Zainab Akingbehin is the CEO of Oeuvre Designs and Oeuvre Foods (Oeuvre Bistro and Oeuvre Patisserie). Over the years, Zainab Akingbehin has been a force and a pillar of Interior design in Nigeria and outside Africa. She has successfully carried out Projects in Dubai, Lagos, Abuja, Kano Akwa Ibom, Port Harcourt, and other major cities and locations in and outside Nigeria. Recently, the Oeuvre Group opened a state-of-the-art Furniture factory that caters to making bespoke furniture pieces for the public.
Zainab is a graduate of Business Administration from Houdegbe American University, Republic of Benin and she has working experience with Mobil Producing Unlimited and Top Services Limited, operator of the Adeniran Ogunsanya mall, Surulere.
Akingbehin recently published her long-awaited memoir and photo book called “A Piece of Me”. “A Piece of Me” is a glimpse of Zainab’s life’s journey and the hurdles she has crossed to get to where she is today. The book highlighted the lessons instilled by her late father, the environment she emanated from, and the strength she gained from the experiences.
As a serial entrepreneur, she has continually brought international standard brands to Nigeria, and constantly employed young individuals to successfully run the business. A multiple Award winner, Zainab Akingbehin has won numerous awards locally and internationally.
Her accomplishments as an entrepreneur also earned her an Award from the Young Entrepreneur International Summit (YEIS) as Young Entrepreneur of the Year in Accra, Ghana. She has also won the MEA Market awards for 2 years running and was Inducted into the Chartered Institute of Management and Leadership, USA as a Fellow in 2021. She also received the UN Polac Award as a Dr of Creative Studies in 2022. Zainab is married with 2 children.
Tell us about Oeuvre Designs
Oeuvre Designs is an interior design studio based in Lagos, Nigeria formed in 2015. It specialises in providing bespoke interior designs for luxury residential and commercial spaces.
At Oeuvre Designs, emphasis is laid on delivering quality and reliable services, that is why each design is a result of a painstaking professional service.
Also, our client’s needs and ideas of a comfortable, beautiful and efficient space keep us going. The objective is not just to have a beautiful space but also to design a functional space tailored to their needs.
We deliver aesthetically and modern styled interior design projects and property make over with emphasis on uniqueness and quality input.
What motivated you to start your own design and food businesses, Oeuvre Designs and Oeuvre Foods? What were some of the key challenges you faced in the early days?
I have always loved the fine things of life and venturing into interior design was motivated by this attribute and seeing my father curate our house while growing up. I realised that I took that creative gene from him. Also, from my early days in school, my friends and course mates always compliment my bed spaces and how I fuse colours together. Getting into the food business was a natural tangent as creating a whole dining experience comes with having a good ambience. As for challenges, I started my business at a time when my children were young and combining running a business with motherhood is not for the faint hearted. Also, quite a lot of people close to me didn’t believe that I would succeed even though most of them have since apologised. Getting the right personnel was not easy at all and it is a challenge till date.
You mention having working experience at Mobil Producing Unlimited and Top Services Limited prior to starting your own businesses. How did those experiences shape or prepare you for entrepreneurship?
At Mobil, one thing stood out for me which is, taking the welfare of your staff as a priority and I have imbibed that in our culture to take staff welfare and well-being as a must. It has helped to retain staff and grew loyalty. There’s no way you will work at Mobil without being structured in how you organise your company affairs. When I joined Top Services, it was a start-up and I learnt that to succeed in business, you have to learn how to multitask.
Your memoir and photo book “A Piece of Me” seems to be an unusual combination. What inspired you to present your life story in this unique format? What key lessons or messages were you hoping to convey through the book and how can people get a copy?
It’s every interior designer’s dream to have a coffee table book and it’s something I had hoped to achieve for some time now. While preparing for my 40th birthday, I realised that I would also like to share my story, so I decided to combine my life experiences in a memoir plus photo book to showcase some of Oeuvre Design’s executed projects. “A Piece of Me” highlights the importance of family and having a good support system. It highlights the gains of being resilient and not giving up. The book is available on Amazon website, all Roving Heights bookstores nationwide and Oeuvre Design’s showroom in Ogudu, Lagos.
As a serial entrepreneur, how do you approach launching new ventures and brands, and what strategies do you use to ensure they are successful and sustainable?
In starting new businesses and ventures, I ensure it complements the existing businesses. As an example, Oeuvre Designs recently opened a state-of-the-art furniture making factory, the need to go into manufacturing stemmed from the long delays in delivering interior design projects as you have to wait on artisans to deliver the furniture pieces. I saw that going up the value chain will help reduce this delay and I am glad that since we opened the factory, we have reduced delays by as much as 75%. We have also started producing furniture pieces for other interior designers and the public as well. This is the same approach for our aromatherapy products where we produce diffusers for our projects as well as for other clients.
You’ve been recognised with numerous awards and accolades, both locally and internationally. What do these achievements mean to you, and how have they impacted your career trajectory?
Receiving awards and being recognised especially with my business is very satisfying and heartwarming. It validates that I am on the right path and provides impetus to do more.
As a woman entrepreneur in Nigeria, what have been some of the greatest obstacles you’ve had to overcome and what advice would you give to other aspiring female business leaders?
One of the biggest obstacles in being a woman entrepreneur is that a lot of people attribute my success to having a big ‘God father’ who is financing all the businesses and it’s very insulting to hear that. You realise that people tend to speak to women founders in a condescending manner as opposed to our male counterparts, but I realise that the more successful you are, the more people give you your respect and honour. My advice is simply to keep pushing the boundaries and remain resolute and focused to be successful in your business venture.
You mentioned employing young individuals to help run your businesses. What is your approach to talent development and building a strong team?
I count myself as still young and I know that young people are easily misjudged. Working with them helps me to see the world from their lens. When I need to hire, I look more at soft skills than talent. I look for people who are eager to learn, think out of the box, smart and willing to take risks.
What are some of the key lessons you’ve learnt about design, business, and life that you would want to pass on to share?
I have learnt that creativity and design takes time because it’s all in the detailing. I have learnt that a good design has to be functional and not just aesthetically pleasing. In business, I have learnt that being in a stifled environment, you need to learn to enjoy your good days and learn from your bad days.
You have successfully carried out interior design projects in several major cities across Nigeria and Dubai. Can you share some examples of your most notable or challenging projects? What were the key considerations and design choices you made?
Every project has its uniqueness and challenges. I remember a project we undertook in Uyo where before we got to site, most of the items got broken and it was difficult to source replacements. We had to order things from Lagos in order for us to complete the project. From experience, the most notable projects are projects where the client gives you the free hand to express yourself.
As an interior designer, how would you describe your signature style?
I will describe my signature style as a modern classic interior with a French feel.
You mentioned that your family background and upbringing influenced your design inspiration and sensibilities. Can you elaborate on how your family and the environment you grew up in have shaped your approach to interior design?
I vividly recollect our house in Aguda, Surulere. The house was a 5-bedroom duplex with a BQ and a barn-like space behind the house where my father kept all sorts of livestock and pets. My father had the best eye for things, and you could see it through every element in the house. Structurally, the house was built with mosaic, granite stones with terrazzo floorings. Our main lounge was a show stopper designed by my father. The bronze and copper shades I still vividly remember. My father was a Fulani man to the core and you could see it through the decor. We had a long marble center table with an Arabian center rug and an almost brownish gold running through every edge of the living room. A table behind the sofa which showcases a light orange brass lamp showing the family tree we came from. Those early childhood memories have fuelled my design philosophy.
What are some of the key trends or shifts you’ve observed in the interior design industry, particularly within the Nigerian and African markets? How have you adapted your design services to keep up with evolving customer preferences?
The concept of interior design is still very new in Nigeria, but we are seeing customers embracing and understanding what an interior designer brings to the table.
Can you walk me through your typical design process when working with a new client, and how do you go about understanding their needs and translating that into a cohesive interior space?
First is the site visitation, brief taking where we also have the measurement done. During the process, we also ensure we take a picture or video of the space. Space planning and layout are also critical steps. We develop mood boards where we design and conceptualise as well as fabric selection. We curate other elements which we call FF&E. We package this as a presentation for clients’ approval and execution.
Oeuvre Designs, now operates a state-of-the-art furniture factory. How does this vertical integration enhance your interior design capabilities and offerings to clients?
Operating our furniture factory is a game changer, as it has improved our turnaround times and we have built capacity which other interior designers can tap into.
As an established interior designer, what advice would you give to aspiring designers just starting out in the field?
In this job, you have to be patient, resilient and have integrity. The most important factor is total reliance on God.
How do you stay inspired and continue to innovate in your design work, and what are some of the key sources you draw inspiration from?
I draw inspiration from my family, mostly my children. My business partner is God and I look up to Him when I need to make key business decisions. I have an absolute support system of families, friends and business colleagues where they provide me with insights and ideas.
Clarify the differences between an interior designer and decorator and why do people easily mistake them to be the same?
Interior design is an art as well as science of studying human behaviour to create a functional and aesthetically pleasing space within a building while an interior decorator furnishes or adorns a space with decorative elements to achieve aesthetics. Interior designers create spaces while Interior decorators fill up the spaces. An interior designer must have architectural, construction knowledge as well as structural and technical know-how.
Share with us on the part of your business that entails aromatherapy
Oeuvre Designs is also into aromatherapy. It includes a captivating and refined collection of sensory delights that will elevate your everyday experience. The brand was born from a passion for the transformative power of scent, meticulously crafted to inspire and enchant. Its essence is a harmonious blend of modern elegance and timeless allure, inviting you to indulge in a world of olfactory opulence.
Feel free to slip into a state of serenity with our diffusers, a sleek and sophisticated vessel that effortlessly disperses the brand’s signature blends, filling the air with whispers of tranquility. The clean, minimalist design seamlessly complements any décor, while the high-quality essential oils envelop the senses with their captivating aromas.
Indulge in the warm glow of our scented candles, each one a work of art that combines the finest natural waxes and premium fragrances. The meticulously curated scent profiles evoke a sense of comfort and sophistication, creating an atmosphere of pure indulgence in your personal sanctuary.
And our perfumes? Talk about luxurious fragrance that seamlessly blends notes of rare botanicals and captivating essences, then, you speak about us. The elegant simplicity of our bottles is a testament to the brand’s commitment to sophistication, while the fragrance itself whispers of allure and confidence with every gentle spritz.
Finally, our wax melts takes you through a clean-burning and long-lasting fragrance experience. Gently warm these beautifully crafted wax shapes to release our signature scents, filling your space with a sense of tranquility and well-being.
For the hand wash, it is a combination of a gentle yet effective formula that cleanses and hydrates, while the enchanting fragrance lingers on the skin. Paired with the hand lotion, a rich and nourishing formula that leaves your hands feeling soft and supple, this dynamic duo elevates the daily ritual of hand care.
Our products are more than just a collection of products – it’s a sensory journey that celebrates the art of living well. With its unwavering commitment to quality, innovation, and an unparalleled attention to detail, we encourage you to discover a world of refined sophistication and enduring beauty.
Concluding words
I am thankful for how far I have come, the lessons learnt on the journey and the future can only be bright
