Hi! My name is Rita and I have been practicing Interior Design since 2003. I am one of the lucky people that discovered what I wanted to do at a young age and succeeded in attaining the dream. It literally started with my cousins and I, playing Barbie’s. Our parents did not buy us doll houses; we had to make them. I would collect items from around the house and a part of the game was setting up our spaces. I loved it! I made club chairs out seashells and fridges out of Ferrero Rocher boxes and had linens for our beds made of crocheted table cloths. My joyful play turned into a passion for design and the start of a successful career.
Rita Talwar- Principal Designer / Owner – Operator
Upon graduating high school I enrolled at the University of Manitoba Architecture program. It was there that I began my love affair with design theory. I believe that design is necessary and should be accessible. Interior design is not about making a space “pretty”; it’s about a transformation of needs and wants into physical manifestation of those programmatic requirements. I completed my under graduated degree in Environmental Design with a specialization in Interior Environments in 2003. Shortly on, I continued my studies with a Masters in Interior Design. I graduated in 2010. It was during my Masters program that I exercised my point of view of Design.
“Design is about taking an idea and exploring its varying potential; it’s about building relationships through communication. As a designer it is our commitment to quality of service that allows us to listen, then articulate and then develop functional and aesthetic spaces for our clients.” (2005)
What brought me to Interior Design….
My Barbies! We use to play and have to design our Barbies homes. It was the catalyst to my love of design and story. I was always leaning towards the creative arts and loved art history. I was at the start of my post secondary education when I had to choose between studying art history with goal of becoming acurator or going into Architecture. I chose Architecture and the Interior Design stream as it seemed to allow me to make are practical and perhaps accessible…
What’s kept me designing…
It’s my true passion. I love the impact design has on the individual but also at a larger scale. Design is solution based thought process but does not exist as linear process. My way of thinking has allowed to make massive jumps in creative thought unlike other professions. I’ve also been very lucky to have wonderful clients that inspire me! It’s because of them that what I do has meaning.
What’s my design philosophy…
Design is not about just making ”pretty”; it is about creating a narrative. Whether it’s a person’s home, office space, or retail space, the details need to matter and must unify the story. The spaces we live, work, and play in are reflections of self and we each have a story to tell. We also elieve that design should be accessible. It is often seen as a luxury service, however Soma Interiors approach is more about gathering information and helping our clients articulate themselves in a functional and aesthetic means.
Meet Rita
Rita Talwar
B.Env.Des., M.I.D
Owner & Principal Designer
Hi! It’s me Rita again! I have talked about what brought me to Interior Design but lets touch on what keeps me designing! I love every part of design, even the immense paperwork side of the business. We often speak of space as something we design to suit a family or a business but what I love about designing space is that it influences its uses and shapes them. It’s a duality that keeps me wanting more! Space is not static; it is dynamic and we at Soma Interiors strive to bring that notion to our designs on all levels. On the more personal side, I have two young boys who I raise with my husband and my father. We are a multigenerational family. I love to cook for my house full of boys and we love to entertain friends and family. I consider myself a foodie; we actually belong to a foodie club with a good group of friends. A good glass of red wine, a charcuterie board and a night of gab and dancing is one of my favorite pastimes! And if I am not doing that I am snuggled on the sofa with my hair in a bun cuddling my children and then binge watching some show.