creative director, Casa Forma
Carolina Sandri has more than a decade of experience designing and implementing high-end interior design and architecture projects in London and around the globe. Trained as an architect, she established her own architectural business in her native country Brazil before moving to London 15 years ago.
Her passion for design excellence and extensive knowledge of the luxury global market makes it possible for her to transform any client’s aspirations into a truly bespoke luxurious space. Her architectural background gives her a combination of creative design skills with a wide range of technical knowledge.
Carolina is the creative director of the award-winning luxury design studio Casa Forma and is responsible for delivering leading-edge residential schemes for international high-net-worth individuals and property developers.
The Retreat New Delhi / Casa Forma
How do design preferences differ between Brazil and the UK?
Brazil is a hot and tropical place, and it's well known for architect Oscar Niemeyer's white concrete buildings. In Brazil designers are freer with their use of colour and more daring in their combinations of different styles, furniture and accessories compared to London. I’ve been working here for more than 15 years, and while a number of new modern buildings with minimalist architecture have been constructed over the last few decades, I would say the classic traditional style is still most appreciated, not only by our UK clients but our clients from abroad. I believe it’s because of this country’s history and strong Victorian design heritage. Of course, every country has its own past in terms of style and elements. There aren’t really typically Brazilian or typically London design preferences. What differs is the tastes and requirements that dictate what’s important to clients and their families’ lifestyles. We design around that.
Country Mansion Surrey / Casa Forma
What is a luxury amenity a client has recently requested?
We’ve seen many crazy luxury requests! A client in Dubai asked us to design a large circular shark tank and incorporate it into an entertainment space. It was also connected to an outdoor infinity swimming pool - separated by a very thick glass wall, of course! It was meant to hold no more than two sharks. Our team was responsible for the design, but not the installation, so we don't know how it came out in the end. We were curious how the sharks would look to a person swimming in the bottom of the pool – almost like a scene from a movie. Our tank design also integrated audio, light and sound systems and controls. Most of our clients want the ability to open blinds and control everything in their home just by touching a button.
Kensington Gardens / Casa Forma
Where are your go-to places for finding new materials for your design library?
I go to a lot of industry events such as Decorex, Masterpiece, London PAD and Design Week, which I find great fun. It's very important to see and hear what our collaborators and suppliers are up to. I use a lot of social media these days. Instagram is especially full of nice suppliers and is an easy way to track new inspirational materials using hashtags. I also really enjoy museums, having been to a lot in the past. Last year I took a client to Masterpiece, which has loads of art, because she wanted to source some pieces. I like to see different kinds of furniture and antique pieces with their own styles. Design Week is a mix of modern and contemporary items. I go to, let's say, six or seven of them each month. There’s always something going on in London.
How do you stay current with changing design zeitgeists, and how is this reflected in your projects?
I read a lot of design magazines like Architectural Digest, House and Garden, Elle Décor, as well as online articles, to keep current with tendencies, but I don't believe in really following trends. There’s nothing wrong about working with the latest trends, but I believe in timeless designs. Styles incorporating neutral colour palettes with textures, layers and well-placed lighting add longevity to my design schemes. This is one of the reasons our clients come to us. They know we’ll design a place they can live in for a long time, maybe changing a few accents and accessories, but the main spaces will be around for five or ten years.
Carolina is one of the prestigious experts invited to join the extraordinary jury for the SBID Product Design Awards, alongside other renowned professionals across industrial and interior design, brand development, architecture, educational research and forward-thinking enterprise.
Click here to view the full judging panel.
The SBID Product Design Awards 2020 entry deadline has been extended!
To find out more about entering, visit www.sbidproductdesignawards.com
principal interior designer, Arcadis
Can worked for 15 years in Istanbul before moving to Dubai as principal interior designer for Arcadis. He has been involved in a wide range of multidisciplinary projects ranging from healthcare and offices to residential and educational. He is primarily focused on the technical aspects of the projects; however, his personal preference is for space planning and design.
Fish Market Abu Dhabi / Arcadis
How do interior design practices and tastes differ between Istanbul and Dubai?
I went through a phase of being a super minimalist, that was the style of the practice I worked with a long time ago when I’d just graduated from school in Turkey. And then I came here to Dubai and worked on projects with lots of ornamentation. However, tastes have developed so that modernism now infuses elements inspired by their traditional backgrounds. I love that, because it has character as opposed to what you might envisage as a minimal space in the Western world. Here, it’s very different because it has an Arabic touch. In Turkey, modernism was closer to the Western style with neutral colours. But here, it has a touch of local taste, which is great.
Red Sea Project Coastal Village / Arcadis
Methodologies are definitely different, too, plus it depends whether it’s a small practice of one-to-ten people versus a proper consultancy firm with multi-city locations. They’re worlds apart. If the company is small and it's a one or two-person job, you just do everything pre- and post-contract yourself without the need to produce much documentation. Everything is in your head. That’s how it is where I come from. Projects don't need to be that documented or regimented. You can just get away with things, but that also stings you when it's time for payment, because people take advantage of undocumented services.
Whereas in this part of the world, in the West, or in bigger practices, everything is very documented, regimented, there are milestones and a proper contract. You can't break it, and if you do, there are implications. I’ve adapted to this system, which I like a lot, because people must bear the consequences of what they say they will do. If you don't deliver or if you're not paid for something, there are consequences. I haven't been to Turkey in 14 years, but from what I hear, things are slowly moving in this direction.
Mirdiff City Center Prayer Rooms - Arcadis
How do your designs support local communities?
I’ve worked on projects in India, Africa, Turkey, and the Middle East, and my role has always been to use design to improve people’s lives. When a designer is involved, the whole idea is to create a better, more comfortable, and functional space. I can't imagine that anything produced by the design community would be unwelcome unless it was offensive to people's beliefs or religion. For instance, I worked on the Adobe campus of New York University in Abu Dhabi, which was very welcome because it brought an international approach to education. Another example is the Fish Market in Abu Dhabi, which upgraded the ancient method of displaying fish by arranging it on top of ice dumped onto the floor. We brought the market up to speed in terms of hygiene whilst maintaining their culture and perception of architecture and interiors based on their historical background. We’re currently working on housing for the people who will construct a massive new development in Saudi Arabia, the Red Sea Coastal Village with lower, mid, and high-scale villas and townhouses. Once construction is complete, this accommodation will be converted into housing for the people working in the village.
What changes have your clients been asking for in your recent projects: layouts, materials, palettes, etc…?
Arcadis is a consultancy that implements other people's initial concepts. Sometimes it’s because they don’t have the ability to build a project in another country, so we take on the role of architect of record and develop it towards the construction phase. However, there are also bits of a project we start from scratch. I’ve worked in both capacities throughout my career and see both sides of the process.
The trend is for projects with more natural and subdued palettes as a result of ecological awareness. There’s also a tendency for using different metals such as bronze that become all the rage, but you know, things come and go. I suggest designers take a more holistic, natural approach. There’s also a movement towards open-plan living areas. The bigger the space, the better.
This happens a lot when you have people running a project and making decisions on behalf of other people. But then at last the call goes to the big cheese, who has not necessarily been involved every little step of the way. Suddenly the decision-maker feels something has moved too far away from the initial intent or isn’t what they’d had in mind, and late-stage changes must be made, which is painful as a project consultant. But then of course, there are also changes as far as how space, colours and materials are being used..
How do you anticipate artificial intelligence will affect architecture and interior design practices?
I hope it will be a positive leap, but I don't see it at happening very soon, at least in my part of the world. Everyone wants to design buildings in a BIM environment, but artificial intelligence is usually better for calculation-based things engineers work on that don’t involve personal choice about whether should be black or blue, marble versus rubber flooring, or whatever the preference might be. I can't see this being used much in interior design at the moment. If somehow it is, I’d be delighted because it takes so much off your plate.
Can is one of the prestigious experts invited to join the extraordinary jury for the SBID Product Design Awards, alongside other renowned professionals across industrial and interior design, brand development, architecture, educational research and forward-thinking enterprise.
SBID Accredited Designer and head of interior design at Knights of Beaconsfield, Gill Surman shares her journey into the interior design profession, and the importance of having a strong understanding of business from the outset.
What is your current job?
I am Head of Interior Design at Knights of Beaconsfield which is one of the largest Interior Design and Retail Showrooms outside of London. I lead an expert team, specialising in luxury residences and developments in the UK and Europe.
What is your background and how did you get into interior design?
I have an entrepreneurial background having had several of my own businesses in the past, but have always had a love and flair for design. My experience in all elements of business has been invaluable. I joined a luxury construction company to focus on their marketing and got side lined to the design of their show houses. I have been fortunate that my experience was very ‘hands on’ at the top end of the design market and have had roles as Senior Designer and now Head of Design over the past 14 years.
Describe an average day in your job role..
I am usually in the office by 7.30am as it provides quiet time for me answer emails, review the projects that we are working on and work on the administrative/financial side of my role. No two days are ever the same. On an average day I will discuss with the team our ongoing or upcoming projects, meet with furnishing or fabric suppliers, source new products for particular projects, meet with clients and try and find time to design! I rarely take a lunch break and usually finish my day by 5.30/6.00pm, although I am always available to my clients in the evenings if necessary.
Which elements of your profession do you enjoy the most and/or find the most rewarding?
For me, I really enjoy taking on an inspiring project that I can visualise immediately, a project that the client and I connect on at every level. Good design is about the relationship with the client and also the property, particularly in Residential design. It is also about the client having realistic expectations, particularly when you are working with fixed elements of an existing building or furnishings that the client wants to keep. The reward is the end result and exceeding the client’s expectations.
Is there anything new you are excited to be working on?
We have taken on a property in St-Legier-La Chiesaz in Switzerland that is set overlooking Lake Geneva. It is a beautiful location!
What do you find the most challenging aspects of your job?
Managing multiple projects can be tricky. Projects often have issues as install dates are constantly moving and people let you down which has a knock on effect on everything else, resulting in pressure from clients. I am tough but fair with my suppliers, always professional and I have earned their respect over the years because of this. The trick is to use tried and tested trades that are used to overcoming issues on site and are familiar with the way our team work. You need to be good at managing stress!
What do you wish you knew before working in the field?
Thankfully I had a good understanding of business before I entered the industry, which you wouldn’t automatically think was necessary. The job is a lot more physical than people perceive and time for design can sometimes be limited!
What would you tell your younger self if you had the chance?
Have confidence in yourself and be prepared to keep learning - you can never know enough. Don’t expect to be good at everything, but excel at the things you are. Set yourself goals and strive to achieve them. Don’t assume that people know more than you do. A design degree is a good starting point but not always necessary. Experience, a good eye for colour and communication is everything.
What has been your favourite project to work on?
A recent whole house residential project in Buckinghamshire - it was a delightful project for a delightful family!
What do you think is the biggest problem the interior design industry faces?
Interior Design is a hugely undervalued profession and the perception is that it’s an easy career. It would help if the public were educated about the knowledge, skill and business acumen needed to design an interior space professionally and cost effectively. It is refreshing to see that Interior Design is becoming more regulated.
Who do you admire the most in the industry and why?
I admire longevity in this industry as it requires commitment, drive, passion and resilience. Anyone that survives the constant change in market trends and economic pressures deserve the success they have.
If you were inspired by Gill's story, click here to learn more about the role of an interior designer.
Want to become SBID Accredited? Click here for more information.
SpeakEasy with Hill House Interiors
In collaboration with SBID, Grant Pierrus, founder of Pierrus Agency interviews some of the biggest names in the interior design industry for the new podcast series. The latest episode will feature a conversation with the extraordinary design-duo and SBID Accredited Designers; Helen Bygraves and Jenny Weiss.
Launching their multi-award-winning design practice almost 20 years ago, Jenny and Helen are the founders of Hill House Interiors. Today, with a team of over 20 designers, architects and craftspeople, their enthusiasm for high-end couture interiors and positive energy bring their diverse projects to life.
Bringing us up to date with how they have adapted to the new norm of working from home, and how their extensive brand building and social media presence has helped provide a strong foundation to win business and continue work as usual during these challenging times, Hill House share their perspectives on the deeper implications of Covid-19.
Jenny and Helen comment on how they can see this dramatic shift in daily lifestyles influencing interior design in the longer term, and what clients may want or need from their homes in the future. "On a smaller level, we're finding that people are wanting to utilise under-used rooms in their house ... We've also seen quite a big move from people living in central London wanting to get more space out of London as well - I think that is because they get that variety of rooms in their own home and grounds ... Gardens and outside space is becoming hugely important."
Tune in to the whole conversation to discover more.
Jenny Weiss
Jenny’s illustrious design philosophy was born from a fascination with nature, culture, fashion and colour that was first cultivated over the years she spent undertaking refurbishments on the interiors of her properties in her early twenties. Her noticeably unique creative flair resulted in a number of requests for private commissions that lead to formal training at Chelsea School of Art.
Helen Bygraves
With her unique experience and arts background, Helen’s passion for quality and drive to always improve is matched by her love of contemporary, high impact interiors.Known for her personable nature, Helen has helped to nurture the skills of the 20+ strong Hill House team, ensuring their talent and imagination is captured and celebrated through the brand’s recognisable designs.
Frazer Macdonald Hay is an expert on the re-use of buildings and their impact on society. His experiences have helped him evolve from an apprentice glazier after leaving school at 16, to working on renowned architectural projects such as the new Scottish parliament and the Zonnestraalin in the Netherlands. Later becoming a successful published academic and the founder of Glasgow School of Art in Singapore.
In the last eight years he has focused on politics and international relations, working with the Orang Suku Laut in Indonesia and a UN agency in Iraq whilst researching everyday sites of violence in Mosul and Belfast; developing his own consultancy, Uniform November, specialising in Place, Peace and Political Violence.
When asked to describe his work, Frazer explained that he was primarily a person who works with the meaning and memories the built environment can resonate in communities. “I’m interested in how the places society creates, evolve and impact on people and their behaviour”.
Our lifeworld and the places therein are established reflecting our relationship with memory, either consciously or subconsciously. I believe these places that we experience are hugely important factors in the development of a sense of self or society, a sense of belonging and how people identify with themselves and others. These places are where lifeworlds are framed and contested. There is nothing that we do on this ‘mortal coil’, that is un-placed. Therefore, place and the memories it orchestrates are hugely important to you and me, and always will be.
Well, without memory we could not function even in the most simple ways. We wouldn’t remember where we live, our past, how to read, write or even walk, so in that way, memory tends to be honest and help us conduct our lives well. That said, it can betray us too, especially in times of stress and trauma. We often take memory and memories for granted, only realising their significance when they let us down.
It goes far beyond just forgetfulness or absentmindedness. They can lead us to remember things differently - we can be manipulated to remember things in another ways and with bias. According to psychologists, there are at least seven ways memory might betray us. Generally, it is important to understand that memory is not passive like a PC or video camera which reproduces the information in its original context; they are fragile, reflective, malleable and susceptible to a range of influences within and outside the brain. I have spent years working with the built environment and studying how people attribute buildings with memories and how these memories help to develop a sense of place.
If you consider that nothing we do is unplaced, in other words we were born in a place, in fact we were conceived in a place; we can’t experience or remember something which isn’t 'placed'. You might therefore ask yourself, why aren’t we more conscious of the places we create and the impact of those we have created?
In 1943, whilst addressing the nation with regards the rebuilding of the parliament building, Winston Churchill said, “First we shape our buildings, then they shape us”. Aristotle also explained that, “Whatever is true for space and time, this much is true for place: we are immersed in it and could not do without it. To be at all - to exist in any way – is to be somewhere, and to be somewhere is to be in some kind of place”. Finally, Hobbs wrote, “No man therefore can conceive anything, but he must conceive it in some place”.
Quite simply an authentic, skilled and mindful use of ‘place’ can help address climate change, migration, poverty, urban development and social cohesion - the list goes on...
For example, the re-use of existing buildings will maintain a community’s sense of place, orientation and a feeling of home, not to mention the ecological sense of retaining a building and its embodied energy. Even if the building has ethical and environmental intentions, it will take decades to repay the embodied energy lost in the process. By embodied energy, I mean the amount of labour and energy consumed in the fabrication of the building; from the harvesting of natural resources and the manufacture and delivery of materials, to the installation of these materials and products within. It also includes the energy required to demolish and remove building components. Working to manage the embodied energy reflects a cradle-to-grave philosophy and is critical to any sustainable approach in managing and conserving our culturally significant built environment.
Another example might be the work I have done in Iraq, highlighting the importance of place in war torn communities full of emotional entanglement and trauma. Reporting to the United Nations how certain everyday buildings in Mosul can perpetuate hostility and amplify trauma. Surfacing the dangers of top down reconciliation through redevelopment, whilst local communities contend with places full of the memories of violence...
If we don’t take place more seriously, I feel we risk living in homogenous surroundings, dictated by economics and technocratic means. There are exciting aspects of the future. The virtual place is growing, the cyber place, the intangible places created by social media which connect communities around the world and inform so many people will evolve as our current interests in knowledge, technology and science seems limitless. I worry though, just like memory, place is only really considered properly ‘once the wheels fall off’. In times of adversity, ‘place’ reveals its integral importance to positive living, as critical in framing social and mental condition, promoting social cohesion and belonging. In many ways place is a rare and precious phenomenon, common to all, a bonding vocabulary which begins as home.
Therefore, the future needs a revolution, a change in how we conceive and manage our places and the conditions they create.
Home – or perhaps, more randomly, the rainbow café in Eilat. I doubt it’s there now, but when I was there in the 90s, it was ‘the’ place where you would go in the morning to line up against its rubble wall and tout for labouring work before the day warmed up. Other builders would drive by and select healthy specimens to do a hard day labouring for them on site! In the evening, once dropped off back at the wall, exhausted, content and dirty, the warm café would be the place to sit with comrades, watch the sunset and share stories.
SBID delved behind the scenes with SBID Accredited Designer, Katie Malik, founder and creative director of Katie Malik Interiors to find out about her journey in the interior design industry, and how proper training and experience helped her get there.
I’m a creative director at Katie Malik Interiors. I manage a small team of passionate, dedicated design experts, who help me bring our clients dreams to the reality.
My background is in linguistics, but as a daughter of a very talented furniture designer and maker, design has always been a big part of my life, My career in interior design started in 2011 when I decided to retrain. I have always wanted to run my own business, but I knew I needed to train first and gain hands-on knowledge and experience, so important in the design industry. After I gained my qualifications at Chelsea College of Art, I was lucky to have my first internship in a high-end interior design studio based in Mayfair. After that, the door to other interior design studios opened to me, and I was offered the second internship and then a position at 1508London, which specialises in high end residential and hospitality interiors. Then, I was ready to move on to work on residential projects under my own brand: Katie Malik Interiors.
I typically start my day with a good breakfast at home, and of course with an Instagram flick through and Inbox check for anything requiring urgency or priority. I typically arrive in the studio quite early, as I like to make a head start. Then it’s the order of the day, setting tasks, checking the order of priorities, communicating with my team, and depending on the day, it could be a lot of very focused designing, building schemes, client meetings, site meetings, procurement etc.
I love everything that being an interior designer encompasses, but there are two parts I enjoy the most, one of them being designing, coming up with design solutions to meet and exceed clients’ expectations, and the second one being the final project installation, when the designs become the reality and our clients’ dreams come true.
We are working on a number of exciting projects at the moment, and each of them being very different, provides a lot of creative stimulation, but I am also very excited about finalising my first book ‘Love your space’ which I have been collecting the material for for the last 4 years.
I would say the job itself is quite challenging, which I enjoy, but one of the most challenging aspects is managing procurement aspect of the job, ensuing everything arrives on time, in the right condition, and is installed correctly; there’s a lot of time involved in this part of the process, and however wonderfully rewarding, it’s also one of the most challenging aspects for someone who is a perfectionist.
That being an interior designer is so much more than the design, and that in order to run a business, one must also learn about how to become a businessman/businesswoman.
Follow your path and what you love doing for hours without looking at the clock- that is your true calling.
I really don’t have a favourite one because all my projects make me genuinely proud and I enjoy working on all of them. However, if I had to chose one, I would say a redesign of a kitchen with dining and a conservatory which gained quite a lot of attention and landed its own editorial in the Ideal Home magazine in February 2016 and on Houzz in April 2017.
I also loved working on a costal redesign project, which was a refurbishment of the whole property located in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex. The project received a UK Property Award 2019 for the Best Interior Design Residence in the South East.
I think there’s a lot of misconception about the profession and what interior design experts can do for homeowners and business owners. Also, I believe there’s a lot of potential issues that can arise in connection with products that interior designers specify from trusted trade sources and which homeowners can find online for less.
If you were inspired by Katie's story, click here to learn more about the role of an interior designer.
co-founder and group director, Accouter Group of Companies
Stella Gittins is the co-founder of Accouter Group of Companies (AGC), London’s fastest-growing portfolio of award-winning international interior design companies. Creating the benchmark in luxury living, Accouter Group of Companies is home to Accouter Design, A. LONDON and BoxNine7 delivering world-class interior architectural and furnishing services to the private clients and the global property market.
With 15 years of experience mentoring and directing diverse teams within the field, Stella has spent the last seven building AGC into one of the best places to work in the property industry, as voted on multiple occasions.
Taking a lead creative role for the group, Stella is responsible for all aspects of the brand and design. She has published four bespoke books that discuss every corner of luxury life and feature the inspirations behind Accouter Design’s schemes and collaborations with iconic brands such as Rolls Royce and William & Son. The fifth publication is due to be launched in 2020.
What are some of your secrets for designing a show home that will entice buyers?
There aren’t necessarily secrets, but there’s definitely a method. Designing schemes for private clients in houses they’ll live in themselves is a very different to creating show homes where the ultimate goal is to maximize the value of properties and make them extremely desirable for quick sales or lets. Our job is to ensure buyers or tenants immediately fall in love as soon as they enter.
We are storytellers providing a look into their futures. The easiest way to do that is to develop a design that projects a new lifestyle, spaces that let them imagine how they would live there and utilise each area. We analyse the best characteristics of the location and the kind of lifestyle buyers would expect given these features and the property value. For example, someone buying a property in Chelsea would have different expectations than someone living in trendy Shoreditch: where do they work, where do they shop, what do they read, what do they wear, what do they eat, where do they eat, and what is their social life like? The trick is to imagine who that character is. We brainstorm quite a bit to figure out who the person is that’s going to be walking in the door, and then develop a floor plan accordingly.
It’s a myth that you need less furniture in small spaces. The best solution is to create zones that each have their own purpose. People walking into a large home might think, “Oh, we don’t need furniture because the house is so big and amazing.” But actually, people get scared thinking about what they’re going to do in every single room. We have to provide ideas for what they’ll be doing so they can imagine how their lives would play out in the property.
We like to bring local elements into the rooms to create suggestions that potential owners or renters might get to know the barista in the independent coffee shop or support the neighbourhood bakery.
It’s also important to make a show home memorable. We don’t like to follow interior trends, not only because they might not be right for the area or the specific property, but also because they might not allow the show home to stand out. When someone spends only a little time in a place and then walks out, there must be something that causes them to remember it. For example, we incorporated many amazing antiques into an historic Chelsea Waterfront property by Lots Road in London, plus there was tailor-made furniture we designed ourselves. In one corner was an organically shaped loveseat that would inspire someone to think it was an amazing space. Or it could be an incredible headboard fabric that catches the eye because it’s just a little bit different.
How is design evolving in response to lifestyle changes?
Without a doubt the biggest influence is sustainability. In fact, we publish a book every year and this time it’s entirely centred around this subject. Everyone is becoming more environmentally conscious, including in their interiors. It’s not just a trend, it’s something for life that people are really becoming quite aware of in their homes’ designs. We use a lot of antiques where we can, and people are getting more into upcycling. Our companies are working towards ISO 14001 accreditation, so we’re looking how furniture is packaged in the warehouse, how can we offset our carbon footprint, our paper usage in the office, all those types of things.
Our book also explores how the luxury market is evolving with Bentley, Lotus and Tesla producing electric cars, not just lower-end manufacturers. Sustainability is also affecting where people go on holiday, whether the 1 Hotel in Brooklyn or the world’s first “energy positive” hotel being built in Norway.
Interiors and fashion tend to change side by side, with people investing a bit more in higher quality pieces that last over time. Rather than following trends, our designs for private clients are more timeless with items people will keep for generations. Across all our brands, we try to incorporate old forms of craft as well as things made in the UK, for example art by Nat Bowen who layers resin on recycled acrylic. At our Chelsea Waterfront project, she hand painted gold leaf directly onto the walls. It’s an amazing skill to have because she only gets one chance to do it. But again, it’s not mass manufacturing. It’s just her. We also work with Jennifer Manners who designs amazing rugs made from recycled plastic. Our goal is to think about our projects’ environmental impact and how we can make them sustainable, because it’s important to everybody. And if a developer sees this as a selling point, we can also make it part of the marketing brief for a show home. I think we’re going to see this more and more, and it’s something we push them towards.
Other factors include the growth in healthier lifestyles and the need for convenience. I recently designed a five-bedroom property with timber floors so that a room could be changed into a gym in the future. Its ensuite bathroom was designed like a spa, and its landscape contained a Zen garden.
Our market is very international, and our clients may only stay in their London homes from one week to a couple months per year. So we need to think about full turnkey packages for them, including what bed they’ll sleep in, their sheets, their towels. We make sure they have all the elements needed to live in their homes.
How do you feel about young Instagram design stars who have large followings but don’t know how to write a spec?
Ultimately, everyone has to start somewhere, and I have no concerns about people promoting their passions especially if it helps the design industry. I follow some people myself - but there are different tiers to design.
A lot of these Instagram stars are more into styling, which is one of the hardest things to be trained in because it’s subjective. You don’t necessarily need a qualification to be a stylist because some people just have a natural eye. Some of the best designers aren’t always the best stylists.
It is possible to be an Instagram design star who is good at dressing an interior. However, if they want to evolve that passion into a profession, it’s important they have the correct skillset and training behind them. Being an interior designer and interior architect is very technical. I wouldn’t mobilise a team to work with our clients that didn’t have the correct skills or support.
When working with developers, you don’t have carte blanche to design whatever you want. What are some examples of when you didn’t get your way, and how did you reach a compromise?
Designers can be very passionate about their designs, and developers can be very passionate about what they want. That’s why the briefing stage is so important. The way we overcome it is to always show clients what they want, because they want to know we can deliver what they asked us to do. But if we are passionate about another direction, we need to share our suggestions and try to inspire them in some way. Then the debate starts. It's about saying, yes, we can do what you want, but actually, this is what we recommend. We constantly try to encourage clients out of their comfort zones. For example, in a recent show home, the developer was extremely keen to have artwork that reflected the view, while as designers we wanted something that would contrast. The compromise was an abstract piece that hinted at the form of the buildings around the area. Some of the larger developers have a bigger track record and their own “look” because they have a clear idea of their target market. So this is when we go back to basics, have a bit of a debate, and meet somewhere in the middle.
Stella is one of the prestigious experts invited to join the extraordinary jury for the SBID Product Design Awards, alongside other renowned professionals across industrial and interior design, brand development, architecture, educational research and forward-thinking enterprise.
showroom and design manager, Halcyon Interiors
Graham Robinson is the showroom and design manager at the Halcyon Interiors flagship located on London’s Wigmore Street, a road that has become the epicentre of kitchen design.
Over the last 20 years he has developed a passion for contemporary design and honed his eye for meticulous detail, allowing him to create practical kitchens that look stunning for many years to come. Whilst he likes to be aware of current trends, he prefers to give his clients classic looks that transcends fashion.
How can a well-designed kitchen reduce food waste?
When you design a kitchen, find out how your clients are actually cooking. Generally, there are two types of people: those with really big fridges and hardly any freezer space, and those who freeze leftovers. It’s best to have a practical kitchen with spice racks and visible, accessible storage. I like to design larders with pull-up storage features so you can see what food you’ve got. A lot of people have old things hidden at the back of their cupboards, but if items face forward you see all there is and don't let anything go out of date.
People are eating more fresh food now, so it’s good to have refrigeration with nought degree, low humidity drawers that provide filtration so things like salads, green vegetables and meat remain edible longer. You get an extra couple of days and don’t end up just throwing things away. It’s also possible for kitchen cabinets to include a vacuum drawer, so if only half of something has been eaten, you can vacuum seal what’s left inside a clear bag. The vacuum feature can also be used for marinating food or steam cooking in a water bath.
How do your designs anticipate your clients’ future needs, including gadgets and appliances they might acquire?
Most kitchens we create are for houses our clients live in rather than somewhere they plan to sell. We advise them to invest in quality brands because they're won’t go wrong. Talking to them about how they cook is important. Do they need a steam oven? Do they really need a microwave oven or are they anti-microwave? We find out what they’re actually going to need long-term, because maybe in three- or four-years’ time they might no longer use microwaves and move towards steam cooking that’s more healthy.
Most people seem to want taps that provide boiling water, it's definitely growing in the market. Also, it depends on the age of the client, but sometimes features like pull-out storage are integrated so they won’t need to bend down as they get older. When creating a kitchen for a woman in a wheelchair, we looked at details such as oven height and how it opened, how the fridge was configured and where she put her tap. We designed a long thin hob, and because she couldn’t reach the hood, its fan and lights automatically turned on when the burners did. It’s also more popular to have appliances with technology that lets them be monitored and controlled remotely, for example from your phone you can track the progress of your washing machine, your dishwasher, turn your oven on and some ovens let you look at what’s happening inside. Say you have meat in your oven, you can actually see remotely a clear picture of it every 30 seconds. It's slightly gimmicky, but it's there if people want it. Others have a door that opens slightly after the oven’s s turned off so an item doesn’t carry on cooking from retained heat.. The hot air is pushed out and cool air is drawn in so food isn’t overcooked. Some people talk about the fact that gas might not be around forever, so if you’re going to futureproof a kitchen, induction hobs are good to have.
With kitchens at the heart of the home, how do you design for inclusivity and the wide range of activities that take place there?
You initially need to get a real understanding of how the kitchen will be used every day, and then build from there. It’s making sure the kitchen works for the customer in every scenario. For example, will it will be used for functions, and will they cook when entertaining a large number of people or get caterers in? We offer layout ideas for when it’s breakfast for two, how to change it for four people, when doing homework with the children, or if they’ve got the whole family around. You’ve got to make sure there are the right amount of cooking elements and enough storage for however many sets of plates they’ll have for dinner service.
A kitchen has to be right for how someone is going to cook – or not cook. At the moment we’re creating a large kitchen where day-to-day it’s just the four of them, but every Sunday they have a big family function. We’ve designed it as an open-plan space where the island can be moved into an alcove so the table can be extended. Others have separate dining rooms and secondary kitchens for caterers to use when the client hosts large events. Some people are desperate to have places for their cling film, tin foil or store their rubber gloves. One client argued with his wife because she always used a tea towel rather than rubber gloves. In our showroom, we demonstrate the physical space so that clients get a feel for how much room they’ll have between their island and cabinet run. They might see a picture that looks really nice with a row of four barstools behind an island, but in reality, those barstools are never going to be in line and you don't really want to sit in that line, although you might want to sit facing each other.
What’s on the horizon for kitchen design?
Kitchen features are becoming more like furniture. They’re still quite sleek, but with warmer colours and added textures that make them a bit more comfortable and friendly. We’re seeing mechanisms for opening doors in different ways, but some of them are just for the sake of doing things differently rather than an actual invention.
In recent years, the real innovation has been with ceramic worktops you can put hot things on and that are completely non-porous. Whether synthetic quartz or manufactured ceramic, modern counters have lots of interesting patterns and veining that appears realistic, or others look like concrete. These manufacturers copy the stone, marble, and quartz that occurs in nature, but the textures, colours and finishes all match.
Graham is one of the prestigious experts invited to join the extraordinary jury for the SBID Product Design Awards, alongside other renowned professionals across industrial and interior design, brand development, architecture, educational research and forward-thinking enterprise.
Interior design studio manager of SBID Accredited Design Practice, Rigby & Rigby, James Ashfield highlights what he believes to be the two biggest challenges the interior industry faces today, and tells us how he forged his successful career in interior design.
I manage the interior design studio at Rigby & Rigby, overseeing all interior design projects and the creative vision for the studio.
I always had a passion for art and technology, so architecture and interior design was a great fit for my creative and practical interests, which led me to study Interior Architecture.
I now have 15 years industry experience. My first role was for a small architecture, interior and development practice and I’ve since held positions at leading London architecture and interior design practices including the Harrods Interior Design Studio.
A typical day consists of multiple client meetings and presentations with our team across many disciplines. There might be a site visit to a Prime Central London site to inspect progress or a coordination meeting for a landmark residence Rigby & Rigby are developing in Knightsbridge.
Sometimes my job takes me overseas if clients are based outside of the UK. For example, I worked in the Middle East for two and a half years where I acted as a client advisor on all architecture, interior and development projects for an UHNWI who was based there.
The most rewarding element is the design journey with the client, whose lifestyle we try to facilitate through the delivery of creative solutions and beautiful interiors.
I also have the pleasure to work on some of the finest and most incredible homes, with the multi-disciplinary support from our architectural, construction and marketing teams and a young and energetic interior design team. It’s always exciting to see a project come to life.
I love the scope of what I do and where it can take me. Currently I am working on a 17,000 sq ft landmark private residence in Knightsbridge, a 50,000 sq ft private development in Asia, and a 300sq ft Chairman’s office in Central London.
The most challenging aspects of my job are the logistics. Our suppliers come from all over the world, and sometimes there are unavoidable delays which can create challenges caused by anything from the weather to an international event. To combat this, we have to create contingency plans.
I think it’s useful to know that success can be found in all ways, not necessarily the obvious routes. I think it’s important to also have an understanding of growth opportunities in your chosen career, and evaluate these against your skills and values.
That working hard and putting in the hours does pay off.
The landmark residence in Knightsbridge and a modern ski chalet on a remote island in Japan.
I think the two biggest issues are sustainability and quality. We are very conscious of our impact to the environment and should make sure our materials are sustainably-sourced as much as possible.
There are many re-purposed materials that can be used in interior design. I think designers need to look at alternatives very carefully while ensuring they are giving the best to their clients, particularly when there are trade-offs to consider.
As for quality, our construction team are often asked to turnaround another contractor or designer’s project that has not been satisfactorily completed. I find it very reassuring to be part of a design and construction business where you can fully rely on the project team.
Which people do you admire the most in the industry and why?
As a practice we admire the French interior designer Jean Louis Deniot who delivers elegant, minimal and sophisticated interiors. We are also fans of the Japanese architect Kengo Kuma with whom we’ve had the pleasure of collaborating together on two overseas projects.
If you were inspired by James' story, click here to learn more about the role of an interior designer.
Want to become SBID Accredited? Click here to find out more.
SBID founder, Vanessa Brady OBE shared her thoughts on how lifestyle influences interior trends with Studio magazine in their latest edition of Design Influencers.
"At a recent SBID event, hosted at House of Harth in London, I was delighted to join Henrietta Thompson, founder of Harth, and Maryanne Cartwright, design manager at Graham & Brown to discuss what influences design trends...
It was suggested that social media is a main influencer and I agree that whilst Instagram has become the ‘directory of public WCs’, the biggest influence on trends is the way we live. As more jobs are for a three to five year term instead of for life, people are more willing to move around the world to accept improving career opportunities. This transient lifestyle means that more interim, short-term furniture is purchased rather than quality pieces for life. Think of the rise of IKEA and its range of affordable ready-to-assemble furniture."
Vanessa continues to discuss other important influencers such as multi-country trading, fashion, demographics, key social trends and of course, climate change as key factors influencing interior design.
Click here to read the full feature.
The featured article was written by Vanessa Brady for Studio Magazine.
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