Designers spend their careers making choices for other people. They're choosing what stays, what goes, what belongs together, and what should be overlooked entirely. We asked a few interior designers what they would tell the child they used to be, and the advice was surprisingly consistent. Keep your weird interests. Trust your gut. Stop worrying about fitting in. Say no sooner. Pay attention to the things everyone else overlooks. The trick, it turns out, was less about becoming someone new than it was about learning not to edit the original person so aggressively that you no longer resemble the person you were when you first decided to embark on the adventure. Sounds like wise words from a group of people you'd trust to design your dream home.
Magda Kwoczka (Poland)
"You don't need to know exactly what you want to do yet. Try everything, make mistakes, change your mind. Do what feels right, not what you think you're supposed to do. Keep that stubbornness, curiosity, hard work, and your 1000% energy- don't let anyone talk you out of it. You don't have to be the best. Just don't lose that. It will take you further than you think."
Sarah Sham (Mumbai)
"I’d tell myself to say no more often, and not feel the need to explain every decision. When you’re younger, you often feel like you have to say yes to prove yourself, be helpful, take every opportunity, and keep everyone happy. With time, you realize that your time and energy are your most valuable resources. Saying no creates space for the things that genuinely matter to you. It also teaches you to trust your instincts and stand by your decisions. Not every opportunity is the right opportunity, and not every expectation needs to become your responsibility."
Flossie Hughes (United Kingdom)
"Keep collecting things nobody else looks twice at - an oddly shaped stick, the broken-off necklace charm, a chipped edge of an iridescent tile, a hagstone… That eye for odd and overlooked things will shape how you see the world and, believe it or not, may shape your whole career!"
Noz Nozawa (San Francisco)
" Hey Little-Me, forget about your unibrow and little mustache – you stay more focused on loving drawing and math. Protect your self-love and never try to fit in!! Someday you'll blow your career apart to start over as a designer, and this will all make sense looking back."
Nathan Michael (Chicago)
"I'd probably, you know, approach it more from the sensibility of like, hey, just keep, you know, looking at the world through eyes of wonder, you know? I'd probably just try to tell myself, just try not to take life so seriously. You don't have to worry about what life is going to look like if you can just continue to show up and be present, and live in a way that honors, the craft and the people that you're trying to foster into something beautiful."
Ashka Karia (Dallas)
"I’d tell that little girl that one day, she’ll find work that brings her more joy and fulfillment than she could have imagined. She’ll get to be creative every day, build something of her own, and genuinely love what she does. You don’t have to have it all figured out yet. One day, you’ll look around and realize--you found your dream job."
Cara Woodhouse (New York)
"I’d tell her to trust her gut. Always. You’re going to spend a lot of time thinking you need to have everything figured out, but you don’t. Some of the best parts of your life will come from taking chances, changing direction, and following the things that light you up, even when they don’t make sense to everyone else. The things that make you feel different will eventually become your superpower. Your creativity, your curiosity, your big ideas, your need to do things your own way. Don’t quiet any of it to make other people comfortable. You’re going to make mistakes. You’re going to reinvent yourself more than once. Let yourself. Life isn’t supposed to be one perfectly straight line. Work hard, dream ridiculously big, don’t take no too seriously, and never wait for someone else to give you permission. But also, slow down enough to actually enjoy it. The people you love, the little moments, the chaos, the wins, even the parts that don’t go according to plan. Because one day you’ll look around and realize that the life you were so busy trying to create is already happening."
Julie Van Daele (Los Angeles)
"I would say - You are perfectly enough… Enough fun. Enough beauty. Enough creativity. Enough of a friend. Enough of a Daughter. Enough of a go-getter. You are perfectly enough."
Monica & Ronald Alvarez (Miami)
Monica:
"There is such wonder in the way you throw yourself into everything creative. You are endlessly curious, always finding something new to make, explore, or dream about, and it’s beautiful to watch that imagination flourish into the tiny, sometimes mysterious projects that completely captivate you. That same creative spark shines through when you dance, giving you a language for everything you feel but may not always know how to say. Nurture it, follow it, and trust where it leads you. And with all that creativity comes a tender heart. Your sensitivity allows you to notice people, to understand them, and to care deeply. But within that tenderness lies a fierceness, an unwavering loyalty, and an honesty that will always keep you true to yourself and to the people you love. Hold on to that softness, but remember that there is strength in it, too. Let the difficult times teach you something, even when you cannot understand the lesson just yet. Every challenge, every disappointment, every heartbreak, and every moment of uncertainty will become part of who you are. You will grow through all of it. And lastly, sweet Moni, perhaps most importantly, never lose sight of just how lucky you are to be surrounded by such an extraordinary family and those special friends.
Ronald:
"Life won’t always be easy, but you will learn to enjoy every moment of it. When you feel alone, remember that there are people who love you more deeply than they know how to express. Work hard to excel, even when no one is watching, and no one seems to notice. Lead by example. You are a natural leader, even before you realize it yourself. Making someone else proud will always feel good, but learning to be proud of yourself will mean even more. Dream BIG. Bigger than what seems reasonable. Dreams really do come true. Trust your passion. It will fuel everything you do, take you places you cannot yet imagine, and become one of your greatest strengths. Love is everything. When you find true love, you will recognize it instantly. It will change the course of your life and become the beginning of many of its most beautiful chapters. And through it all, remember that the life you are building is not just about what you accomplish. It is about who you love, who you become, and the people you get to share it with. One day, you will look back and realize that so much of what you once dreamed about became your life."
The letters featured in this story were contributed by the participating interior designers and reflect their personal experiences, creative journeys, and advice to their younger selves. This story is part of Residence Supply’s The Nostalgic Edition, an exploration of the memories, people, and experiences that shape our sense of home.
