Community Highlights: Meet Bozhena Etin of ETIN Design, PLLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bozhena Etin.

Hi Bozhena, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
The owner, Bozhena Etin, graduated Pratt with B. ARCH. in 2005 and worked in high end residential as well as commercial design firms in NYC while getting her Architecture license. It was in the last two years if living in Jersey City, NJ that Bozhena started the small design practice. Balancing three kids and new business the family relocated to NC and the journey continued. Over time ETIN Design has created portfolio of projects spanning NC beaches, lakes, mountains and cities. Bozhena also received an M.A. ’22 degree from Duke University, has led a mixed level Girl Scout troop for 9 years and served in other various leadership roles at her children’s schools and Synagogue.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Starting the business all over again in NC, with no contacts was the greatest challenge. However through joining different leadership initiatives and networking with women in business organizations the network of great contractors, interior designers and clients has grown and allowed my business to do well in my new home state.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
ETIN Design was established 14 years ago, at first serving Jersey City, NJ area and then relocating to the Triangle area of NC in 2014. ETIN Designs serves a diverse residential and small commercial client base all over NC area. Working on home renovations, additions, new build and also small commercial projects, we value our clients’ diverse needs and aesthetics.

Our design ethos is to help make spaces that enhance what was and advance what will be.

We put clients first, and this is not something we just say. We value our clients ideas for their home and business and work as a team to help them achieve their vision. We always consider how best to advise and service the client so that the end result is a space they not only hoped for but has exceeded their expectations. We also take on a variety of scale and scope of projects, the project can be as small as a screen porch addition to as large as a ten thousand sq ft house. If the client is a right fit for us and we for them, we will work with them on whatever scale their project is.

We love how diverse our client aesthetic is as well as how spread out our projects are that we get to travel to many parts of this beautiful state. We hope to keep serving the people of NC and making their dream architecture projects a reality.

What were you like growing up?
I am originally from Minsk, Belarus. My parents and I emigrated when I was nine years old. Coming to a new country where the language and culture were so different was definitely and adjustment. I was always a creative kid that loved to paint and play with legos so that was one constant that I was able to keep for myself and it grounded me. I went to a specialized Art high school in NYC and this allowed me to dive into the world of architecture. Upon graduating High School I went to Pratt Institute to study architecture and during my time there I really fell in love with the profession. Studying in Rome for a semester of my fourth year really opened my eyes to how creating space inside and out that we as people respond to physically is the essence of the discipline.
During my time at Pratt I started interning in a small architecture office that designed high end residential projects around NYC and CT. That experience led me to eventually run my own practice.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.etindesign.net/
• Instagram: etindesign
• Facebook: etindesign
• LinkedIn: etindesign