Meet Titi Ogufere- Essential Interiors Magazine

With a degree in mathematics, she pursued a career in interior design after the mandatory one-year youth service scheme at a furniture company. The  publisher of Essential interiors and founder of the Interior Designers’ Excellence Award. She is the first and only African on the board of directors for International Federation of Interior Designers ( IFI) founded in 1963 and the first Nigerian to join UNESCO member organisation.

The exterior of her office looks like any other of its kind in Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, well except one has the opportunity to visit and its obvious you’re in the space of someone who understands the diverse forms of design. From the eclectic shape of her tree-trunk inspired lounge chair to the animal-skin inspired wall paper, style, comfort and design flow seamlessly.

A step into the inner sanctum of her private office and one can tell the little nuances that separate the professional from the non-professional especially in this part of the world where anyone who can get hold of a painter, export or buy furnishings locally describes herself as a professional interior designer. Neither the quirkiness of the wall clock or the grey/black wallpaper nor the rich repertoire of colors emanating from her 3-storey bookshelf clashed, what you have is a perfect symmetry of form and colour.

In her 40’s, tall and light-skinned Ogufere is a mathematics graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Upon graduation, she worked in a furniture company for a year where her interest in interior decoration was kindled. She became curious and did some research which revealed to her that to be an interior designer, you would have gone to school. So off to Dublin she went to the Dublin Institute of Design where she studied interior designing for three years.

‘’I learnt things there (at the furniture manufacturing company) but  knew I still had to go to school. At that point, it was one of the pioneer companies in that industry in Nigeria and I was encouraged to pursue my interest,” she recalled.

She followed that up with another short course in event management. On return to Nigeria, she set up her company, Essential Interiors and added the production of a magazine named after her company. She described the magazine as a global guide to cosmopolitan living. She has been providing bespoke interiors for clientele in both residential and commercial projects since 2000.

She shuttled back and forth but didn’t quite settle down fully in the country until 2007 when she founded the association of interior designers of Nigeria (IDAN). ‘’After I was done with school, I decided to come back to set up the association but it was just a shuttling thing until 2006/2007. I came in first found out the people in the industry, set up the board before we launched in May 2007 with the support of IFI (International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers) of which she is a member .She started the association and enjoys support from IFI.

Her foray into publishing offered more opportunities than she could resist and she decided to publish books that promote Nigeria Interior design, Architecture, Fashion and Tourism. She has five books in her repertoire already such as Celebrating Fashion Today; Luxury Hotels and Hotels in West Africa with photography by Kelechi Amadi-Obi and foreword by former Governor of Cross Rivers State, Donald Duke.
Titi Ogufere also published IDEA Book of Designs – a compilation of the nominees and winners of IDEA Awards that recognizes creativity of architects and designers in Nigeria.

“From a very young age, I have always loved to research. I set up my publishing firm about six years ago to fill the gap in information and to promote Nigeria through interior design, architecture, fashion and tourism. Like I always say, information is power,” she states.

For someone who took out time to study her passion, passing it over to publish books and run the association might seem contradictory. She doesn’t agree totally with me on this, she on the other hand believes she’s still very active in the industry.

‘’The interior design industry in this environment is very tough and that’s why I encourage the younger ones coming up. I once ran a furniture manufacturing company way back and I found it very stressful. I knew in my heart I didn’t want to return there. And I found other avenues to do this such as the association and awards,’’ she replied.

The IDEA Conference is an innovative and highly regarded event providing thought provoking keynote presentations, best practice case studies and topical panel sessions for the interior design and allied industries.

 She explained that IDEA is the premier awards for the Nigerian architecture and interior design. It was setup in recognition of the talents, contributions and success of Design in Nigeria. It aims to help participants distinguish themselves within the design community and among the public; to advance the interior design profession through international recognition; to contribute to the value, health and safety of the nation’s built environment; to provide an ethical platform for architects and designers with varied skills and areas of specialization to develop their trade and industry; and to provide them with a global audience to showcase proudly Nigerian innovations.

She explained that IDEA is the premier awards for the Nigerian architecture and interior design. It was setup in recognition of the talents, contributions and success of Design in Nigeria. It aims to help participants distinguish themselves within the design community and among the public; to advance the interior design profession through international recognition; to contribute to the value, health and safety of the nation’s built environment; to provide an ethical platform for architects and designers with varied skills and areas of specialization to develop their trade and industry; and to provide them with a global audience to showcase proudly Nigerian innovations.

With stellar events like this in the pipeline, a magazine that has become a reference material in the industry, the world is definitely her oyster.

Culled From ThisDayLive