We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Yael Margalit a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Yael, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

One of the things that sets my practice apart from the traditional design industry is how I integrate NLP—Neuro-Linguistic Programming—into the architectural design process. While the standard industry approach often focuses on aesthetics, functionality, and trends, I work with clients on a deeper, more emotional level. I guide them through a meditation journey designed to tap into their unconscious mind—the place where our most authentic desires, patterns, and memories live.

In these sessions, clients are encouraged to connect with parts of themselves that are often overlooked in the typical design process: their inner child, family members, community or simply their truest, most unfiltered voice. Bringing up these elements sparks emotions the client can actually feel—and these exact feelings are replicated in the designed space, allowing us to create something that evokes deep meaning and resonance. It’s not just about making something look beautiful—it’s about making it feel like home in a way that’s deeply personal and soul-nourishing.

This approach was born during a time when I questioned whether I wanted to stay in the design industry at all. Studying NLP helped me realize that I didn’t need to leave—I just needed to redefine what design meant to me. That moment changed everything and allowed me to build a business that feels aligned and impactful—not just for me, but for every client I serve.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m Yael, the founder of Prema Design Studio, a woman-owned interior architecture practice rooted in the values of nature, authenticity, and emotional connection. I’ve been in the design industry for over a decade. My path hasn’t been linear—and that’s what allowed me to find my authentic voice in the design world.

After years of working in high-pressure construction and design environments, I reached a point of burnout. That period became a catalyst for transformation. I began a deeper inquiry: Why was I choosing to be a designer? What was the meaning and impact behind the path I was on?

I realized how essential it is for our spaces to be where we feel safest, connected, most loved, and most supported.
I studied Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and came to understand the powerful role our unconscious mind plays in how we experience space. As part of my process, I guide clients through immersive meditation journeys to access their subconscious desires before we begin designing. These sessions include breathwork, inner child healing, emotional processing, and sensory visualization—helping clients tap into the feelings, memories, and impressions that matter most to them.

I also studied permaculture design, where I learned how ancient practices can be applied today to create thriving ecosystems—growing our own food, conserving water, and inviting biodiversity into our landscapes. I discovered how to design homes that naturally regulate temperature by working with sun and wind patterns. I’m excited to bring these regenerative principles into my work as a way to live—and design—more consciously.

Today, Prema Design Studio offers full-service architectural and interior design, virtual design consultations, and design mentorship for emerging creatives.

What sets me apart is that I don’t just design spaces—I design from the inside out and the outside in. What does that mean? I help people reconnect with themselves first, then translate those insights into the physical design of their space. At the same time, I guide clients to connect with the natural environment around them—zooming out to consider the land, climate, and context, then zooming in to refine the details so the space truly belongs to its surroundings.

I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve been able to take my own healing journey and transform it into meaningful, tangible offerings that truly support others. Clients often tell me that working with me feels like therapy, design, and soul work all in one—and that’s exactly the kind of experience I aim to create.

Whether I’m designing a home, mentoring a new designer, or guiding someone through a visualization journey, the heart of my work remains the same: helping people create spaces that reflect who they are and who they are becoming.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My mission is to help people envision a way of living they may have never imagined possible. Whether it’s unlocking the creative potential of their space or guiding them as they launch a new design business, my goal is to expand their sense of what’s possible. I want to inspire a vision so clear and compelling that it fuels the motivation to pursue their dreams with confidence and purpose.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

When I first started my design business, I was working for my father’s stone fabrication company—measuring countertops and crawling on my hands and knees, prepping surfaces for stone installs. I was the only woman on site, navigating the grit of construction while quietly building something bigger on the side. In between those jobs, I was designing my first few projects, balancing the duality of the polished, creative world of design with the dusty, masuline world of fabrication.

On my 30th birthday, I made the leap—I left the family business and committed fully to my own design studio. That decision marked a turning point, and I’ve never looked back. Since then, I’ve grown Prema Design Studio into a full-time business rooted in nature, emotional connection, and meaningful transformation—both for my clients and for myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://premadesignstudio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prema_designstudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/premadesignstudio