Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Chinnici.
Nicole, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve loved drawing for as long as I can remember. As a child I dreamed of being a fashion designer, but I went on to study architecture at Cornell University, including a semester in Rome that completely shaped how I see space, structure, and proportion. After working in the field for a few years, I made the switch to graphic design, where I could still blend creativity with structure. I’ve spent the last 15 years in a hybrid marketing and creative role, and my art business has grown quietly alongside that.
The turning point came while I was working on a trend report and came across the work of artist CatCoq. Exploring her website, I discovered surface pattern design, a creative world I didn’t even know existed. It felt like everything I’d been circling my whole life: drawing, structure, color, repeat. I launched my Spoonflower shop and started building a pattern catalog, one design at a time.
Honestly, some days it still feels surreal. I’m building something real – my work has been featured by retailers like Gump’s – but I’m also still very much in the middle of the story, not the end. I think a lot of creative business owners feel that way. You just keep showing up, keep making things, and trust that the catalog you’re building today is laying the foundation for something bigger.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a straight line. Building a creative business alongside a day job and family life means time is always the scarcest resource. There’s no dedicated studio time blocked off in my calendar; it gets carved out wherever it fits.
The other challenge is simply the nature of this particular field. Surface pattern design rewards volume and consistency over time. There’s no shortcut, no viral moment that changes everything overnight. You build a catalog, design by design, and trust the process, which is easier said than done when you’re also wondering whether any of it is actually working.
That uncertainty is probably the hardest part, honestly. Even as the business has grown and work has shown up in places I never expected, there are still days where it doesn’t quite feel real yet.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Surface pattern design is the art of creating repeating patterns for use on products like fabric, wallpaper, gift wrap, and home goods. It’s a field most people interact with every day without realizing there’s an artist behind it.
My architectural background shapes everything I make, even when it isn’t obvious. The way I think about structure, proportion, and how elements relate to each other in space all shows up in my patterns. I’m drawn to designs that feel intentional and calm, and I tend to work in limited palettes. I think of a pattern less as a decorative image and more as a puzzle to solve.
What I’m most proud of is probably the moment I realized my work could hold its own in spaces I never anticipated. Seeing one of my wallpaper designs chosen as the backdrop for a Gump’s product catalog was one of those moments. I didn’t design it for that purpose, someone simply thought it was the right environment for their product. That kind of organic validation means more to me than any metric.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Most people who know my work as a pattern designer might be surprised to learn that I also do freelance graphic design, including logos, websites, and print materials. It’s not something I usually market publicly, just something that has grown naturally through word of mouth. I enjoy this work because it’s similar to solving the puzzle of a pattern, except I’m finding the visual language that fits a brand instead.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nicolechinnici.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicole.chinnici/
