She Designs Spaces. She Tells Stories. — A Conversation with Interior Designer Sharon Joseph

Sharon Joseph has been an interior designer for fifteen years. And it took her almost all of them to fully call herself one.

This is a conversation about what it really means to stay consistent, stay authentic, and stay on the creative path when the world keeps offering you easier exits. Sharon doesn't design rooms. She designs spaces where people finally feel like themselves — rooted in story, shaped by culture, and built around the truth of whoever is living in them.

Recorded in Malabe, Sri Lanka as part of The Creative Odyssey Podcast's first-ever Sri Lanka series, this episode is one of the most honest and grounded conversations we've had on this show.

If you've ever doubted whether you've earned the right to call yourself what you actually are — this one is for you.

What we cover in this episode:

• Why every space needs a story and not just an aesthetic
• How Sharon sources from Sri Lankan artisans to build culturally rooted interiors
• The slow, real process of owning your identity as a creative professional
• What fifteen years of consistency actually looks like in a creative career
• Designing within tight budgets without compromising quality or vision
• How Sri Lanka's color culture and craft traditions shape Sharon's design lens
• The difference between working in Dubai's neutral palette world and returning to Sri Lanka's vibrant visual identity
• Why the Kandyan Perahera is Sharon's go-to source of color inspiration
• How the color of your walls directly affects the way you think and feel
• Creativity as a path back to yourself when life gets hard
• Why the money follows the passion and not the other way around
• The power of asking a senior creative if you can simply tag along

Sharon also talks about singing on stage with an Australian choir of over 160 voices, why perfectionism is a career requirement not a personality flaw, and what she would tell any young creative in Sri Lanka who is still waiting for permission to begin.

HOST 🎙 Sheran Ranasinghe Instagram: @sheranstories Email: thecreativeodysseypodcast@gmail.com

GUEST 🎨 Sharon Joseph — Interior Designer, Sri Lanka & Dubai Instagram: @sharonjoseph87

RECORDED AT 📍 Space Hub Studios Malabe, Sri Lanka Instagram: @spacehubstudio

PRODUCED BY 🎬 Odyssey House Media Instagram: @thecreativeodysseypodcast

LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE 🎧 Buzzsprout: thecreativeodysseypodcast.buzzsprout.com Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/12SGsSsLz4DqlLFwxigjXX Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/pl/podcast/the-creative-odyssey-podcast/id1750306317

Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:00

I don't want to just create a space where it's just something that is looking nice, but it needs to be functional. It needs to tell a story. Sometimes you tend to question yourself. And I think within the past two years or so, because it has never been a linear line. As you grow older, sometimes it's easier to deviate into different money-making businesses. But sometimes the hardest thing is to stay consistent. It's all about being true to yourself and what you put out there. I think you need to be authentic about what you like, how you want to express it. Yeah, I think if you can keep that consistency going, something original can come out of it. I try and try to maintain the same language. So you go to my portfolio, I want someone to be able to say, okay, this is a challenge. I like to have that kind of storytelling, I would say, and be unique and authentic for anyone to be able to look and say, This is her. Make time to do what you love. It's just one hour. I'm sure anyone can push in that one hour or for one day. Because that's the only way you could feel you could enjoy life, and you know you could feel that life is giving you back something in return.

SPEAKER_02 1:25

Hi everybody, welcome back to the Creative Arts Podcast. My name is Sharon, and today is a very exciting day. We are starting the first uh episode of the series we are recording in Sri Lanka. Um, and uh I will I have uh Sharon with me, one of my good friends. I first met her uh when we were like young, very young, and uh we recently reconnected while I'm in in Sri Lanka. And what struck me about her is um uh it was she's an interior designer, and and what struck me about her was is not just a talent, but also her process. Um she doesn't treat interior design as decoration, actually, she treats it like storytelling. That actually intrigued me in a in a cool way, and and that's because I how that's how I approach creativity in my own work. So uh her journey into interior design is very layered, unexpected, and actually very inspiring. So I think you would definitely love this conversation. Sharon, thank you for being here.

SPEAKER_04 2:25

No problem. It's a pleasure to meet you after a very long time.

SPEAKER_02 2:29

Very long time. So let's get to it.

SPEAKER_04 2:31

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 2:32

Can you tell us about a project where the story behind the space shifted the design completely and where it surprised you or the client?

SPEAKER_04 2:42

Yeah, actually, um I have a very good example where um at one point we had to design an apartment and the client didn't really have a budget.

SPEAKER_03 2:55

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_04 2:55

So we went all out. And um at the end of the day, the client loved what we came up with because at the end of the day, I don't want to just create a space where you know it's just something that is looking nice, but it needs to be functional, it needs to tell a story. And uh the final result uh was to was really happy to see the client's face and you know how they respond to it and how surprised they seem from what it was to what it is now, and um that was a very uh inspiring uh surprise, I would say.

SPEAKER_02 3:34

So I'm curious. So if if the client didn't have a budget, did they actually have a story or something that they wanted to say, or how did you figure that out?

SPEAKER_04 3:42

Um yes, so this particular client has been traveling around the world, so he wanted us to um include something cultural, something Sri Lankan. So we uh went to uh a lot of Sri Lankan artisans and um we were able to source a lot of items from um weaving to um uh elements from candy, Anuradhapura. Uh so there was this Sri Lankan touch that we were able to introduce into this interior, and the client was mind-blown because that exactly um what was what he had in his mind, what he had in envisioned as well. So the story behind it to empower Sri Lankan women in the rural area areas particularly uh was something that we loved including in our interior. And uh it was a great success, I would say.

SPEAKER_02 4:46

So what would you call that uh the style? What would you define it as?

SPEAKER_04 4:52

I wouldn't say it was completely modern or completely traditional, but somewhere in between. There was this twist that we were able to uh come up with um in the middle of uh in between uh traditional and modern and came out really well.

SPEAKER_02 5:09

That's awesome. Is bo bo bo kind of similar to like Sri Lankan style?

SPEAKER_04 5:14

Well, I think a lot of Sri Lankans are now you know inspired by the Boho uh Bali style.

SPEAKER_02 5:21

Yeah, because we had Rattan already, right?

SPEAKER_04 5:23

Yes, exactly. So um there are places outside of Colombo where we sit um and source these items. Um so a lot of Rattan pendant lights, a lot of bedside uh lamps that you know really kind of add uh our cultural element. So I'm glad like we are working around with all these materials.

SPEAKER_02 5:45

That's super cool. Um so, real quick, um, we were just talking before the we began, and you you mentioned you deep you were not actually in this this path before. And I'm I'm curious how which uh you switched and what made you go there and that kind of thing. So give me tell me what you were doing before and then Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 6:07

So as a child, I think me and my sister and my brother, we always wanted uh to be part of art, dance, music. Um, and although my dad is um running an advertising company and we were pushed to kind of head in that direction. Uh, and uh I did CIM marketing at one point, and I figured that was not really my thing because I was always passionate about art design and uh interior design to create spaces, um, and that is where I thought, okay, I'll give it a shot, uh, do my degree in interior, and I've been in the industry for the past 15 years or so.

SPEAKER_02 6:51

That's awesome. Um so Sri Lanka has its own palette, right? The colours of the tropics, the rhythm of daily life. How does that like kind of find its way into your work? Um, even when a client might not notice it. You also mentioned you were in working in Dubai for a while, so I'm curious. Yes.

SPEAKER_04 7:12

Um, so I think when you talk about Sri Lanka, the ice uh we are within reach. Um we could go to the oceans if we want to, we could travel to the hills, and it only takes a couple of hours, unlike other countries. So I think we have a lot of um rich culture and tradition uh engaged, and we we as designers we try to combine uh the spaces in Sri Lanka, maybe Gaul, Candy, Anuradhapura, and we love to play with colours, we always like to have that pop-up colour.

SPEAKER_02 7:44

So we always go back to our culture, our spaces, um and try to bring in some element of colour into our because I mean you look at Spain and all these other countries, like it's so iconic, right? The houses are multicolored, and like you have the umbrellas, like all that kinds of stuff. So if you were to point out, I mean we are going a little bit uh different path, but if you were to point that out, like what would you point and say, like this is what Sri Lanka, like in you know, uh iconic wise.

SPEAKER_04 8:14

I would say um to me what strikes out is the yaka mask. Okay, right?

SPEAKER_02 8:22

That's yaka mask is that's the mask they wear they wear they they wear like doing like uh what do you call uh the Candy and Pera has a Ratna?

SPEAKER_04 8:32

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And there's so much of colour that you can derive out of it. There are the reds, the yellows, uh you know, yeah, the browns, so vibrant. And that just quickly uh comes like pops up in my head. And yeah, we we do try to use uh most of like you know, a little bit of pop. Um we like to add a little bit of pop to our interior.

SPEAKER_02 8:56

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So that's like your go-to kind of thing. Yeah, that's cool. So this is kind of interesting, but do you feel like your cultural backgrounds gives you a different lens compared to Western design schools of firms?

SPEAKER_04 9:11

Yes, so when I was in Dubai, uh we mostly played with a lot of neutral palette, uh, colors like beige, browns of whites. While I love that color palette, I think in Sri Lanka, or if we were to use a little bit of our culture, we can always go back to um our traditions and look at how we can kind of incorporate the colours from different areas. For example, you take Gaul or the Trink Mulli. We we love our ocean. We could always What colours would you pull from Gaul? I would say like turquoise, blue, a little bit of green. Okay. Um, you know, there's so much to, I mean, we could go on forever in terms of you know deriving culture and uh um colour colour palettes to our designs.

SPEAKER_02 10:04

You're right. I never thought about that. Like House Sri Lanka has so many different interior design concepts in it.

SPEAKER_03 10:11

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 10:12

I never thought about that. Because if I mean in USA, you have to like if you're living in a coastal town, then every all the houses are like coastal and the designs. But then if you're like living somewhere else, like California or something, yeah, too totally modern and that kind of thing. So it's super cool how like Sri Lanka, even though it's such a tiny island, you have all these interior.

SPEAKER_04 10:33

And the best part is they're just a few hours away.

SPEAKER_02 10:36

Right.

SPEAKER_04 10:36

Right?

SPEAKER_02 10:37

Right, that is true. Yeah, traffic might be a job, but still that's part of the experience, right? Yeah. Um let me see here. So um why storytelling? Like why store why tell a story instead of just uh decor decorate something? Like you said you were drawn to that, and I'm curious why what about it was super interesting.

SPEAKER_04 11:07

I think a space shouldn't just look uh aesthetically pleasing or just functional. I think it's always important to have a story behind. And I would always speak to the client first, I would try to understand um his uh way of living, his lifestyles, um what kind of personality he is, and I always try to include that into my space. So I think it's always good to have a concept or a story uh so that the client feels at home and one with the space.

SPEAKER_02 11:43

I'm curious. So did you grow up in a space where it was something like that?

SPEAKER_04 11:48

Or um no, not really. But I remember when I walk into a space, in my head, I'm always wondering why can't this space be a little more aesthetic, a little more functional. You know, you can you don't need to do like major structural changes. You could always, you know, um revamp it with a little bit of twist. And you don't need to spend much. Yeah. So my eyes kind of I could do the revamping in my head sometimes. I don't know if it's a good thing or not.

SPEAKER_02 12:19

I think it's good, you know. It's almost like nowadays I just put on chat GPT. I take a picture. I was like actually, um, I was renovated in my um studio in my my house um for the podcast, and I I it took me a long time, but I like took pictures and put on chat GPT and like I said all the things I had made, wood stuff, and yeah, I did like a green backdrop and it actually came out decent. I was it I followed the Chat GPT. Yeah, I mean, yeah, if I could hire a interior design, I would definitely do it. But uh the budget was low.

SPEAKER_00 13:01

We're so excited to share with you all the episodes that we filmed in Sri Lanka. We know a lot of you have been waiting, but we wanted to make sure that we did this really meaningfully because it really was an exciting time. When Sharon first came to me and said he was gonna take the podcast to Sri Lanka, I honestly thought he was crazy.

SPEAKER_02 13:16

And so did I, yeah. I was like, is there any possibility that we can fit this in? I wanted to bring the podcast in and get some more people interview pretty.

SPEAKER_00 13:26

So we expected to have just a few conversations, maybe a little sparks of inspiration here and there, but what happened was so much deeper than that. We met so many people that not only you got to interview, but that also like came along inside of us to help make these conversations happen.

SPEAKER_02 13:42

The crazy thing was this daring idea of going into being back for like seven years, and I knew with some people for two and some. And some days we had six, seven episodes.

SPEAKER_00 14:08

Yeah, so it felt really significant because not only was it that we were having like these raw type of conversations, but a lot of their stories resonated with drawn, so it just was really fascinating to see them speaking the same language and to see like just this commonality of creativity and identity and purpose coming out as the themes of these conversations.

SPEAKER_02 14:28

You must be wondering when this could happen. It happened in September. And uh the goal was to get these episodes out by September. A lot of things happen, and I didn't want to diminish what we put in and again amazing piece of episode. We decided to do something really cool, and we can have us how many can a week.

SPEAKER_00 14:49

So, linked in every single episode, you'll find a free PDF. It's actually a magazine that we developed. You can kind of think of it like if you go to a concert and you get like the souvenir of what happens behind the scenes and just about the different artists and all those things. We wanted to share with you not only about Trinidad's journey, but then help you connect with some of the guests that we interview in Sri Lanka, and then invite you on your own creative Odyssey.

SPEAKER_02 15:10

Yes, there's so much more that goes into or that fuels this podcast, which is this this mission to inspire people to create so that they can get to themselves and connect with the each other. So to see that we could bring that story out of Sri Lanka and Creatives out. I was raised of creatives, it was definitely a highlight.

SPEAKER_00 15:35

Our hope is that whether you're living in the States, you're living in Sri Lanka, or somewhere else around the world, you'll connect with someone's story within Sri Lanka, and it might inspire you to continue on your own creative prophecy.

SPEAKER_02 15:45

The link to the PDF for the magazine is in the description, and please check it out. They're doing really cool things that I really think you should be checking out to see their journeys with. So without further ado, let's get to the episode. So you describe yourself as a both a dreamer and a maker. Can you tell us about a time when both of those were kind of uh the balance was tested? Like when the vision was almost too big and then the con constraints almost too tight.

SPEAKER_04 16:18

Well, yeah, I think um some of the clients, I'm not saying all of it, but many of the clients are very budget conscious here. So even though even there.

SPEAKER_02 16:29

You get the yes.

SPEAKER_04 16:30

So even though uh as interior designers, we want to dream big, we have a huge vision in our head. We need to be able to understand the client's budgetary uh constraints and try to fit into that particular budget. So I would say uh design kind of um uh we need to kind of play it in our heads in in a way that kind of suits his budget at the end of the day. So sometimes there are compromises we as designers need to make.

SPEAKER_01 17:04

How does that process work for you?

SPEAKER_04 17:06

Um all right. Um it's not a linear path, I would say, because um sometimes it's always a challenge because uh dealing with suppliers are not very easy here because they don't really um adhere to timelines. So sometimes we are in trouble. But um most of the time it's all about being diplomatical, and most of the clients are really nice, very accommodating, and they uh they do understand the practicality of uh the difficulty sometimes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:42

That's gotta be the hardest part of the job. Yes. Um so do you work alone or do you work with the team or how does it work?

SPEAKER_04 17:49

Um so currently I'm working for a company based in Dubai. Um I'm working from Sri Lanka, so it's remote working.

SPEAKER_03 17:56

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 17:57

Um, but when I do have the time, I do take up freelance projects. And sometimes um I find it very um I mean, it's a great feeling to be able to design your own space from concept to the end and to see the space being done. And that's a very rewarding experience.

SPEAKER_02 18:18

So since you have worked with other designers, how does that work? I mean, it's a bunch of creatives working together.

SPEAKER_01 18:26

Like that sounds like a mess.

SPEAKER_04 18:29

So most of the companies, uh so we um usually they hand over projects to an individual person.

SPEAKER_03 18:35

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 18:36

So that works well.

SPEAKER_03 18:37

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_04 18:38

So we directly work with the client and we try to maintain a good rapper with the client. And most clients are very easy and professional and nice to work with.

SPEAKER_02 18:47

So in that way, um So you haven't been on a team where you get you have to put your ideas together and like so far no.

SPEAKER_04 18:55

Thankfully.

SPEAKER_02 18:56

You've been lucky, you know.

SPEAKER_04 18:58

Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:00

I love that. I love that. That's awesome. Is there been a time where you realize this tiny detail right in the design plan is so important and like you you know the client doesn't see it, right? And and for whatever reason, they're like pushing back on it, and and you know that they're wrong. Tell me if there was a time like that and like how hard was the fight? Did you win? Like uh has there ever been something like that?

SPEAKER_04 19:28

Yeah, many, many occasions. Uh it it it it's a good feeling to tell the client, I told you so. But it doesn't go well, it doesn't go well. But yeah, because uh interior design is all about the process from spatial planning to concept development and uh the electricals, the furniture layout, everything needs to go hand in hand. So if you don't have that coordination with all the suppliers at the same time, it could go real bad. It's all uh it all depends on how you coordinate and how you need to take that leadership and do the project coordination really well.

SPEAKER_01 20:07

Tell me about a story uh something sometimes that happened.

SPEAKER_04 20:12

Thankfully, um, most of them have gone well except for the COVID times.

SPEAKER_03 20:17

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 20:18

Well, it was really tough because um it was difficult to go manage the site to look to quality inspect uh because most sites did not let us go and there were constraints to enter the building. So that was very challenging. Um but most of the other projects I would say have been small. Thankfully, the clients have been greater to work.

SPEAKER_02 20:43

So then you would uh you whenever somebody asks who who who you are, you would immediately say you're an inter designer, right?

SPEAKER_03 20:50

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 20:51

How long did it take for you to kind of be like okay, now I'm an inter designer, and what kind of made you get to that point?

SPEAKER_04 21:01

Interesting question. Because although I've been in the industry for over ten years, sometimes you tend to question yourself. And um I think probably within the past two years or so, um, because it has never been a linear line, I would say. What do you mean by that? A lot of challenges. Um sometimes it's hard to be consistent in the industry because there are a lot of challenges that come your way.

SPEAKER_02 21:28

I don't understand what that means.

SPEAKER_04 21:30

Um depends. So depends on the suppliers.

SPEAKER_02 21:36

Uh most like as I told you So you're in this in the point of view of like completing a project.

SPEAKER_04 21:42

I would say completing a project.

SPEAKER_02 21:44

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 21:44

Um, from you know, finances to supplier coordination. The right supplier means everything.

SPEAKER_03 21:53

Right.

SPEAKER_04 21:54

Because uh at the end of the day, the quality needs to be great. Yeah. And and I am a perfectionist in what I do. So I need all of it to, you know, be uh at its best. So here I feel like it's a bit difficult and I don't like to compromise on quality. Um so sometimes where there are instances where the supplier will quote low in expect thinking, you know, he could deliver a poor product.

unknown 22:25

Right.

SPEAKER_04 22:26

And then sometimes we get in trouble because we need to deliver the best product. And there are times where, you know, sometimes you could go on a loss where if you have undercoated. So it's very important to at the quoting stage, you need to get the right uh people on board as you go on this journey.

SPEAKER_02 22:46

So, I mean, you probably watch like interior design shows like Joanna Gaines and like, you know, uh being a chef, I used to be a chef. So uh watching Food Network is very like stressful for me. I don't find any relaxation. So same way, do you how do you are you able to watch interior design shows?

SPEAKER_04 23:08

Uh so this is the thing, right? Designing uh uh interior design is very subjective, it differs from person to person. Something you love, I may not like. So it's always a case of critique, you know, why are you going with that color? Can't you use this finish and texture instead? Um so yeah, those kind of uh questions always go in.

SPEAKER_02 23:34

So, how do you take those? How do you process that?

SPEAKER_04 23:37

Um well, I would try to take the good out of it, and then you know you don't get offended at all. I try not to.

SPEAKER_02 23:47

Did it take like did you ever try to like learn how not to do that?

SPEAKER_04 23:52

Yeah. Because sometimes the I mean, I know like you know, we need to respect the client, but sometimes uh if we think that this color may not be going well, or this texture, um I do voice it out. And thankfully most of the clients, you know, they respect you. There are some clients they just want to go haywire, and I'm not very proud of some of those projects.

SPEAKER_02 24:19

Oh wow, yeah. That's gotta be hard, right? Yeah. So, okay, so you mentioned you are a perfectionist. So has that always been the case, like from a young age or no, I don't think so.

SPEAKER_04 24:31

I think this career made me become no way.

SPEAKER_02 24:34

So you it's almost like a requirement?

SPEAKER_04 24:36

Yes. Because I think it's very important when you're in this um uh career, you need to have that sharp eye. You need to be able to see what others can't see. If if uh it could look really good um far, uh, but when you come close, you could see all the um, you know, how how um not linear they could be. So sometimes you need to be that perfectionist in order to excel in this career, I would say.

SPEAKER_02 25:06

Yeah. What if somebody says like perfectionism is bad?

SPEAKER_04 25:11

I don't agree.

SPEAKER_02 25:13

Fair enough. It's right and simple. Let's let's create a scenario, right? No client. Okay, it's just you.

SPEAKER_04 25:22

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 25:22

So um somebody gives you a budget and be like, Sharon, you can create this your dream space. How would that work?

SPEAKER_04 25:30

Oh, that'd be wonderful. That's something any interior designer would be very happy to hear.

SPEAKER_02 25:34

Yeah, so I want to understand the creative process. How would that work?

SPEAKER_04 25:37

Yeah, so first of all, I think uh managing the space is vital. So we go through a spatial planning where we use AutoCAD as our tool to um do the space layouts because I think that is the most important uh first stage of the project. Then we go into concept development where we select what kind of furniture, uh what the themes, the concept, whether it are we going with a traditional modern twist, or is it going to be um you know, um just modern? Um so once we finalize the concept and the storytelling, then we create mode boards and with different colors, different textures, different finishes, giving the overall concept, the idea of the space. And then we go into 3D renders where you could uh we take the exact measurements of the space and you add the design element to it so you see the space as how it will look in real life.

SPEAKER_03 26:41

Cool.

SPEAKER_04 26:42

Then you do go back to your 2D drawings at a CAD and then start doing uh furniture designs, uh elevations.

SPEAKER_02 26:49

So you even like uh design furniture and then get them custom made? Yes. That's cool.

SPEAKER_04 26:55

Yeah, that's the most interesting part, I would say.

SPEAKER_02 26:58

Yeah, me too. Because I I I'm in the woodworking and I was yeah, so I did a woodworking business like a couple of years ago and I paused it for a while. Um, furniture design is super interesting. It is like I um I did uh like a modern boho stu not boho, um yeah, it's like a boho style like coffee table, but it's like Shushugiban. It's like the wood is burnt and you can see the ingrain of the wood.

SPEAKER_03 27:26

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_02 27:26

Um so that was yeah, I I wish I could do that for fun, just to create uh, you know, every time I think about Sri Lanka and like I furniture, I think about the Hansiput, the recurring chair. That's gotta be the most iconic thing I've ever seen. Is it going away?

SPEAKER_04 27:44

Um again, depends because some of the clients just uh want a modern twist. So they know, but there are also these clients who want to like um uh kind of include a the traditional uh way of um interior. So for example, like they want to revamp their old house into like a valaur. Then we bring in the antiques.

SPEAKER_02 28:10

How do you explain a valava in English?

SPEAKER_04 28:13

Uh like an ancient house?

SPEAKER_02 28:15

Yeah, like a traditional old Sri Lankan house. Exactly. Yes, yes. Yeah, okay. You know, I wonder, like, is there some kind of um initiative or movement in Sri Lanka uh among the designers to like either create new designs for Sri Lanka or like keep the old ones more prevalent? Ahimam, is there anything like that?

SPEAKER_04 28:43

I wish we could. Maybe that's a great idea. Uh I think we need to have something like that.

SPEAKER_02 28:49

Yeah. Because I mean, I I've been going to multiple friends' houses and different places, and I have yet to see a Hanseput, this reclining chair. I've seen the modern version of it, which is like a shorter one without the legs.

SPEAKER_03 29:04

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 29:04

But I've been trying to look for one so I can like rely on it. Because as a kid, I used to do that.

SPEAKER_04 29:10

You know, and that was the best. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 29:14

So now that we're talking about, I kind of think like there should be something where you guys should do. Uh there's all this like iconic furniture, especially I've been driving around and see all these like um uh Limo, which is uh what do you call Timber Factories? Timber factories. And I see these little furniture and things that they're doing, and I don't know, they look super cool.

SPEAKER_03 29:37

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 29:38

And they use the Rattan pattern. Yes, it's so cool. I think that there could be this new, not new, but like uh Sri Lanka's own like niche that can come out of the world.

SPEAKER_04 29:50

Like, yeah, I think that's a great idea, I think.

SPEAKER_02 29:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 29:54

To initiate that kind of movement here seriously together with all the interior design.

SPEAKER_02 29:58

Yeah, I think that there definitely you need to head that up and and make that happen.

SPEAKER_03 30:02

About it, thank you.

SPEAKER_02 30:04

Um so let me see. So you said you are you always a creative person, you and your family. Um now that you look at creativity as an adult, how do you look at creativity? How does it differ from how you saw it as a kid to now? And and not just from the interior designing perspective, but just like from your your view.

SPEAKER_04 30:31

I think it's all about being true to yourself and what you put out there. I think you need to be authentic about um your what you like, how you want to express it. And um yeah, I think if you can keep that consistency going, something original can come out of it.

SPEAKER_02 30:54

So for you, I hear you saying consistency like a big thing for you. Why is that?

SPEAKER_04 31:01

I think as you grow older, sometimes it's easier to deviate into different um money-making businesses. Um, but sometimes the hardest thing is to stay consistent. But I would recommend you to stay consistent. It's all about practice, it's all about repeating the same thing over and over again. Yeah, that's how you excel and gain that experience. And that's what I've seen, and I'm so glad that I was consistent and I held on to this.

SPEAKER_03 31:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 31:29

Um, but yeah, being consistent is the key, I would say.

SPEAKER_02 31:35

From the perspective of like young Sri Lankans, right? Like young kids or whatever. Um I mean, I I know growing up the culture was like you don't want to do creative stuff.

SPEAKER_03 31:46

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 31:47

Do you know tell me more so so first of all, explain to the viewers what that culture was like. And then um how did you manage to be a creative in that environment? I'm super curious.

SPEAKER_04 32:01

Yeah, so thankfully, my dad uh was a big uh inspiration. Um he would always push me, my sister, and my brother to do whatever you like. So, for example, I went in the interior design uh path. My brother explored branding. Um, he's doing pretty well. Yeah, he's um I love the designs he comes up with. He's very original. Do the sketches and you know, the real deal. Uh, my sister studied fashion design. She's into fashion marketing. So I think I would say uh I'm glad that my dad was open-minded enough. Because here now, I mean, back in the day, like you said, parents would ask you to be, want you to be a doctor, a lawyer, um, you know, going that kind of direction. But thankful to my parents for pushing us to do whatever we wanted.

SPEAKER_02 32:57

Interesting. Because I look at my experience, and my parents were the same.

unknown 33:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 33:02

But I I let society affect me in a big way. And um, that's why it took me a long time to figure out oh no, this is exactly what I'm supposed to do. I went to become a chef because I had no other option but to, and I was like, I'm not smart enough to do anything else. So I just went for it, which I was good at, and I'm not I'm not like regretting anything, but um I I think about that a lot, and and so you're saying your parents were a huge uh impact. Yeah, it didn't matter to you what society was saying, and and thankfully not.

SPEAKER_04 33:34

I think you need to kind of build that thick skin and kind of follow your passion and dreams. And I'm glad I did that.

SPEAKER_02 33:41

So fast forward to now, and and young kids looking at this, maybe what would you have to say?

SPEAKER_04 33:47

And and and and also explain the society now if you can, and then Yeah, I think the society now is uh more open-minded, they've opened their eyes into truly following your dream, to follow your passion. Because at the end of the day, you could only uh keep doing what you love and excel in what you do is if you have that deep passion.

SPEAKER_03 34:10

Right.

SPEAKER_04 34:11

And so I would say follow your dreams, follow your heart. Of course, do your initial education, get the foundation. Right, right, right, then go conquer the world.

SPEAKER_02 34:22

So passionate people, and and then so it's interesting. So be passionate, also be consistent, right? Sometimes this passion takes a while to figure out what your passion is. So um it's super cool that you jump from marketing to this and you stuck with it at that school, but there are also stories of people not always following that, right? And it takes a path to figure that out. So what would you say to them, especially Gen Zs and younger than that?

SPEAKER_04 34:53

I think most of the Gen Zs uh and the younger generation, they know what they want to do. Most of them. So I would encourage to explore now itself what you want to do, what you like to do, what you're good at. And once you figure that out, it's easier to follow that path.

SPEAKER_01 35:12

Yeah, that makes sense.

SPEAKER_02 35:14

That's true. It is kind of uh refreshing to see that happening. Yeah. Um, even the way like people have uh like reacted to what I'm doing.

SPEAKER_03 35:26

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 35:26

I have I I didn't expect to have a good reaction, to be honest. I thought it was gonna be the same thing, and this guy's crazy or something like that. But it's been super like refreshing to hear that people are still uh you know more open. Yes, more open now than than than than um what what happened then since then to now? What is your opinion?

SPEAKER_04 35:49

Um I would say there were challenges because you know, at the time everyone looks up to like an accountant or a finance director, or you know, going in the most uh conventional. Lucrative, conventional, lucrative also, I would say. Um but again, I think once you are at it and you keep your consistency, uh the money will come, I would say. Like don't think about the money. Think about what you're good at, think about what you love to do.

SPEAKER_03 36:26

Right.

SPEAKER_04 36:26

And when you when you're authentic um to yourself, the money will come.

SPEAKER_02 36:31

That's cool. So, how do you stay authentic to yourself?

SPEAKER_04 36:35

That's a good question. Um, I try to, so for example, when I design something, I try and try to maintain the same language. So you go to my portfolio, I want someone to be able to say, okay, this is Sharon's work. I like to have that kind of um storytelling, I would say, and be unique and authentic for anyone to be able to look and say, This is her work. So I think it's always, as I said, consistency. Be consistent in what you do.

SPEAKER_02 37:12

I mean, I'm curious. So be consistent, um, in the sense. So uh do you allow any leeway to for you to kind of be crazier in your um design programs?

SPEAKER_04 37:28

Again, depends, yes. All depends on what the client needs.

SPEAKER_02 37:31

Yeah, so your job is fully client focused.

SPEAKER_04 37:34

Very much. But um very rarely you get an occasion where the client also thinks out of the box, they want something quirky, and that's the opportunity to go right in and to delve in. Um, so those opportunities uh are really cool, and I've really enjoyed working with some of the clients. But most of the time I think um it's a very linear direction. They know what they want.

SPEAKER_03 38:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 38:00

And we give them what they want. But um, I think the most um uh rewarding space to be is to be able to have a combination of both.

SPEAKER_01 38:11

Interesting.

SPEAKER_02 38:13

So you if you were to like like say design the world, right? Like nothing is no interdesign has been like part of the process. And and if this whole client relationship, uh if you could take that out, how would that how would that look like? You just like interdesign is like, hey, this is what you need.

SPEAKER_04 38:35

Uh well that would look a little crazy from looking from outside, but I would try to make it as uh functional and aesthetically pleasing as much as possible.

SPEAKER_02 38:45

So you're telling me that like you can look at like let's say for me, right? Like you would get to know me and then you could just create a space, then right? Like exactly for me.

SPEAKER_04 38:54

Yes. Then I think I would take time to get to know you as a person to kind of understand your likes, um, your way of living, your social lifestyle. Um, and then it's always important to bring that into your design process.

SPEAKER_01 39:10

That almost feels like a per impersonal invasion.

SPEAKER_02 39:17

When are you gonna start your new TV show?

SPEAKER_04 39:21

Thanks for the idea.

SPEAKER_02 39:23

Yo, do more things. Um so okay, so my my my audience are creatives, all kinds of people, right? If someone is sitting in their room right now feeling uninspired, what's the first storytelling element that they could add to shift the energy?

SPEAKER_04 39:40

I would say if you're in Sri Lanka, go to the woods, go to uh go to nature, like you know, go to Yala, go to Gauls, so many places you can explore, or the beach. Um go find your inspiration from nature and you know, apply it in your life.

SPEAKER_02 40:04

You do that?

SPEAKER_04 40:05

I love the beach. I try to go as much as I can, and it just makes you realize how small you are and how insignificant, you know, all uh that's happening around the world. And the I think the ocean is a place where you can derive a lot of inspiration from the calmness to the tech texture of the sands, sand to the uh sound of the waves.

SPEAKER_02 40:31

Almost like a meditation.

SPEAKER_04 40:33

Yes, I would say.

SPEAKER_02 40:34

It's interesting you do that, yeah. Because I've shared this on the podcast before, but I I'm into woodworking, and my favorite thing is to go sand and make things, right? And I when I started off, I used to listen to music, but even that I stopped because and I just have pure silence. Yeah, and I just sand away for hours and on. And like I find that I go on this journey, I learn something about myself on the end, and then I come back like much more healthier mentally, for sure, right?

SPEAKER_04 41:01

So that's what you're talking about, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 41:03

So if they need inspiration, go to nature. Yeah, okay. Let's say it's uh a middle class child in in Sri Lanka who has some kind of inclination to creativity and interdesign or whatever. Do you guys have mentors, mentor systems here that where like let's say a young girl is like, hey, can I like come like follow you around when you do your like inter designing work and that kind of stuff? Is there stuff like that like set up in here?

SPEAKER_04 41:36

Um I I don't think it's officially set up here, but I have a good example to uh talk uh to you about where one of my friends who connected with me and said, Hey, can I come around with you to go on site visits and client meetings? Because she really had a passionate uh like a she was very passionate about interior design. And she did uh join me on certain site visits and now she's uh on her own, she has her own practice. I see her doing uh lots and lots of residential projects. Okay, um, so yeah, we don't really have a system, but I think if they are interested, you know, you could always uh talk to um a senior interior designer, tag along, learn your way.

SPEAKER_02 42:26

Is that like um the reaching out to people like that? Is that kind of common in the in uh in our culture?

SPEAKER_04 42:34

Like on not really.

SPEAKER_02 42:36

Right, that's what I thought, right? Yeah, because I don't know, hierarchy is a big thing, right? Here, yes. And I think one thing I I love about USA and what I at least the mental shift that I had to take, right? Yeah, I went from like, oh, I can't they can't, they don't have time for me, that kind of thing, to like, oh no, let me just ask and see what happens, right? So that that should be something that you people should encourage here, right?

SPEAKER_04 43:04

Again, you need to take that initiative. I mean, it could work, it could not, it may not work, but you're not missing out on anything. Yeah, just give it a shot.

SPEAKER_02 43:12

The worst thing that could happen was like there would be like, no, I don't know, wasting time with you. It might hurt your feelings a little bit, but then it's fine.

SPEAKER_04 43:19

Yeah, you know you gave it a shot anyway.

SPEAKER_02 43:21

Right, right. Um, if someone listen uh listening walked into their living room tonight and and wanted to make it speak more of their story, where would you tell them to start?

SPEAKER_04 43:36

Interesting. Um I would say like find out what you truly want from the space. Is it just to watch a television or just to sit and meditate? Um to understand what they really want and want to use the space for. And we will make that work.

SPEAKER_02 44:03

You know, it's interesting 'cause when I was thinking about interior design, I've gone to a bunch of my friends' houses and other people's houses in Sri Lanka. And even the house I used to live, I realized when I walked into it. Even though no even though the nostalgia is there, I would be like, why did my parents pick this color? Like all that kinds of stuff. So like I'm noticing a lack, well, not everybody, but a lack of like attention to those kinds of details to create their space to be more homier or more inspiring or whatever. Um part of me then thought, like, oh, it's probably because of financial restraints or constraints or something like that, right? But what's the question I'm asking? Like, how can they change that? How can we like uh inspire a culture that puts more focus into their home to make it home and not to say spend more money?

SPEAKER_04 44:59

Yeah, that's the thing. Like uh what people need to realize is you don't need to have huge budgets to spend money. You could just change a color of the wall, a texture of the wall, and have like a feature wall. Um, and that would make all the difference.

SPEAKER_02 45:16

So, how can we inspire people to like think like that? I guess the question is.

SPEAKER_04 45:21

Um I think especially in Sri Lanka. Yeah, because they're all very set in their way. Right.

SPEAKER_02 45:27

And a lot of people are living in the same homes that they were born in, even after they get married. And I don't know, I sometimes sense a lot of like stress and tension when you walk into the house. I don't want to say it to people, but like I could feel it.

SPEAKER_03 45:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 45:43

And then you can see the same tension and stress in the people living there. So I I I wondered like how can people, you know, people like you, interdesigners, like change the culture if that was the case.

SPEAKER_04 45:57

I think it all depends on if they want to do it, they can do it. And it's just a matter of changing the colour of the clearly, they don't want to.

SPEAKER_02 46:06

They're not even thinking about it. So the question is how? Have you ever thought about that?

SPEAKER_04 46:11

Yeah, I mean, no, I mean it's an interesting question.

SPEAKER_02 46:15

Something to think about.

SPEAKER_04 46:16

Something to think about, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 46:18

Because I find like even in the US, like, even my home, like it's not a big home or anything like that. But I think like by myself, I try to make it somewhat decent. And then my wife comes in and completely changes it. And actually, it's more homeier, and I find it to be very, very homey. So, like, and I used I sometimes sit there by myself thinking, like, I wish I thought of this like a long time ago. Like now my space. And I I guess my point is like I don't think people think here that like changing your room or space could actually give you a little bit of calmness and inspiration and things like that, right?

SPEAKER_04 46:56

Yeah, because psychologically it really helps you. I mean, you have a white wall, um, sometimes a smaller space could look larger. Um, and you put uh you have a dark wall, it gets claustrophobic and looks smaller visually and some. Sometimes it uh messes with your mind as well. You know, you can't seem to think big, you're just very clustered, even in your mind. So it's very important, as you say. I mean they could just change the colour of the walls, right? They would have more clarity of thinking and have better solutions.

SPEAKER_02 47:35

I'm almost like telling you to start telling people what a difference it would be. Yeah. So um, are you still creative in other ways? Like what other things do you do? Or just are you just interdesigned for mostly interior design, yeah. You you still like singing like Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 47:53

Recently I was able to sing with a choir.

SPEAKER_01 47:57

Oh right, I saw that.

SPEAKER_04 47:58

Yeah, that was part of an Australian choir.

SPEAKER_01 48:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 48:02

Um, and they came on vacation. They they they came on a tour actually, and we were able to sing with them. So it was nice to sing with over 160 people on stage. Yeah, but yeah, I love to sing, I love to dance. Whenever I have the time, I do take it up.

SPEAKER_02 48:19

So you do prioritize things like that.

unknown 48:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 48:22

Why is that important to you?

SPEAKER_04 48:24

Because I think it's always important to do what you love. And of course, you need to have the career life balance.

SPEAKER_03 48:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 48:32

Uh make time to go to the gym or if you wanna run, if you wanna work out. Um it's always important to have that balance and do the things you love, to make the time to do the things you like.

SPEAKER_02 48:44

Yeah. Because I realize, especially here talking to people, like life is a bit hectic. Traveling and going to work, by the time you come home, people just like they don't want to do anything. Yes. But then you talk up to the people who do run or do yoga or whatever, go to nature. It's an like actual like uh uh actual thought, it's intention. You have to put time into it.

SPEAKER_04 49:07

You have to. It's all about priority, I would say.

SPEAKER_02 49:10

Finally, I think um for me, creativity is a way to heal, a creativity is a way to connect with myself, and it sounds like you do the same. And um you and I kind of we've go gone through life and then different like uh challenges and things like that. Um how how how would you encourage somebody in a situation that they're like feeling very low and the lowest point of their life, right? Um how would you um encourage them to like take creativity as a way to um heal from those things?

SPEAKER_04 49:52

I would say um try to find what you love to do. I mean, when you say creativity, there's so many things you can do. Um what do you love to do deep down? Um and think about how you can do it, even if you are doing a nine to five job, you can always make an extra hour of work for that uh the thing you're passionate about during your weekend and don't kind of get into that box where you know you think you can't attain the unachievable, but um make time to do what you love, even if it's just one hour. I'm sure you know anyone can uh push in that one hour for for one day. And because that's the only way you could feel um you could enjoy life and you know you could feel that life is giving you back something in return.

SPEAKER_03 50:51

Right.

SPEAKER_04 50:51

So find that out early and uh I would say prioritize your time accordingly.

SPEAKER_02 50:56

Because you can do it, you can do it, yeah. Yeah, and and and also you should dream, right?

SPEAKER_04 51:01

Yes, dream big, I'd say. Dream big and go find that uh goal, that joy. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 51:10

That's it.

SPEAKER_02 51:11

Sharon, thank you so much for being on the pod.

SPEAKER_04 51:13

No problem, thank you so much for having me.

SPEAKER_02 51:16

Yes, yes, I'm super excited.

SPEAKER_04 51:18

Um it was lovely catching up.

SPEAKER_02 51:20

Yes, catch up on well, that's it for today. Thank you so much for joining. Um uh and um I want to encourage you to create. That's the whole point of uh the Creative Artists podcast. So until next time, keep dreaming, keep uh being on your own creative odyssey. Take care.