Did you know that Mrs. Ifeyinwa Ighodalo is the founder of Design Options Limited, one of the best interior decorating and furniture manufacturing outfits in Nigeria?

Furniture is seen as men’s work, but for Mrs. Ifeyinwa Ighodalo, one of the most respected female entrepreneurs in Nigeria and the founder/Chief Executive Officer of Design Options Limited, decided to challenge the status quo and go into the business. In more than 25 years, the business has evolved and can boast of clientèle in the high-end residential, property development, hospitality and corporate markets.

Ifeyinwa Ighodalo who holds a B.Sc. in Accountancy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, upon realizing her passion for interiors, in 1987, made her to establish the company and it has since grown into one of the best interior decorating and furniture manufacturing outfits in the country. She also has a Diploma in Interior Design from the American College in London.

According to her story her father was very instrumental in her journey in furniture making. Her father had wanted a son as first child but behold it was a girl child. After getting over the initial disappointment of not having a son as first born, her father focused his energy in raising her as his first son.

She wanted her products to compete with spaces any where in the world especially when she discovered that the offerings in Nigeria were not up to standard. And so she decided to go ahead and start producing what she wanted in line with not only international trends and standard, but quality.

Ifeyinwa has worked in and run various furniture manufacturing and interior design companies, including Coonita, Casafina furniture company and Design Options, which she co-founded in 1987. Her passion and love of interiors helped grow Design Options and establish the brand as the preferred choice and one-stop shop for furniture and interior design in Nigeria.

As an icon In the industry, Ifeyinwa has set out to re-invent herself through the brand DO.II which will service the need for a wide range of design choices and high-end finishes along with the impeccable organization, customer service and quality that she stands for, thus filling the gap that the dissolution of Design Options has left in the industry.

In addition to the 2012 Best Residential Designer Award, Ifeyinwa has been honoured with the St Moritz Style Woman of the year Award 2004. She is also the proud recipient of the prestigious International Women Entrepreneurial Challenge (IWEC) 2010 Award, a global initiative supported by the US Department of State.

She is a volunteer mentor for the mentorship programme of Fate Foundation. She is married to Asue Ighodalo, the Chairman of Board of Directors, Sterling Bank Plc. and they are blessed with a beautiful daughter.

Source: Info Guide Africa

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