What happens when “exquisitely livable luxury” meets real-world grit?
In this episode of Design Dash, Melissa and Laura sit down with South Africa–born designer Nikki Levy, who built her namesake Boca Raton studio from the edge of her bed, literally, and turned it into a thriving brand now shaping homes (and hearts) across the world.
You’ll hear how Nikki:
- Took her first leap from a kitchen-table startup to a luxury design powerhouse
- Built a team culture rooted in trust, freedom, and creative safety (that actually keeps her people coming back)
- Balances the chaos of business ownership with the calm of design intuition
- Translates storytelling, culture, and imperfection into her version of luxury living
- Uses honesty and Instagram to attract dream clients and million-dollar projects
From the “ugliest fabric” that became her favorite design statement to the team members who left and later returned, Nikki’s story is full of lessons for anyone trying to grow something meaningful without losing the soul that started it all.
If you’ve ever wondered how to scale a creative business and stay human in the process, this conversation will give you the blueprint.



