AN INTERVIEW WITH Cindy Aplanap, owner of Chairma Design

What's your 2021 'Word of the Year'? Thrive! Last year I learned a lot about myself, my business, the character of my team and our ability to really contribute to the lives of our clients and the design/build community. This year we are teed up to thrive!

What is the greatest lesson you learned in 2020? That the emotion of LOVE is the most powerful force in the universe. Where love dwells, there is simply no room for fear. 2020 taught me to really lean into love and not allow fear to have any place in my business or personal life.

What do people not know about you? That I purposely do something hard, scary or uncomfortable every single day so that I can just get over it and get on with it! This willingness to grow has opened some amazing doors for me both personally and professionally.

What is the most rewarding part of your career? My firm's consistent ability to take a client's intentions and dreams, and create the space for those deepest, those most meaningful and personal desires, to come to life. This is the energy behind all we create.

What sets you apart in your industry? Chairma's amazing sense of team. One of our superpowers is our ability to attract the best people, with the greatest talents and then know how to get out of their way! Architects, builders, artisans, vendors, workrooms, movers, installers, and so many more — we really seek out the talents and passions of others and then stand back and let them make their contribution by doing their thing!

Anything else? Being transparent. It's there in all the ways we work, from how we design, to how we connect with our teams, and how we relate to our clients. Our All In Cost Blueprint is unique, and honestly it reflects the way I'd like to be treated: very up-front … from the beginning and all the way through!

What makes you optimistic about the future of your business in 2021? The emotion of home. This energy is showing up so powerfully and I think it's because people are home so much now. We used to be able to get away from each other and our lives, but that's changed over the course of last year, so now the home space is even more important than it's ever been. I see such a beautiful connection between how we view the preciousness of our life, and having the awareness that we want to spend it in a beautiful and meaningful home with those we love. This not only delights me, but also causes me to feel super optimistic — after all, I am in the Business of Home!