch pleat treatments in nearly all of her projects, expects window coverings to add softness. “Window treatments are the landscape of the home,” said Ross, who believes soft treatments like draperies and canopies help transform a house into a comfortable living space. (The quip from Ross that got the biggest laugh: “The only thing more Southern than a canopy is a hoop skirt.”)

At the conclusion of the event, Ross signed copied of his new book, “Enduring Southern Homes,” and audience members continued to pepper the panelists with questions about the many interesting insights they had to share.