designermike
: : Erik Karvonen
Designer Mike Nielsen has been improving the aesthetics of the Valley for more than two decades. Mike designs both public and private spaces with his signature progressive,modern, yet comfortable style. Along with an expanded line of furniture and art,Mike can now add a Bravo reality show to his list of extraordinary talents.
The Nielsen Design Gallery and Nielsen Urban Gallery are located at 8801 North Central Avenue in Phoenix. Each showroom is filled with ultra sleek furniture, vibrant abstract paintings and various designer accessories. Nielsen’s design style strikes an impeccable balance of color, form and texture. But hold on to your credit cards kids, Mike’s showrooms are only open to the design industry.
Along with his design, Mike also works tirelessly on community redevelopment projects in north central Phoenix. Mike has worked with the City of Phoenix, to make many improvements in the Sunnyslope area of town. Such improvements include updated streetscape lighting and landscaping to new commercial development projects.
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with our new local celebrity and talk one on one, designer to designer.
When did you know you had the eye for design?
We had this shed out in the field behind our house when we were kids. I fixed it up
as our little fort or hut, like most kids do. But it was decorated better than most.
What was your goal when you opened your business in 1984?
Really to pursue my passion. At the time, not in interior design, but I wanted to
create design products and pieces for interior designers to buy. I started as a
resource to the industry and it grew to be a design center. I had a showroom that
was open to the trade, but I was also creating and designing the products myself.
This is still how we operate today.
How are you involved in the design of the products you offer?
I have a staff of designers and artists who are very involved in everything I do. My
concepts are brought to reality through my design team.
As a designer and art director, I find inspiration everywhere. Where do you find your creative inspiration?
I think the most inspiration comes from traveling. When I’m traveling I look at architecture,
style and fashion.
How would you describe your design style?
It’s contemporary progressive, but not an uncomfortable contemporary. I like it to have a
bit of a transitional feel.Sometimes an old-world European element might incorporate into
the design so you get that nice balance. Retro with a little European along with a really
clean line progressive style mix.What makes my style of design work is that it’s a mixture.
What’s the biggest mistake when people design their own spaces?
The biggest mistake is that they try to do too much, over-designing. Sometimes simpler is
better. And they try and utilize everything they already have. [If you move everything out
and start with a clean slate and then only utilize the things that work together.] Give up
on some of the stuff, just because you have it doesn’t mean you have to use it. Start fresh
on designing a new space. People move into a new house or business and try to use their
old stuff, and it doesn’t always work.
What type of recent projects have you designed?
I typically do public spaces, restaurants and hotels, very few residential projects.
Commercial projects have more opportunity to be creative because you can take a theme
and run with it. I’m working on a restaurant/lounge right now in Tempe called Saffron.
So how did you meet Kathy Griffin?
I met Kathy about six years ago. A good friend of mine knows her and invited me to a
premiere party of hers in LA.We stayed in touch a little, but I didn’t know her as well as I
do now.
Were you a fan of hers back then?
Oh yeah, absolutely. I love her sense of humor.
How did she go about asking you to be involved on the show?
She was in Phoenix visiting with the same friend.They were setting up for
the Body Positive - Night for Life Ball at the Phoenician and I had donated
a piece of art for the silent auction. She happened to see it in the hotel
and loved it and my friend recognized it was my art. He immediately
called me on that Sunday afternoon;I’m poolside hanging out on my day
off. “Kathy wants to come to the showroom right now!” So I put on my
flip-flops and came down and opened up the building. She loved
everything. She called me up one day and asked me out to LA for dinner.
So I met her at the restaurant and she said, “Okay, here’s the deal. I just
signed on with Bravo.Are you ready to be on TV? And you need to move
in in two weeks.” And I was like,“okay.”And that’s how fast it happened.
Whose idea was it that you move into her home for the show?
It was Kathy’s. I think she pitched the idea to Bravo. It was an element that
Bravo liked, and they played that up.
How was it adjusting to life in front of the cameras?
Actually,because it was non-scripted reality it was very easy to adapt.You
didn’t have to play a role, just be comfortable being yourself. I got used to
the cameras in a day, and I was very surprised about that. Sometimes you
forget to edit yourself and you look right into the camera and say, “That
cannot print!”The reality crew was really good about being non-intrusive
and making you feel comfortable.
So they didn’t follow you into the bathroom?
No, but I’m sure they got some good audio because you are always
wearing your microphone.Even when you go off by yourself, there are no
private phone calls.
Summarize Kathy in three words:
Funny. Natural. Sensitive.Whatever you see is really her; she’s very
authentic.
What was the most challenging part of working with Kathy?
She’s going at a very high pace.She didn’t have time to be involved
in everything,but wanted to be.And she very much has an opinion
about what she likes and what she doesn’t like. If ever she said to
me, “It’s not my favorite.” What she really meant was, “Don’t even
think about it!”
Is Kathy a visual person?
No. (laughing) If you show her a white leather chair, she’ll envision
a white leather room.When you get the whole picture together,
then she’d say,“Now I get it!”
I heard McCauley Culkin has contacted you to possibly design the interior of his home?
He inquired.He saw a spread with Kathy’s house.He’s in the process
of looking at a house and they asked if I was interested.
Have you seen MTV’s Cribs? That show proves that money can’t buy taste.
Kathy’s house is going to be on Cribs! I’m not sure when.
Designing a celebrity’s home on national TV would be a dream job for any designer.What did you take away from this experience?
It was a dream job, while at the same time it created the same
amount of challenges. Anything I do in the future, elements that
are unexpected are not going to seem that big of a deal because
I’ve dealt with so many challenges all on one project.What I went
away with is a great friendship that I will always have..