Sanaz Nouri

It's been a ride, to say the least. I always knew I had big dreams, I just didn't have the whole vision together yet.

My university days started in a completely different direction: law. Then in 2006, I changed course, and it was the best decision of my life. I took some courses, learned enough to get started, and went in head first, just like I do with everything else. I opened my own staging company. Sanaz Design Inc. was born, and so was a new, more responsible version of me.

For 20 years, I've had the opportunity to very nonchalantly walk into people's homes and tell them what to do. We're talking one-bedroom condos all the way up to $50 million plus homes.

It's not as glamorous as it sounds. There were nights working until 1 a.m. with my team at an installation, and days that really tested me. Each one came with its own lesson: never allow any person or project to define my abilities or my belief in myself.

Somewhere in between, I met my first videographer. We started collaborating, launched my YouTube channel, and just like that, Style with Sanaz was born. Today, over 300,000 of you follow along across our platforms.

I have two kids, so I'm always juggling life, family, and a little me time in between. This path that I chose inspires me everyday. Design and architecture are a part of my everyday. I could be walking through the streets of Paris, spot a door, and next thing you know, that same door is being installed on my client's house. Everything is my playground.

For more than two decades, my studio and I have been creating work that moves between beauty and functionality, finding the balance between vision and reality. Today, that work lives in private residences, workplaces, brand partnerships, and creative direction.

I've never been able to stop asking, "What if?" It's why I'll try anything, from exciting projects that challenge me to new materials and AI, if it helps get an idea out of my head and into a project. But no screen can replace being there. I still want to touch the materials, stand in the room, and watch the last piece go in. After all these years, that moment still gets me every time.

Sanaz