It wasn’t luck or privilege that landed Nicole Paquette in her dream home, and in a career where she is the Principal of her own successful interior design firm.
Nicole’s journey has tested her resilience, strength and teamwork professionally, and as a young wife and mother of two energetic boys.
The Start of the Journey
As a child growing up in Chilliwack, even before knowing what an interior designer was, she had always wanted a career in creating beautiful living spaces. She rearranged and re-fashioned her own small bedroom constantly, always looking for new ideas. When her parents split, however, finances were tight and she knew there would be no funds for her to attend interior design school.
Instead, she worked two jobs to save money: banking and waiting tables. “I learned a lot about customer service,” says Paquette, “and that listening is the foundation to building relationships that last, and giving people what they need.”
While in high school she also met Kyle, who worked in construction but had a keen interest in real estate, and something clicked. They were soon married, and started looking for property to somehow get themselves in the expensive BC real estate game.
Photo by The Launching House Photography courtesy Nicole Paquette Design
A Great Dream is Worth the Elbow Grease
“We researched feverishly,” says Paquette, “and found out about a tiny apartment in New Westminster that was being sold for an extreme discount.”
After that, it was fixing, selling and buying 11 homes over 14 years. “Each time, we’d do intense homework, and time our purchases carefully,” explains Paquette, “And we’d improve things – doing the painting, cleaning, and styling ourselves, all to build value as well as comfort.”
Paquette’s sixth home was a breakthrough. While pregnant with her second child, Paquette and her husband managed to subdivide the basement into two suites, intending to use them as short-term rentals, and fully furnishing them. Instead, they got longer-term student renters who willingly paid a premium for the furnishings. They eventually sold these at a premium.
Later, when they had two young sons, Paquette sought out a quieter, family community.
Research uncovered a very outdated farmhouse on an acre of beautiful land in Langley. Once purchased, they subdivided the land so they could eventually build their dream home.
It wasn’t easy, but their young family of four actually lived there, all while gutting the entire living space. “That meant cooking on a barbeque and sharing a small single bathroom,” she laughs, “so the whole family learned to just roll with it!”
The VCAD Dream Comes True
When they finally sold the extra lot in 2021, the finances were there to get Nicole into VCAD full time, and begin building the family dream home.
But that meant moving to another rental for a while, with new complications. “My husband and I, despite being a bit squeamish, found ourselves dealing with ants and rats!”
Meanwhile, construction on the Langley dream home began, which turned out to be the perfect practicum for the burgeoning interior designer.
“I applied everything I learned in school, and supervised all the trades – everything from the architecture, to electrical, to plumbing and cabinet design. It was incredible,” she says, “I now know all the layers of building a home, well beneath the surface.”
Photos by The Launching House Photography courtesy Nicole Paquette Design
The Dream Home and Career Dovetail
Serendipitously, the connections she made with builders, architects, trades got Paquette started with professional projects almost immediately.
“It seems there are a lot of builders who don’t consider bringing in a designer first,” Paquette says. “They don’t want a designer to take them backwards, or add a lot to the cost. So I created simple packages to give builders and their customers a way to ease in.”
Paquette’s firm offers flexible packages that include layers of services at different price points – from just colour selections, to just furniture, or simple styling…or a full-service approach. Each package tells customers exactly what is included, and what to expect.
“I know how it feels to be on a tight budget,” says Paquette, “And I never want someone to feel pressured.”
How Timeless Fits Paquette’s Picture
Paquette says Timeless is her go-to brand for engineered flooring for all her projects.
“Timeless offers so many choices, at different price points,” explains Paquette, “you can start low or go high, and all the floors are excellent quality. Like, if you’re on a budget, you can still have the widths you want, but you simply use a Timeless product with shorter lengths. With a skilled installer, you don’t even notice the board lengths, and can save a lot.”
Paquette also notes the broad range of stylistic choices. “It’s warm, organic, and in a huge range of beautiful tones and widths. Plus Timeless’ matte finish doesn’t show the little fingerprints and marks.”
So as a designer, how does she evaluate the quality of an engineered floor? “I actually look at the layers,” she says, “some brands use cheap materials that can chip and damage easily, but Timeless is built to last – it really does stand the test of time.”
Photos by The Launching House Photography courtesy Nicole Paquette Design
The Dream Ahead
Today, Paquette and her team enjoy a broad range of residential projects from Canada to Los Cabos, are soon expanding into commercial projects.
I asked her what makes her design approach unique.
“I don’t know what makes me unique,” says Paquette, “but that’s okay – I’m more interested in what makes my customers unique! I want their homes to be their dreams come true.”
At Timeless, we’re so happy to hear Paquette is living her dream, in her dream home.
We hope to be part of your dream too.
Learn more about Nicole Paquette Design at:
- On instagram at @nicolepaquettedesign
- On LinkedIn at Nicole Paquette
- On Facebook at Nicole Paquette Design
- At nicolepaquette.ca