By June Mathews
I’ve always found that the harder I work, the luckier I get,” said Nicole Roby.
That said, Roby is one lucky girl. The owner and lead designer of Nicole Roby Designs works hard to surround her clients with the NRD brand of luxury, the kind that imparts beauty and elegance, yet leaves room for function and comfort.
Known for blending layers of natural elements to create memorable interiors, Roby infuses her work with a modern sensibility then creates an overlay of details that reflect her clients’ personalities and interests. That would be a tall order for someone not as fluent as Roby in the language of artful living.
Just when you think she’s reached the top of her game, Roby pushes the bar higher with a new venture.
Birmingham, meet Rome Curate, a collection by Nicole Roby Designs. Launched Oct. 5 as an e-commerce lifestyle brand, Rome Curate also can be shopped by appointment in a Lakeview district showroom at 3409 5th Ave. South.
A carefully orchestrated collection of functional items for everyday living, the collection encompasses an array of product lines that include home furnishings, décor and art. It all started when Roby identified a need for elevated yet functional pieces for elevated spaces.
“I want Rome Curate to be an outlet for customers to find curated pieces for everyday use in their homes,” said Roby, who also took the initiative to create her own lines of furniture and rugs for the collection.
“When I was designing these pieces, the basic principle that kept coming back to me was everything needed to be functional,” Roby said, speaking not only as a businesswoman but as a mom of three. “Every piece designed for this collection was meant to be lived on. And when we curated our rugs, we looked for timeless patterns and colorways that would be a good foundation for any room.”
Roby incorporated a hand-picked selection of home decor and art from local artists that reflect the classic and timeless aesthetic of the brand and pair well with her curated pieces. She also decided to bring into the mix her family’s connection to Korean skincare, showcasing products known for their secret formulas in luxury brands such as The History of Whoo and O HUI.
“Rome Curate is excited to be the newest member of the Korean skincare community,” she said.
But that’s not all.
“One of my main focuses with Rome Curate is building a community with it,” Roby said. “It’s always been important to me to have something that people can relate to and feel a part of. We’re going to be doing blogs and newsletters, and we’ll have events at the studio. I’ll want everyone to get involved in that. This was one of the big foundation parts of Rome Curate.”
Credit Where Credit is Due
So, with two businesses and three young children, how does one manage to get so much accomplished?
“A wonderful team,” Roby said. “When you’ve got wonderful people behind you who believe in you and know how to make things happen, you’re able to execute things. So instead of something being a dream, it can become a reality.”
She finds additional motivation in her family.
“I want to set a good example for my children, especially since I just had a girl,” she said. “I want her to know that we can do it, too.”
Rome Curate offers a trade program, which is open to designers, architects, home developers and other professionals in the design field. For more information or to shop, visit romecurate.com.