Since embarking on his journey, Nxumalo has paid his dues, starting with his first job at a boutique design firm in the interior design industry.
In 2014, he entered the reality TV show, Win A Home, which he ultimately won.
Since winning the TV show, Nxumalo has soared, opening his own business, DNXInterior Design. He has also designed spaces for a number of notable clients including consular offices in Tanzania and a hotel in Uganda.
"I would say opening my store in Kramerville (Johannesburg) has been my greatest achievement to date. Against all the odds, the number of difficulties and negative statements that I wouldn't be able to do it, it was done!"
But his successes didn't come easy, one of them being overzealous clients.
"There are many challenges we face, but there hasn't been any we weren't able to overcome. The greatest of these is when clients 'take over' the design process," he says.
"It's like going to a doctor with symptoms of an illness and ignoring the advice of the doctor because you went online and found a 'better' solution."
Design is Donald's life and passion
Donald Nxumalo has come a long way from playing on the streets of the Pretoria CBD where he grew up.
The 29 year old interior designer will be one of the featured exhibitors come this weekend, at the second installment of Design Joburg.
Design Joburg is the premier event in showcasing the leaders in decor and design, and Nxumalo couldn't be more excited.
"I feel really elated, blessed and affirmed at being given this opportunity to showcase amongst the designers in South Africa."
The young designer, who studied his craft at Tshwane University of Technology, describes himself as having a "passion for life, design and the smaller things in life".
"Growing up seeing my grandmother knitting and creating beautiful crocheted pieces got me fascinated in the beauty of creating something out of literally nothing.
"My design genius was born from here and I fell in love more and more with interior design and I eventually chose to make it my career path."
Since embarking on his journey, Nxumalo has paid his dues, starting with his first job at a boutique design firm in the interior design industry.
In 2014, he entered the reality TV show, Win A Home, which he ultimately won.
Since winning the TV show, Nxumalo has soared, opening his own business, DNXInterior Design. He has also designed spaces for a number of notable clients including consular offices in Tanzania and a hotel in Uganda.
"I would say opening my store in Kramerville (Johannesburg) has been my greatest achievement to date. Against all the odds, the number of difficulties and negative statements that I wouldn't be able to do it, it was done!"
But his successes didn't come easy, one of them being overzealous clients.
"There are many challenges we face, but there hasn't been any we weren't able to overcome. The greatest of these is when clients 'take over' the design process," he says.
"It's like going to a doctor with symptoms of an illness and ignoring the advice of the doctor because you went online and found a 'better' solution."
Nxumalo says the design space in South Africa still needs to grow. "I believe it's still growing and discovering its own paces. For a long time interior design was not viewed as a career path or a service. However it's good to realise that more and more clients are realising the art behind design and like other services, requires a professional to execute perfectly."
Nxumalo advises other aspirant designers to be patient.
"Do not give up, Rome was not built in a day. Keep the passion alive and keep running hard!"
What can people expect from him in the future?
"Beyond the sky is the limit. People can expect nothing less of genius, starting with Design Joburg this weekend."