Mark Nichols

Mark Nichols, Interior Designer at Mark Nichols Modern Interiors in Palm Springs, California, is part interior design businessman and part environmental activist. Nichols relocated to the Coachella Valley area in 2003, where his admiration of the natural desert environment and the visible environmental impact of mid-century architecture in Palm Springs inspired him to emphasize eco-friendly materials and energy features in his interior design projects. Known as an architect’s designer in Palm Springs, Nichols works with architects at each stage of a building’s planning process, ensuring the interior of a structure takes every advantage of available eco-friendly technology. He offers advice on the incorporation of high-efficacy lighting and other sustainable options for interior household fixtures. Additionally, the Palm Springs Interior Designer advocates the use of ENERGY STAR appliances, plumbing systems that reduce water waste, insulation efficiency, as well as xeriscape landscaping, which focuses on the use of indigenous landscaping options and reduction of water usage. Contributing to the interior design offerings in Palm Springs, Mark Nichols often produces his own designs for cabinet furnishings, emphasizing the latest advances in rapidly renewable materials and sustainably harvested wood. His goal is to create interior designs that are beautiful, stylish, and functional, but also minimize human impact on the environment and promote the Palm Springs community’s heightened focus on sustainable living. Nichols emphasizes to readers of DesignItGreener.com, an online news source for topics in eco-friendly architecture, that “going ‘eco’” does not require his clients to sacrifice style or functionality in their homes and businesses. His interior design goals for Palm Springs clients feature new sustainable products and technology that result in decreased utility bills and frequent energy reimbursements from the grid at the end of the billing cycle, while still allowing for a luxurious lifestyle. Low-emissivity windows, non-VOC (volatile organic compounds)-emitting paints and finishes, and organic fabrics and upholstery all contribute to a reduced human impact on the environment without hindering aesthetics or comfort. In addition to his interior design work, Mark Nichols worked on the recent construction project at Smoke Tree Ranch and Port Lawrence, a major commercial and residential addition to downtown Palm Springs.