The home is a reflection of the mind. With the creative expertise of Mona Grewal, Founder and Lead Designer of Paragon Design + Build Group, you can be assured of just that. Your residential or commercial space will be elevated to reflect a combination of Mona's honed skill sets and your unique personality. The gifted designer’s passion for creating lively spaces shines through in each of her projects. She approaches each project with an infectious enthusiasm and energy. As a wife and mother of three, she has ample experience in handling a full plate. Inspired by the everyday experiences of life, Mona has a knack for crafting spaces that truly evoke emotion.
After two decades of working in the design related fields of drapery and construction, Mona decided to pursue her dream of becoming a certified Designer. Her twenty years of practical experience in Interior design and Architectural design is backed by professional qualifications from the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), where she completed her Diploma in Interior Design.
Her educational journey began in India, where she completed three years of her Bachelors of Science from Punjab Agricultural University. Coming from an entrepreneurial background, Mona grew up with her parents being influential role models. Her mother was an educator and successfully ran two higher secondary educational institutes, whereas her father was the backbone of the business side of these institutions. Although Mona ended up immigrating to Canada in the midst of her studies, she always carried the desire to potentially complete her education later in life. Nourishing her desire to run a professional business, Grewal eventually did decide to pursue her education at BCIT. Solid family support and a motivated, driven spirit helped Mona excel in her learning journey.
In hindsight, the experience paid off in more ways than one. Today, Mona has extensive knowledge of the BC Building Code parts 3 and 9, which encompasses the residential and commercial sectors of design. Further, she still stays connected with BCIT through a mentorship program. Fueled with an eagerness to help young adults become successful in the industry, Mona works with new BCIT grads to help them attain experience working in the field.
For Grewal, her company is nothing short of a dream come true. She has always had an unparalleled and undying passion for all things design whether that be form or function. Mona’s special trait entails looking at things from a different, creative perspective. Even something as simple as a dry leaf adorned with beautiful veins flowing naturally, is art to her, as it should be to any designer! Possessing a keen eye for details, Mona always ensured that things fit well with each other - be it her house or her outfits. Dressing up is both a passion and hobby of hers. In fact, Mona’s children often comment on how they have inherited a sense of fashion and design from her.
Taking a look at Mona’s childhood, she was intrigued by simply admiring how her own mother handled businesses, and decorated and nurtured her home to create a welcoming and warm space. “Whether we cut fresh flowers and foliage from our garden to create a flower arrangement, or to execute a perfect table setting to experience tea or dinner time, I learned that a quality design experience means every single interaction should be well-considered and all of it has to be coordinated and strategically implemented. Overall, bringing one's vision to life is user-centered, enabled by listening to clients’ thoughts and ideas, and acknowledging their needs and wants to create a delightful experience.”, reveals Mona.
Following such an ideology, at Paragon Design + Build Group, the team pays attention to the finer design details, while still maintaining the grand vision clients have in mind for both residential and commercial spaces. Design masterminds work tirelessly to create a phenomenal space for clients that not only looks great, but is also functional. Whether it’s creating something new or adding a burst of flair to the old, Mona’s belief is to create spaces that make you want to stay awhile longer.
For those looking to revitalize their living space, the talented designer’s top tip is to keep the space in mind when designing for it. Considerations should include details such as the dimension of the room, natural light sources, functionality, and purpose of the space. Homeowners should select bigger pieces in receding order whereas accentuate, bold, and accent pieces should be selected in hierarchical order. Moreover, one must not forget to take advantage of the vertical plane to exhibit the lofty side of a space, along with a symmetrical balance to create harmony and flow. Grewal explains that residential interior designing is attributed to personal visualization, in contrast to commercial interior designing, which is based on conceptual design development. She shines light on three design trends from the contemporary, classic, and mid-century modern realms:
- Contemporary design is about showcasing West Coast elements in a modern and cleaner way.
- Classic, yet timeless design is ornate with carved moldings, but it can be an eclectic mixed with a modern style to add a fresh flare.
- Mid-century modern design endures after centuries because of its simple and curved contours, along with minimal geometric patterns and natural wood, coupled with large windows that bring natural light portrayed in a modern setting.
At Paragon Design + Build Group, it is acknowledged that architecture and interior design carry a broad spectrum of professional services. Paragon Design + Build Group is a boutique firm that provides its customers residential permit drawings and tenant improvement drawings with complete interior design services for both residential and commercial projects along with full service project management to ensure your vision stays true throughout!
Under Mona's wings, the company is undoubtedly set to soar to new heights and achieve even more milestones in the near future. Mona’s professional and personal journey stands testament to the fact that genuine passion, propelled by proactive action, is a limitless force. As a South Asian female business leader, the exemplary powerhouse has broken all shackles of consistent pressure and emerged victorious in multiple facets of life. In sharing her advice to aspiring business leaders, Mona bestows precious words of wisdom, “Be yourself, structure your thoughts, and channelize your ideas and work tirelessly in order to make ends meet fearlessly.”
