Nico Smutylo — Founder of Paro

I started Paro to share my understanding of design and give people the knowledge to apply it in their own homes. To help them recognize what they want their home to make possible—and make considered design choices that support it.

As a designer, I believe there is a reason behind the choices we make at home. Beauty matters, but beneath a desire for a particular room, piece of furniture, or style, there is often a desire for something more. To feel organized. To express ourselves with confidence. To be someone who cooks, creates, or brings people together.

Understanding that desire is central to my work. It connects the life you want with decisions about your space—how a room is arranged, what you choose to live with, and what you make room to do.

I believe there is value in gathering people around a table, sitting down to listen to music, and making something with your hands. There is pleasure in preparing a meal, appreciating a work of art, and caring for the details of your home. These experiences are central to the life I find beautiful, and to the thinking behind Paro.

Throughout my career in residential design, I’ve continued to question why certain spaces work so well and how they influence the people living in them. More than fifteen years ago, I wrote in my journal: “Study how design affects the brain and our emotions.” That curiosity continues to inform my work.

Our homes can help us become who we want to be. I founded Paro to teach people how.