Nadia N. Subaran is a native Washingtonian and principal/senior designer at Aidan Design, which has been specializing in custom kitchen and bathroom designs since 2001. Nadia received a full scholarship to The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Art and Science, NY, where she earned a Bachelor of Architecture. She then worked in residential remodeling and building in the New York Metro area, gaining firsthand construction knowledge as a project manager before moving into kitchen and bath design.
Nadia has more than 20 years of experience working exclusively on kitchens, bathrooms and interiors, which is her true passion at Aidan Design. She has been a member of the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) for 20 years, and has served on Kohler’s Designer Advisory Council, Signature Kitchen Suites’ Design Council, and Beko Appliance’s Design Council. Nadia served on Thermador’s Design Council from 2013-2018.
Nadia enjoys sharing her passion for design as a teacher as well. She participated in “The Saturday Program” while at The Cooper Union by teaching inner city high school students “architectonics.” Nadia also taught as an adjunct professor at George Washington University’s Interior Design program for a semester. Through Aidan Design, Nadia’s won numerous Wood-Mode awards for being a top dealer. Nadia received a Diversity in Business Award from the Washington Business Journal in 2022.
When Aidan Design recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, they donated the design and build of a community kitchen for Faith Presbyterian Church in SW, Washington, DC. Giving back to the community is an integral part of Aidan Design.
Nadia shares some thoughts on the evolution of the healthy home and sustainable living.
How has the healthy home approach to design evolved since you started in business?
When I started in the kitchen design industry more than 25 years ago, the trends were all about “more” – more power, more ornamental, more cabinets, more appliances, etc. We have always embraced a “less is more” philosophy when it comes to design details and finish selections.
How do you implement sustainability into your designs?
We pride ourselves on representing products that are ethically produced, such as reforestation for lumber suppliers, maximum energy efficiency and renewable energy in plants, and less toxic glues and paints that still allow for life-time warranties, etc.
How can we be more energy efficient?
Energy efficiency has been a big focus when it comes to appliance selections. Induction cooktops and ranges have taken over for gas cooktops and ranges, which used to be hugely popular. It’s a change that we made in our own kitchen at home.
Do you get requests for a healthier home?
All our clients are interested in healthier living and want to be educated about sustainable products.
