January 2024 had Aneka Interiors Inc. ushering in its 25th year in business!

With this major milestone we asked Aneka, Principal and Founder, to reflect on her time in the industry and how far she and the business have come in the last 25 years. From it’s residential design start, to the current multi-family and senior living design focus, the business has seen a lot of change throughout the years. The one constant being Aneka’s passion for design, and innovative vision that continues to propel the company through each decade.

Afterwards, though, there was a lot of deafening criticism directed at her. Many on social media condemned her for choosing too large an implant size. “She looks like an inflated doll. She has no taste,” they wrote about her. “What happened to Nicki Minaj? She must be out of her mind? It doesn’t suit her. Bring back the old Nicki!” What was the result? Nicki Minaj before after plastic surgery doesn’t even seem to be considering having her implants removed. On the contrary, she purposely chooses things with a deep cleavage to emphasize her new forms. Nicki Minaj plastic surgery result. See pictures before and after breast augmentation. Plastic surgeons do not advise to stop at the choice of large-sized implants.

1999-2001

Founded in Fort Collins, CO by Aneka as “Advanced Interior Architecture,” the company focused solely on high-end residential design- winning the parade of homes in her 1^st year in business.

2001-2003

Aneka couldn’t turn down an opportunity to travel and took a design hiatus in order to sail from Ft. Lauderdale to Venezuela on a 57ft sailboat named “Sea Dreams”. After 2 years abroad Aneka returned to Colorado and reopened the business as “Aneka Jensen Interiors.”

2015-2021

In 2015 Aneka renamed the business to “Aneka Interiors Inc.” and moved the office to Denver. Shortly after moving to Denver Aneka hired Mackenna Johnson; 9 years later and Mackenna is still with the company as a Senior Designer and is a creative inspiration to Aneka and the rest of the team.

2015-2021

In 2016 Aneka Interiors Inc was awarded Senior Housing News Architecture & Design Award for their project Rosemark at Mayfair Park in Denver, CO. This new construction Assisted Living & Memory Care community marked a tangible shift in the company’s design focus from Residential to Multifamily and Senior Living. The recognition for the team’s unique take on Senior Living design with a “hospitality meets home” aesthetic gained recognition with developers and owners within the senior living space, landing the company several major new construction Senior Living projects in the following years.

2015-2021

In 2020 just as COVID hit the world, Aneka Interiors hired Brooke Stevens who is still an integral part of the team today.

2021-Present

In January of 2021 Aneka and the team moved to a newly renovated office on S. Broadway in Denver, CO. The space brought new energy and in just a few years the team grew from 4 to 7. 2021 was also the year that Aneka started implementing a yearly motto that the team selects together. It serves as the team’s focus and motivation throughout each new year to help further the business’ vision and success.

2021- Present

In 2022 Julie Warren and Tricia Guy, two talented and experienced Senior Designers, were added to the team. Their knowledge and design expertise have been great additions to the team. 2022 also saw the need for someone to help fulfill the FF&E Procurement projects, and Nina Goodlund joined the team as the procurement specialist.

2021-Present

In 2023 Aneka Interiors were among the winners of Colorado’s Companies to Watch, proving that Aneka Interiors is a powerful 2^nd stage company- helping fuel Colorado’s economy as an innovative, impactful, and actively growing business.  2023 also saw Ashley Boyer added to the team in order to help manage the operations and oversee the accounting process.

An Interview with Aneka

1. What is your favorite part of our job?

I love the variety of my day to day; being creative, working on technical details in Revit, budgeting spreadsheets, or on an install. It’s all so diverse and never gets boring.  I especially love working with my amazing team, the energy at the office feeds me and I enjoy the culture we have created.

2. What is the biggest difference in the design process since you started 25 years ago?

The “process” is basically the same, SD, DD, CD and CA but the way we fulfill the process is completely different because of technology.  When I started e-mail and the “world wide web” were just starting so we couldn’t shop online or find anything online really.  We didn’t have digital cameras yet so to make any design selections I had to drive to the design center or to a showroom to get printed cut sheets or samples of items I wanted to present to a client.  I thought I was so cutting edge to be working in AutoCAD as an Interior Designer, Revit wasn’t a thing yet.  All meetings happened face to face, period.  We had to be onsite all the time to verify details and work through issues because the communication and collaboration between the trades was very clunky.

3. What is your least favorite part of your job?

Business Development, but I’m learning to like it and I’m getting better at it.  I don’t love “selling” so it feels unnatural for me.  I also hate public speaking, so I avoid that as much as possible but I’m challenging myself to do it a little more.   I also don’t really like the HR part of my job, but Paisley (the office dog) usually handles that ;).

4. What excites you the most about senior living?

So many things are exciting about Senior Living right now!  I feel there is so much opportunity to make a bigger impact than just designing beautiful spaces.  We can help change the way people think about Senior Living (and aging in general).  I think we are on the forefront of a huge and very impactful shift where the general public starts to think differently about senior living and that it’s a choice to enhance lives versus a place to go because our elders can’t care for themselves.   Through our design work we can help change the image people see when they think of senior living communities.  Its already happening and I can’t wait to see that this industry looks like in 10 years.

5. What is your favorite current design trend?

Design trends are funny, no one wants to invest in interiors that are “trendy” so I lean towards trends that are classic and won’t go out of style quickly or that can be changed out easily later.  I do love wall paneling of all types, from classic wainscot paneling to vertical tambour panels either wood or painted.  I think wallpaper is one of the best trends and a great way to add a cool pop of color, texture, or use as focal art.  It’s so diverse that it can be placed on walls, ceilings or cabinets, the uses for wallpaper, and the cool patterns and graphic designs are endless.

6. What do you think the hardest part of any project is?

There is an old saying that says “the devil is in the details” and that is 100% the case with interior design.  The success of a project depends on how well all the details are executed. As designers it’s up to us to think through and detail everything on the interior of a building, down to the smallest items like the trim on a tile edge or how the carpet and tile meet. If these items are not clearly called out in our plans it won’t happen.  There are thousands of corners, edges and transitions in a senior living community that need to be considered because they can be a trip hazard, or the finish can be damaged by walkers and wheelchairs.  We are responsible for making these details safe, durable, and beautiful throughout every community we design.

7. Any Style Icons?

I don’t really follow any style icons.  I know that sounds strange as a designer, but I really feel that too many people follow other designers and their designs start to mimic their icons work, I want our designs to be uniquely ours and trendsetting not following trends.  I love this quote: “Be yourself and give them something new to copy.”

8. Where do you get your inspiration?

I love to travel so I find a lot of my inspiration while traveling, dining out, in hotels and resorts, especially internationally.   I still like to look through magazines and find inspiration on Pinterest too.  I like to pull applications of certain elements vs copying a specific overall design.

9. Best Advice you’ve gotten?

“Don’t compare yourself to others, it creates discontent in your own life” I live by this advice and love being unique, different, and forever evolving.  This mindset has given me the ability to be confident and happy with all my imperfections, and goofy personality.

10. Anything else you’d like to say/touch on/offer perspective from the last 25 years?

Whatever journey or path you’re on remember to enjoy it.  You only have one shot so be happy, evolve, and adjust along the way.  Love yourself, what you do and who you surround yourself with and the rest should fall into place.