Just recently I've been involved in a couple of interior design and redecoration projects that have been most successful, and I realised that it's very rare that I've walked away from a finished room with any level of dissatisfaction. In hind sight, the main reason for this is that in each case, I did my utmost to reflect the client and their wishes. I feel it is so important to give ones service and skills without making the room, the house or the building about you the designer, but instead reflecting the person who resides there. I may have 'a tell', a signature or design style, if you like, so that when I've finished the design I can look back and know that I've combined the wants and needs of my client with a little bit of myself - but I really do not want that person to think "this looks amazing - but it's not me"!!
That's why I believe that being an interior designer is a bit like being a hair dresser or a close friend and confidant, because it's so important to get to know the client well, to listen intently, find out what they love, what they hate and even what makes them go "meh" !! We all want our spaces to reflect who we are - a clue to the outside world of what makes you tick; a hint or more of your personality, from the colours you choose to the shapes you love, the lighting you need to the quirky chair that brings you joy. When I set to work on your space, I put together a list of your requirements, your budget and your desires. I hone that list into visual shots to ensure that we're on the same page, that you feel confident with your choices, and that you know that at anytime we can pull back, change direction, simplify or magnify your style.
So many people tell me that they know what they love, they just don't know where to start, and when they do begin a project that the amount of information is overwhelming, so they put off today what they might be able to do tomorrow, but honestly, do they really know if they'd prefer Farrow & Ball Elephant's Breath to Little Green's Rolling Fog - trust me there is a huge difference and once it's on the wall you'll know which one suits the light in your room better, but then you've got to decide do you want durable matt, satin, modern emulsion, intelligent eggshell - the list goes on - so let me be your curator, let me find the sofa or the side table, the rug or the rattan basket that fits with your vision of how you would like your lounge to look and feel. I want my clients to feel confident in their choices, so that even if the paint colour they want for the bedroom isn't in the style magazines that they can feel assured they've made the right choice for them and it enhances their furniture and soft furnishings. Be inspired by the things you treasure the most - a funny little figure that makes you smile when you notice it, the painting you bought because it reminded you of a wonderful holiday, the clock your great uncle left you because you loved it as a child. Interior design isn't about the latest trends, it's about taking and adapting all those choices that are thrown at you from every magazine or internet search or social media site and making them relevant to your needs and wants. Being a designer is about sifting through the endless choices and bringing the relevant ones to you.
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