Chapter Anew
Author:Lindsey ShookNatasha Baradaran proves the best is yet to come
Expanding in business in any industry requires a steadfast and strategic mindset that is focused on the big picture. This fall multifaceted designer, entrepreneur and all-around creative innovator Natasha Baradaran is making bold moves that confirm she has a lot more to say.
With an impressive 24 years in business running her design firm—Natasha Baradaran Interior Design—2024 marks the 10th anniversary of her highly sought-after furniture line, Natasha Baradaran Collection. To celebrate, she is not only releasing an expansive new collection of furniture, she is also opening a flagship showroom and her own manufacturing workshop in downtown L.A. “I have learned not to fear change but to leverage it as excitement,” she remarks. “As a younger designer who was juggling so many parts to my business, I was afraid of change for years.”
Inspired by Southern California matriarchs including Sally Sirkin Lewis, Rose Tarlow and Nancy Corzine, it was important for Baradaran to take the in-house production leap. “It allows us to grow our furniture business in the direction I have always envisioned and it lets my creativity flow,” she remarks. “I can now develop at the speed of my ideas and be responsive to what I’m interested in and what our clients are feeling, faster than I have ever done in the past, with exciting new techniques and finishes.”
The 14-piece collection, entitled “Aura,” symbolizes this astute vision while honoring her signature “laid-back luxury” style. “In the past I was inspired by adding creative parameters as an overlay to my own aesthetic,” Baradaran recalls. “My first furniture collection was inspired by the art of jewelry making, and my second by the phrase ‘dolce far niente’ with Italian mid-century influences. After 10 years and several collections, I no longer feel the need to add a storyline.”
And she didn’t stop there. This new chapter also includes the transformation from the temporary NB Shop, a pop-up that was located on La Cienega, to the first Natasha Baradaran flagship showroom in the West Hollywood Design District. The expanded footprint allows Baradaran to cohesively showcase her furniture, lighting, textiles and select vintage and home accessories in one place and in her own tone. “At NB Shop I had the freedom to art direct my collection through my vision,” she says. “I realized that having all of our offerings together for the first time reflects my ‘vibe unlocked,’ an important missing piece for our brand.”
At a time when female visionaries are making history, Baradaran demonstrates she is committed to legacy and the local community no matter the uncertainty that lies ahead. “I’ve come to realize that with calculated risk comes the potential for a higher reward,” she says. “Life is too short to play it safe.”
