Nail Mani, Omaproject: Lifestyle creation

Nail Mani, Omaproject: Lifestyle creation
Called to Mallorca by its quintessential mélange of towering mountains, beautiful beaches and dynamic cities, Nail Mani knew she’d found home the moment she stepped foot on the island. Formative stints in Paris, London, Monaco and were all vital elements on her path to becoming an interiors stylist but it was in the Balearics that she felt most inspired and compelled to put down roots. Since arriving, she’s plunged heart and soul into the creation of her lifestyle store Omaproject, showroom, and styling services, promoting and uplifting local artisans along the way. Here, she ruminates on her creative processes, the importance of community and why sustainability is key to everything she does. 
My passion has always been interiors, so when I came to Mallorca around six years ago, I started renovating and decorating places for myself, friends and family, and after that I decided to create my own space in the neighbourhood of Santa Catalina in Palma. It’s in the old fishermen’s area and at first it was totally destroyed but I breathed new life into it by respecting all of its original features. I wanted a space where people could learn stories about local artisans and their art so I teamed up with painters, ceramists and designers to showcase their work. Through this experience and the close relationships that have grown from it, an interior’s consultancy was organically born. 

Often, when clients come to the store they just fall in love with the style — handmade, natural, original, antique — and they ask me to decorate their homes or curate and shop pieces on their behalf. Usually they want something authentic that relates to the local environment and culture and that’s my forte, so I source bespoke pieces and then complement them with niche, international designers. This mix between contemporary and handmade gives the interiors a relaxed but elegant feel.

 

 

Clients usually come to me because they have a beautiful house that’s been designed by a famous architect but once it’s finished, they find that it feels cold or like they don’t connect with it, which is a real pity.

 I help them to find their personal style, and using natural materials like linen, cotton and wood, find a way to represent them within their new home. It’s a very collaborative and intuitive process.

I prefer to meet clients in person, that way I can concentrate fully on them and make it as fun as possible — I want them to keep good memories about the experience! I ask a lot of questions about their lifestyle, what they want to achieve, what makes them happy, sourcing as much detail as possible about their personal tastes. I ask them to share inspirations and ideas with me and always ask to see the space myself if I can — the environment a house is in plays a major role in the decor and ambience so it’s important to get a feel for it. The brief I provide ends up going much deeper than just trends.

My work is about the creation of a lifestyle. Homes should feel natural and healthy. The décor doesn’t have to be expensive to be beautiful, but it does have to have a clear goal, function and unique style!

For me, style is very intuitive. It’s something I have — a gift. I have a refined eye thanks to all the travels I’ve been on and the culture I’ve experienced. I’ve lived in a lot of countries and met a lot of people and I think that’s given me an open mind. I have a deep respect for anything that’s been handmade and crafts that have been transmitted through generations, therefore my clients pick up on that. They gravitate naturally to me and my style, it’s all about synchronicity.

Nowadays, more than ever before, it’s important to respect nature, to use local resources and to be as sustainable as possible, especially on this island where materials are very rare. Choosing local artisans is a win-win situation because you’re promoting local businesses, helping the community, protecting the environment, and creating homes that are authentic and will never go out of fashion. These are my values, this is who I am.

 

I spent a year and a half researching the island’s artisans, contacting them all directly. I meet them all personally, getting to know their work, their passion and their personal stories to build long term relationships with respect on both sides. I usually have one or two pieces in the store to represent them. I act as the intermediary between them and the client and this is my mission and biggest passion.

Nature is my main inspiration, that’s why I came to Mallorca. I need this constant contact with nature. And the landscapes in the Balearics are quite unique — lots of earthy tones, natural colours and amazing light. Then there’s the people and their stories, plus the clients and the artisans. Design is intuitive but the most important thing to remember is that it’s an emotion and so many things feed into that. 

I believe a harmonious home is about lots of different elements coming together. Accessories, texture, balance. Colours should be natural, warm, earthy, and then one or two touches of something bold. Scents — oh my god, so important! But something people tend to forget. It creates such an inviting atmosphere and sets the mood. Add indirect lighting, and then pieces where you can see the touch of the hand like ceramics and vases. Finally, add plants and flowers to bring life to the space. Et voilà!

What I do is an intimate process that takes a lot of energy and I definitely need to recharge and feel grounded. For that reason I love to go to the countryside where there are mountains, sheep, olive and almond trees. I’m a land creature! Maybe because of my oriental and Mediterranean origins, it brings me back in touch with my roots. 

The slow-moving lifestyle here in Mallorca is what I need for inspiration and creativity to do what I do. You need peace to be creative and Mallorca has a very special energy. I instantly feel well when I get here, like I never want to leave.

 
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