Feray Takmak, Founder & Creative Director of Studio Feray, has given her insights into the industry.
Interior design was never simply a career choice for me it was a calling. Although I originally studied Geophysics Engineering, I realised very early on that my true passion lay in creating spaces that positively influence how people live. I was fascinated by the emotional connection between people and their surroundings, and I wanted to combine creativity with problem-solving.
What I enjoy most is the transformation journey. Watching a project evolve from an initial conversation and a blank floor plan into a beautifully crafted home is incredibly rewarding.
I also love sourcing unique pieces from around the world. Every project becomes an opportunity to discover exceptional artisans, materials, antiques, and contemporary craftsmanship that bring individuality to each interior.
The greatest satisfaction comes when clients walk into their completed home and say, "This feels exactly like us."
This past year has been particularly meaningful for Studio Feray. One of the highlights was seeing our work featured on the cover of Maison France Magazine, celebrating our approach to timeless luxury interiors.
Luxury residential projects will always be my favourite because they allow for deeply personal design.
I enjoy working with clients who value quality, craftsmanship, and longevity. Designing a home is about much more than selecting beautiful furniture; it's about understanding how a family lives, entertains, relaxes, and creates memories.
The most successful interiors tell a story, and I enjoy discovering that story through the design process.
Managing expectations while balancing creativity, budgets, timelines, and technical requirements can be challenging.
Design is only one part of the profession. Successful interior designers also need strong project management, communication, negotiation, and leadership skills. Coordinating architects, contractors, specialist suppliers, and craftsmen requires constant attention to detail.
The challenge is significant, but it is also what makes the profession so rewarding.
I wish I had understood earlier that trust should always be supported by clear processes and written agreements.
Over the years, I've learned that while the interior design industry is built on collaboration, not everyone involved in a project will share the same level of professionalism or integrity. Whether it's contractors, suppliers, or third parties, it's important to protect both your clients and your business by documenting everything, setting clear expectations, and never relying solely on verbal agreements.
Never stop learning.
Visit showrooms, travel whenever possible, study architecture, understand construction, and most importantly, develop your own design voice rather than following trends.
Technology and AI have become valuable tools, but they can never replace curiosity, experience, observation, or genuine creativity. The best designers remain students throughout their careers.
I believe the industry will continue moving towards highly personalised, sustainable, and thoughtfully curated interiors.
Artificial intelligence will continue to transform the design process by improving visualisation, concept development, and workflow efficiency. However, the human element understanding clients' lifestyles, emotions, and aspirations will always remain at the heart of exceptional interior design.
For me, SBID accreditation represents professionalism, credibility, and a commitment to maintaining the highest standards within our industry.
It also reassures clients that they are working with a qualified professional who values quality, integrity, and responsible design practice.
About Studio Feray
Based in the heart of London's prestigious Walton Street, home to the capital's most renowned design houses, luxury boutiques, and artisan showrooms, Studio Feray has over 20 years of experience creating exceptional high-end residential interiors. Inspired by the craftsmanship and design heritage of one of London's most influential design destinations, the studio delivers bespoke interiors that combine timeless elegance, refined materials, and meticulous attention to detail. From concept and procurement to project coordination and final styling, Studio Feray creates sophisticated, personalised homes that balance understated luxury, functionality, and enduring quality for clients in London and internationally.
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Bruna Spahiu, Founder & Design Director of Baucroft Design, has given her insights into the industry.
I am the founder of Baucroft, a London based interior architecture studio. My education in architecture, together with years of practice, has drawn my focus towards the interior world, the point at which a building becomes a lived experience. The studio bridges the technical and the aesthetic: we guide residential projects from planning and building regulations through interior design to construction under one roof, ensuring the design intent is protected from concept to completion. Baucroft's interiors are defined by quiet aesthetics, natural materials, considered proportions and restraint over trend. Our expertise lies predominantly in residential refurbishments and new interiors across London and the Home Counties, alongside international projects across Europe, with ambitions to extend our work to the Middle East and beyond.
My route into interiors was through architecture. However, what drew me from the beginning was the point where the technical and the sensory meet, where a detail on a drawing becomes something you touch every day. I was never satisfied designing a building and handing the inside over like an empty shell; the shell and the interior are one continuous idea, and separating them always felt like an unfinished sentence. Interior design, for me, is where a project becomes personal and intentional. It is the layer of a building that people actually live with, the light, the materials, the proportions of a room at eye level, and I wanted to be responsible for that layer, not just the structure holding it up.
Material selection, without question. There is a particular pleasure in composing a palette of oak against honed stone, linen and unlacquered brass, and knowing how those surfaces will age together over a decade, not just how they photograph on day one. Because Baucroft carries projects through to construction, I also genuinely enjoy the delivery stage. Watching a schedule of materials become a physical room, and being on site to make the small judgement calls that protect the design intent, is deeply satisfying. And I enjoy the client relationship itself: earning the trust that allows you to say less is enough, and then delivering a space that proves it.
Completing a house refurbishment in Buckinghamshire, has been the defining moment of our year. We held the project from the first planning drawings through to the final handover, reconfiguring the ground floor around natural light, and carrying one restrained palette, through every room so the house reads as a single, calm idea. What made it memorable was not the finished photography but the handover itself. The client paused in the open plan kitchen, ran a hand along the joinery, and said the house finally felt like theirs. That response is the entire point of the profession. And this quarter brought a second milestone: joining the SBID community through accreditation, an independent benchmark of the standard we hold ourselves to and the start of a new chapter for Baucroft.
Full residential refurbishments where we hold the project from planning through to completion. When the studio is responsible for the architecture, the interior and the delivery, nothing is lost in translation, the junction detail drawn in month one survives to handover, and the material palette is protected from a hundred small substitutions. I am especially drawn to projects with a quiet brief, clients who want restraint, longevity and a home that feels resolved rather than decorated. London's housing stock suits this beautifully. There is real satisfaction in taking a tired Edwardian or interwar house and giving it a calm, contemporary interior that still respects the building's bones. On the other hand we want to explore further into hospitality, having project briefs like luxurious hotels in Spain, is a very exciting step stone into the high- end world of interiors.
Protecting design intent through the realities of construction. A scheme can be impeccable on paper and still be undone by a substituted material, a compressed programme or a detail value-engineered away, which is partly why we carry our projects through to delivery ourselves. The regulatory landscape is another constant challenge: planning timelines, building regulations and, increasingly, sustainability requirements all have to be woven into the design process early rather than bolted on. And there is the quieter challenge of managing expectations in an image saturated market. Clients arrive with folders of references; part of the job is translating that inspiration into something coherent, buildable and genuinely theirs, which sometimes means gently editing out as much as we add.
That the profession is as much about communication as it is about design. Early on, I assumed the quality of the work would speak for itself; in practice, a project succeeds because of how clearly you explain decisions to clients, contractors, planners and suppliers at every stage. I also underestimated how much of running a studio sits outside design: fee proposals, programmes, cash flow, insurances, pre-qualification platforms. None of it is taught in enough depth, and all of it determines whether good design ever reaches the site. Lastly, I wish I had known how long the quiet, unglamorous years last, and that they are not a detour from the career, they are the foundation of it.
Learn how buildings are actually put together. Spend time on site, understand construction sequencing, read the manufacturer's literature, ask the joiner why a detail will not work. Taste can be developed and software can be learned, but the designers who earn lasting trust are the ones whose ideas survive contact with a building site. Technical fluency is also what gives you creative freedom; you can only bend the rules confidently once you understand them. And a smaller, related tip: develop a point of view and hold it. A clear, consistent design language, applied with discipline, will serve you far better than chasing every passing trend.
I expect the movement towards longevity to strengthen. Clients are increasingly asking how a space will feel in ten years, which favours natural materials, repairable finishes and restrained, well-made interiors over disposable styling or seasonal trends. Sustainability will continue shifting from a marketing line to a technical requirement, embedded in planning and building regulations, and designers who understand that framework will be at a real advantage. I also think the boundary between design and delivery will keep blurring: clients want fewer hand-offs and a single accountable team, which plays to integrated studios. And while AI and digital tools will streamline the production side of practice, I believe they will make the genuinely human elements of judgement, taste and trust more valuable, not less.
It means accountability. Accreditation is a public commitment to a standard of competence, professional conduct and continuing development, and I find that clarifying rather than constraining. For clients, it offers reassurance in an unregulated profession: an independent confirmation that the studio they are trusting with their home meets a recognised benchmark. For me personally, it connects Baucroft to a wider professional community, which matters when you lead a studio; the exchange of knowledge, standards and peer support is something a small practice cannot generate alone. Above all, it reflects how I want the profession itself to be seen, not as decoration, but as a discipline with real technical and ethical weight.
About Baucroft Design
Baucroft is a design studio specialising in refined, quietly luxurious interiors. Led by architectural thinking and delivered by an experienced in house team, the studio takes projects seamlessly from first concept to final styling. Every scheme is shaped around how its owners live, expressed through a restrained palette of natural materials: warm timber, honed stone, soft linen and considered light. From full-house transformations to bespoke hospitality interiors, retail spaces, Baucroft brings precision, craftsmanship and calm to every detail. The result is interiors that feel effortless, timeless and unmistakably personal, designed once and made to last.
This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a luxury family home design by 2025 SBID Awards Finalist, More Design.
Inspired by Georges Seurat’s Neo-Impressionist principles, this residential project reinterprets domestic life through a “spatial pointillism” concept tailored for a multigenerational Asian family. The design team transformed the original structure to include a ceremonial basement social hub, intelligent zoning, and a 60-meter circulation loop fostering intergenerational connection. Blending Art Deco influences with digital fabrication, the residence features biomorphic mosaics, acoustic innovations, and daylight-responsive interiors. Through adaptive reuse, prefabrication, and low-impact landscape integration, the project redefines luxury living with cultural nuance, technical precision, and environmental sensitivity—creating a sanctuary where sculptural aesthetics and family warmth harmoniously converge.
Category: Residential Apartment Over £1M
Design Practice: More Design
Project Title: Afternoon Prelude
Project Location: Hangzhou, China
Design Practice Location: Hangzhou, China
The client is an Asian high-net-worth family consisting of a couple, their overseas-educated daughter, and two preschool-aged sons. Their core residential demands centered on three key aspects: first, intergenerational living adaptability, requiring a space that balances the diverse needs of family members across ages—such as creating zones for the couple's social interactions, the daughter's independent living, and the young boys' activities, while ensuring both connection and privacy among generations; second, natural integration, with a strong emphasis on "sunlight penetration" and "symbiosis with nature" to infuse the residence with natural vitality; third, personalized expression, hoping to translate the family's unique traits (including the female homeowner's connection to "flowers" as reflected in her name) into spatial attributes, and to have a living environment that combines a sense of ritual with relaxed comfort, realizing a poetic cohabitation experience.
The design drew inspiration from multiple layers, forming a cohesive creative framework:
Artistic origin: It took Georges Seurat's Neo-Impressionist aesthetics as the conceptual starting point, innovatively adopting the "spatial pointillism" technique to reconstruct the narrative of residential life, transforming the fragmented visual language of pointillism into integrated spatial logic.
Cultural gene: It rooted in the "coexistence and mutual support" cultural essence of East Asian families, aiming to materialize the intergenerational harmony of Asian households into spatial forms.
Personalized cues: The "flower" character from the female homeowner's name served as a core personal symbol—through parametric design, floral forms were deconstructed into floor mosaics and ceiling textures, creating a biomorphic spatial narrative that echoed the family's identity.
Market demand response: It closely aligned with the living aspirations of Asian high-net-worth families for "sunlit vitality and symbiosis with nature", integrating functional needs with aesthetic pursuit.
The team faced three core challenges, and addressed them with targeted innovations:
Challenge 1: Reconstructing the building's vertical functional logic The original spatial layout failed to meet the family's demand for "separation of dynamic and static functions" and intergenerational adaptation. The solution was a vertical reconstruction of the architectural structure: transforming the original basement (traditionally a neglected space) into the core social layer, integrating the foyer, art gallery, and piano area to form a composite field; converting the original ground floor into a private living space, and establishing a dual-entry system to clearly divide communal and private zones vertically.
Challenge 2: Balancing intergenerational interaction and spatial privacy Ensuring seamless connection among family members while avoiding mutual disturbance was a key difficulty. The team designed a 60-meter circular circulation path to weave through intergenerational interaction zones, enabling organic interweaving of children's activity routes and adults' behavioral trajectories; meanwhile, they implanted two-way acoustic speaker devices (inter-level acoustic dialogues)—these devices not only maintained the privacy of each space but also served as a physical medium for emotional connection, resolving the contradiction between "interaction" and "privacy".
Challenge 3: Achieving precise implementation of complex artistic components The petal-shaped ceiling, copper decorative pieces, and other custom components with complex shapes posed great challenges to construction accuracy. The team adopted BIM digital modeling and factory prefabrication technology: through digital simulation and industrialized prefabrication, they ensured the precise landing of these artistic components, realizing the in-depth unity of functional needs and artistic expression without compromising either.
The project stood out with multi-dimensional highlights covering aesthetics, space, technology, culture, and sustainability:
Aesthetic innovation: It constructed a contemporary living landscape integrating Eastern and Western aesthetics—by combining Art Deco decorative vocabulary with digital construction technology, and using parametric "flower" elements and dynamic light and shadow (realized through large-area floor-to-ceiling windows and skylights) to create a spatial experience with temporal depth.
Spatial intelligence: The "full-age adaptation" spatial planning achieved maximum functional efficiency—vertically, the dual-entry system clarified the division of communal and private functions; horizontally, the circular path connected study, fitness, and entertainment areas. The vertical reconstruction of the basement and ground floor redefined the value of each spatial layer.
Emotional connection design: The circular circulation path and cross-floor acoustic dialogue devices jointly built an intergenerational interaction network, turning the residence into a carrier of familial warmth while ensuring individual privacy.
Cultural expression: It took East Asian familial "coexistence" values as the core, broke the spatial separation between generations, and exported Asian residential wisdom through spatial narrative, forming a design paradigm with cultural recognition in the global context.
Sustainable practice: Adhering to the concept of "adaptive reuse", it extended the building's life cycle through structural transformation; optimized basement lighting and functionality with vertical expansion; reduced waste and construction period through prefabricated technology, and integrated into the mountainous environment with low-intervention measures.
Value creation: It established technical barriers through custom processes such as petal ceiling mold opening and acoustic device research and development, enhancing market premium capacity; and promoted the upgrading of high-end residential design standards through sophisticated circulation systems and full-age adaptation solutions.
The SBID Awards are renowned for recognizing design works that integrate innovation, functionality, aesthetics, cultural connotation, and sustainability—attributes that the project fully embodies, making it a natural fit for the award's evaluation philosophy:
It realizes the perfect integration of artistic inspiration (Neo-Impressionist "spatial pointillism") and practical living needs, setting a benchmark for "aesthetically pleasing and functional" high-end residential design.
It innovatively solves the universal challenges of intergenerational living in contemporary families (such as balancing interaction and privacy, adapting to multi-age needs) through spatial planning and technical means, providing a replicable and promotional solution for residential design.
It seamlessly blends Eastern and Western aesthetics and inherits Asian residential culture, demonstrating how regional cultural values can be innovatively expressed in modern design, which aligns with the award's emphasis on cultural diversity and design originality.
It achieves a win-win situation of commercial value (market premium), social value (community coordination, residential paradigm), and ecological value (sustainable practice), reflecting the multi-dimensional influence of outstanding design—an aspect highly valued by the SBID Awards.
By entering the awards, the team hopes to share this exploration of "poetic cohabitation integrating culture, technology, and nature" with the global design community, and contribute to the development of contemporary Asian residential design.
Being a finalist for the SBID Awards is a profound recognition and valuable impetus for both the team and the business:
For the team: It is an affirmation of their professional capabilities in multiple fields—including artistic creativity (interpreting Neo-Impressionism in spatial design), technical innovation (BIM prefabrication, acoustic device development), and cultural insight (translating East Asian family values into space). It strengthens the team's confidence in adhering to the concept of "people-oriented innovation" and encourages them to continue exploring the boundaries of residential design.
For the business: It significantly enhances the brand's visibility and influence in the global design industry, especially in the field of high-end Asian residential design. The project's positioning as a finalist proves the business's ability to create works that balance cultural connotation, technical advancement, and market value—helping to attract more clients who pursue personalized, culturally rooted, and sustainable residential solutions. More importantly, it establishes the business as a pioneer in "integrating regional culture with modern residential design", laying a solid foundation for further promoting Asian residential wisdom in the global design discourse.
We hope you feel inspired by this week's design!
If you missed the last instalment of Project of the Week, featuring an immersive property development design, click here to read it.
Nini Andrade Silva, Founder & Creative Director at Atelier Nini Andrade Silva, has given her insights into the industry.
Nini Andrade Silva is a Portuguese interior designer and Founder & Creative Director of Atelier Nini Andrade Silva, an interior architecture and design studio working across luxury hospitality, private residences, cultural spaces, bespoke furniture and collectable design.
Born in Funchal, Madeira Island, Nini graduated in Design from IADE in Lisbon and developed her international perspective through academic and professional experiences in New York, London, Paris, South Africa and Denmark. Over the course of her career, she has collaborated with leading international hospitality groups and brands including Marriott, Hilton, Belmond, Accor, Highgate, IHG, Barceló and Meliá, creating interiors where operational excellence, cultural identity and emotional experience come together.
Her work has been featured in international publications including The New York Times, Financial Times, Architectural Digest, Wallpaper and Condé Nast Traveller. She has received institutional recognition from Portugal and Colombia, and continues to contribute to the global design conversation through conferences, exhibitions, judging panels and thought-leadership initiatives.
I wanted to work in interior design because I have always felt that space has the power to transform people. I grew up in Madeira, where the horizon was the Atlantic, an endless line that taught me, from a very early age, that there is always something beyond what is immediately visible. That relationship with landscape, memory and emotion became the foundation of my way of designing.
One of my strongest childhood memories is of the garotos do calhau, the boys who spent their days on the beach rocks and dived into the sea to catch coins thrown from cruise ships. There was courage, instinct and beauty in that gesture: the body, the rock and the ocean in direct dialogue. That image stayed with me and perhaps explains my attraction to organic forms, to spaces that feel shaped by nature, never perfect, but always true.
What I enjoy most is transforming an initial idea into a complete experience. In interior architecture, a project begins with listening: to the client, to the site, to the brand, to the culture and to the people who will inhabit the space. From that point, we build a concept that can guide every decision, from spatial planning and materials to bespoke furniture, lighting, FF&E and final styling.
I also love the tension between creativity and precision. A beautiful interior is never only about aesthetics; it must function, endure and respond to real needs. This is especially important in luxury hospitality design, where a hotel, resort, restaurant or spa must create emotion while also meeting operational standards, maintenance requirements, guest comfort and brand expectations.
One of the most meaningful highlights was joining the AHEAD Europe 2025 judging panel. Hospitality design has always been a central part of my work, so being invited to evaluate projects within such an important international platform was both an honour and a responsibility. It was a beautiful opportunity to reflect on the future of hotels, guest experience, interior architecture and the emotional dimension of hospitality.
Another very special moment was the creative direction of Made in Portugal naturally at Paris Design Week 2025. Representing Portuguese design, craftsmanship and industry on an international stage is something very close to my heart. Portugal has a profound creative identity, and I believe our materials, makers and designers have a voice that deserves to be seen globally.
I am especially drawn to hospitality projects because they are complete worlds. A hotel is not just a sequence of beautiful interiors; it is a living experience made of arrival, service, intimacy, comfort, discovery, memory and emotion. Designing for hospitality means thinking about the guest journey from the first impression to the smallest detail inside a room, suite, restaurant, lobby or spa.
I also enjoy projects with a strong identity — boutique hotels, resorts, heritage buildings, cultural spaces and private residences where the client wants something truly bespoke. These projects allow us to create narratives rooted in place, using materials, art, craftsmanship, custom furniture and sensory details to build spaces that feel unique rather than standardised.
One of the greatest challenges is protecting the essence of the concept from the first idea to the final installation. Interior design involves many layers: architecture, budgets, deadlines, suppliers, procurement, technical drawings, FF&E, contractors, regulations and client expectations. The designer must keep the emotional vision alive while making sure every practical decision supports the final result.
In hospitality interiors, the challenge is even more complex because beauty has to work very hard. A hotel space must be memorable but also durable, efficient, safe, comfortable and aligned with the operator’s standards. The most demanding part is balancing poetry and performance, creating interiors with soul that can also function perfectly every day.
I wish I had understood earlier that design is not a straight line. When we are young, we often believe that creativity is about having immediate answers. With time, I learned that the best ideas need listening, research, patience and sometimes silence. A project becomes stronger when we allow the place, the client and the material to speak before imposing a style.
I also learned that interior design is deeply collaborative. A successful project depends on designers, architects, engineers, artisans, suppliers, project managers, hotel operators and clients working together. The role of the designer is not only to imagine, but to guide complexity, to make sure that the concept, the technical process and the final atmosphere remain coherent.
Do not begin with style. Begin with meaning. Style can be seductive, but it is often temporary. Meaning is what gives a project depth. Before choosing colours, furniture or finishes, ask what the space should express, who it is for, where it belongs and what emotion it should leave behind.
I would also tell young designers to learn the technical side of the profession with the same passion they give to creativity. Understand materials, construction, FF&E, budgets, procurement, lighting, ergonomics and how people actually use space. The most powerful designers are those who can dream with freedom but deliver with rigour.
I believe the industry is moving towards a more human and experiential form of design. Clients are becoming more conscious of the emotional quality of spaces. In hospitality, in particular, luxury is no longer defined only by expensive materials or visual impact. It is increasingly defined by authenticity, comfort, wellbeing, cultural identity and the ability to create a memorable guest experience.
Technology and artificial intelligence will continue to influence how we research, visualise and manage projects, but they will not replace sensitivity. The future of interior design will belong to studios that can combine innovation with craftsmanship, sustainability with beauty, and efficiency with emotion. The challenge will be to use new tools without losing the human soul of design.
Being an SBID Accredited Interior Designer is important because it recognises interior design as a serious professional discipline, not only as an aesthetic practice. Behind every successful project there is technical knowledge, ethical responsibility, experience, coordination and a commitment to quality. Accreditation reinforces that design must be beautiful, but also competent, reliable and professionally delivered.
For me, SBID represents a connection to international standards and to a wider community of professionals who value excellence in interior design. As Founder and Creative Director of Atelier Nini Andrade Silva, it is meaningful to be part of a platform that defends the credibility of our profession and recognises the balance between creativity, rigour, experience and trust.
About Atelier Nini Andrade Silva
Atelier Nini Andrade Silva is an internationally recognised interior architecture and design practice delivering luxury hospitality, residential, commercial, and cultural projects worldwide. Led by acclaimed designer Nini Andrade Silva, the studio is renowned for creating distinctive spaces that blend contemporary design excellence with local identity, cultural authenticity, and operational functionality. With extensive experience collaborating with leading international hospitality brands and developers, the Atelier specialises in luxury hotels, resorts, branded residences, heritage transformations, and bespoke interiors. Its multidisciplinary approach combines creativity, technical expertise, and a strong sense of place to create memorable and commercially successful environments.
Helen Bygraves and Jenny Weiss, Founder Directors at Hill House Interiors, have given their insights into the industry.
Hill House Interiors was founded by Helen Bygraves and Jenny Weiss in 1997, growing from a boutique studio into one of Britain’s most established interior design practices. Today, the studio is known for couture residential interiors for private clients in the UK and internationally, with projects spanning London townhouses, country estates, private residences, villas, penthouses and yachts.
Helen and Jenny came to interiors through different but complementary creative paths. Helen’s background as a professionally trained dancer informed an instinctive understanding of proportion, movement, theatre and composition, while Jenny’s lifelong love of art, textiles and film, alongside a background in property development, evolved into a passion for creating layered, welcoming homes. Together, their shared belief that thoughtfully designed surroundings can meaningfully enhance the way people live has shaped Hill House Interiors’ client-led, refined and deeply personal approach to design.
For both of us, interiors began with a very instinctive understanding of how powerfully a space can influence the way people feel and function within it. A home is never simply a collection of rooms; it is the setting for daily life, and when it is carefully considered, it can bring comfort, ease and a strong sense of identity.
Our individual journeys into design were different, but equally grounded in creativity. Helen’s early career in dance nurtured an appreciation for rhythm, spatial awareness and storytelling, while Jenny’s route evolved through creative exploration and hands-on experience within refurbishment and design of personal properties. What ultimately drew us both to interior design was the opportunity to bring together creative thinking with a more intuitive understanding of people, shaping environments that feel authentic, considered and genuinely supportive of the way our clients live.
Building relationships with clients is undoubtedly one of the most rewarding parts of what we do. Interior design is inherently personal; clients are inviting you into their homes and, in many ways, their lives. We value the process of getting to know a client on a more intuitive level, taking time to understand not only their aesthetic preferences, but what truly makes them tick, how they live, entertain, unwind and spend time with those closest to them.
We also thrive on the creative challenge of ensuring every project feels completely unique. Hill House Interiors has never been about imposing a recognisable style. Each scheme is shaped by a combination of the client, the architecture, the setting and how the space needs to perform. The satisfaction lies in carefully orchestrating proportion, light, texture, materials and detail to create interiors that feel cohesive, characterful and quietly assured, however considered the process behind them may be.
This past year has been particularly meaningful for us. Being awarded the SBID Icon Award was an extraordinary honour, not least because it is recognition from our peers within the industry. That level of acknowledgement carries a particular significance, as it reflects both longevity and contribution to the profession over time.
Alongside this, receiving two major international accolades has further positioned Hill House Interiors on a global stage. These achievements have expanded our presence beyond the UK and reinforced the relevance of our work within a broader, international context, which is both humbling and incredibly rewarding.
Our favourite projects are those which allow us to shape the foundations of a home from the outset, considering spatial planning, flow, lighting and atmosphere before layering in the decorative elements. That holistic approach allows for a more cohesive and resolved end result.
We are particularly drawn to private residential projects that are deeply personal to the client, whether that is a London townhouse, a country estate, an overseas villa or a yacht. The most rewarding briefs are those centred around lifestyle rather than aesthetics alone, where the aim is to create a home that truly reflects how someone lives and what matters to them.
One of the greatest challenges lies in balancing creativity with the level of precision required to deliver a project successfully. A refined interior is never solely about the final aesthetic; it relies on structure, technical understanding, project management, coordination and an exceptional level of detail. Behind every composed and considered space is an extensive and highly organised process.
There is also a significant level of trust involved. Clients are allowing you into a very personal aspect of their lives, and that requires discretion, consistency and sensitivity. The designer’s role is to anticipate, resolve and guide, often quietly behind the scenes. Ultimately, one of the most rewarding moments is seeing a client’s reaction at the completion of a project, particularly when the result surpasses their expectations. That emotional response is what makes the entire process worthwhile.
If we were speaking to our younger selves, we would say to stay curious and trust your instincts. Research is invaluable, and a willingness to keep learning will always strengthen your work.
We also came into building a business without formal business training, and in hindsight, we would strongly recommend seeking guidance early on, whether through a business coach or industry body. There will inevitably be challenging periods, so resilience, careful planning and a clear long-term vision are essential.
The SBID, in particular, has been a constant source of support, providing guidance, structure and reassurance as we have grown. Having that level of professional backing has been invaluable throughout our journey.
Understand your market and remain confidently within your lane, as that clarity will shape not only your design direction but also the clients you attract. For us, focusing on the luxury residential sector has defined both our creative approach and the way we position the business. Alongside this, presenting your work well is essential, so investing in professional photography from the outset will ensure it is perceived in the right way. Equally important is building a strong foundation around you by joining professional bodies such as SBID and engaging with networking groups and industry organisations. These connections provide invaluable support, visibility and opportunity, reinforcing both your credibility and your longterm growth within the industry.
Clients today expect more from their homes than ever before. A home is no longer purely a place to live; it needs to function as a sanctuary, a wellness space, and often a working environment. That shift has changed the way spaces are designed, with a greater emphasis on adaptability, comfort and emotional wellbeing.
Having experienced multiple shifts within the industry over the years, we have learned the importance of remaining agile and open to change. The ability to adapt, respond to new ways of living and interpret evolving styles is key to staying relevant.
The rise of AI is also influencing expectations, with clients arriving with highly visualised ideas of their ‘ideal’ home. A crucial part of our role is to interpret those ideas, assess what is both practical and achievable, and translate them into a design that works in reality, both functionally and aesthetically.
SBID accreditation means a great deal to us. It represents credibility, professionalism and a recognised standard within the industry. It provides reassurance to clients, while also reinforcing the integrity of the work we deliver.
Beyond that, it offers a sense of support and community. Having that professional backing, guidance and recognition has been invaluable throughout our career, and it continues to play an important role in how we position ourselves and our projects within the industry.
About Hill House Interiors
Hill House Interiors is the fruit of a 25-year friendship between its founding partners, Jenny Weiss and Helen Bygraves. Their creative collaboration is built on a shared belief that beautiful surroundings can transform people’s lives. Their client-centred approach has garnered a multitude of awards while their business has grown over the years into one of Britain’s leading interior design practices, with a 30-strong team of designers and architects. Hill House Interiors operates out of a creative studio and lifestyle showroom in the UK, and a luxurious newly opened office near the DIFC in Dubai. With a global reach, Hill House Interiors works on high-end residential projects in locations as diverse as London, Dubai, New York, Lake Como, Antibes, the Bahamas, Ibiza and L.A. Projects can range from exclusive penthouse apartments to palatial homes, lakeside villa retreats or beautifully engineered yachts.
At T&A Property Development / Shi+Me Interiors, we specialise in delivering high-end, design-led residential projects across London where craftsmanship, detail, and materiality define the final outcome. One of our most recent luxury interiors presented a particularly refined challenge: the integration of authentic gold leaf finishes across key architectural and decorative surfaces.
Gold leaf is one of the most delicate and expressive materials in interior design. Its application requires precision, patience, and a deep understanding of both traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design expectations. Spanning approximately 12,500 square feet, this luxury London project presented an opportunity to combine traditional craftsmanship with exceptional attention to detail, with genuine gold leaf becoming one of its defining design features.
Unlike conventional finishes, gold leaf does not allow for error. Each sheet is ultra-thin and highly sensitive to environmental conditions such as humidity, temperature, and surface preparation. Even the slightest imperfection in the substrate can affect the final visual continuity.
Before application began, extensive preparation work was required to ensure all surfaces were perfectly smooth, sealed, and primed. Multiple test applications were carried out to achieve the correct adhesive balance and tonal consistency, ensuring the final finish aligned with the design intent.
One of the defining aspects of this project was the client's decision to use genuine gold leaf rather than composition (imitation) gold leaf. While imitation leaf offers a similar aesthetic at a lower cost, genuine gold leaf possesses a richness, depth of colour and permanence that simply cannot be replicated. Its ability to retain its brilliance over time made it the clear choice for a residence where authenticity and longevity were paramount.
However, selecting genuine gold leaf introduced an entirely different level of complexity. Every sheet is exceptionally delicate and demands meticulous handling throughout the application process. More importantly, achieving the client's vision required far more than simply choosing the material, it involved a collaborative design journey.
To ensure complete confidence before installation, our team produced a series of bespoke sample panels using different sheet sizes, layouts and application patterns. These mock-ups allowed the client to experience first-hand how the individual leaves aligned, how the seams interacted with light, and how varying installation techniques influenced the overall visual effect. Each sample was carefully reviewed and refined until the client identified the finish that perfectly reflected their design aspirations.
This level of prototyping proved invaluable. It minimised risk during installation, ensured absolute clarity before work commenced, and reinforced the bespoke nature of the project, where every detail was tailored specifically to the client's expectations.
One of the key challenges of working with gold leaf in a live London development environment was coordination between multiple trades within a restricted timeline. As the finish is highly sensitive, the application had to be carefully sequenced to avoid contamination from dust, movement, or adjacent works.
Lighting conditions also played a critical role. Gold leaf reacts dynamically to both natural and artificial light, meaning careful coordination with the lighting design team was essential to ensure the material delivered the intended warmth and depth without overwhelming the space.
Additionally, maintaining uniformity across larger surface areas required a consistent hand-applied approach, with specialist craftsmen brought in to ensure continuity of finish across all zones.
Despite the technical complexities, the result is a striking demonstration of how traditional materials can be reinterpreted within modern luxury interiors. The gold leaf surfaces introduce a sense of warmth, richness, and architectural depth that cannot be replicated by industrial finishes.
This project highlights the importance of collaboration between developers, designers, and skilled artisans. Every stage, from concept development to final application, was guided by a shared commitment to excellence and attention to detail.
At T&A Property Development / Shi+Me Interiors, we believe true luxury lies in the details that cannot be mass-produced. The use of gold leaf in this London residence reflects our commitment to delivering highly bespoke environments that balance artistic expression with technical precision.
Each sheet applied tells a story of craftsmanship, patience, and design ambition, resulting in a space that is not only visually exceptional but also deeply considered in its execution.
As London’s luxury property market continues to evolve, projects like this reaffirm the value of artisanal techniques within contemporary developments. Gold leaf, when executed with expertise and care, remains one of the most powerful tools for creating timeless, high-impact interiors.
About T&A Property Development
T&A Property Development is an award-winning design practice, proudly SBID-accredited since 2019. Led by Shiva Aghababaei, a chartered and award-winning Architect with over 25 years of experience, the company provides bespoke interior design services under its trading name, Shi+Me Interiors. Specialising in high-end residential and commercial architecture, the team combines creativity, functionality, and meticulous attention to detail to create distinctive and timeless spaces. From concept development and space planning to project delivery, T&A Property Development, trading as Shi+Me Interiors for its interior design services, is committed to delivering elegant, tailored, and highly functional design solutions.
Designing your own home is often described as the ultimate opportunity for creative freedom. In reality, it is something far more demanding. Every decision carries greater significance because you are not simply designing for a client—you are designing the environment your own family will experience every single day.
Blackbarn, our contemporary family home in North County Dublin, became much more than a self-build project. It became an opportunity to challenge, refine and ultimately reinforce every design principle that underpins Studio 31. It allowed me to explore the relationship between architecture, interiors and everyday living in a way that few projects ever can.
Throughout my career, I have always believed that exceptional interiors begin long before furniture, colour palettes or decorative finishes are considered. Blackbarn reaffirmed that philosophy. It demonstrated that the homes which endure are those where every decision is made with purpose, where architecture and interiors are developed together, and where beauty and functionality are never treated as separate ambitions.
One of the most common misconceptions about interior design is that it begins once the walls have been built. In reality, the most successful interiors are shaped during the earliest architectural conversations.
Before selecting a single material, we considered how we wanted to live.
Where would the morning light enter? How should someone experience the home as they moved through it? Which rooms would naturally become gathering spaces? How could the house remain adaptable as our children grew older?
Rather than designing individual rooms, we focused on designing the experience of living within the house.
From the moment you enter Blackbarn, your eye is drawn through the hallway towards the landscape beyond. That carefully considered sightline immediately establishes a connection between the architecture and its rural setting. It also creates a sense of calm, openness and anticipation before revealing the heart of the home.
Every transition, every doorway and every proportion was carefully considered to create a natural flow rather than simply connecting rooms.
Blackbarn takes inspiration from the simplicity of traditional agricultural buildings found throughout the Irish countryside. The architectural form is intentionally restrained, allowing proportion, materiality and craftsmanship to become the defining features.
People often associate minimal architecture with fewer decisions, but the opposite is true. When a design is stripped back, every detail becomes more important.
The relationship between the black metal cladding and the warmth of the timber. The depth of window reveals. The rhythm created by glazing. The alignment of architectural elements. These are the details that quietly define a project without demanding attention.
The same philosophy continued throughout the interiors.
Rather than relying on bold colours or passing trends, we chose a carefully curated palette of natural materials, textured fabrics, stone, timber and warm neutral tones. Contrasting black accents were repeated throughout the home. This was not simply as a decorative feature, but as a visual thread linking architecture and interior design into one cohesive language.
Our aim was never to create a fashionable house. It was to create a home that would feel as relevant in twenty years as it does today.
Beautiful homes only become truly successful when they support the people living within them.
As interior designers, we often talk about functionality, but functionality should never be confused with compromise. Some of the most beautiful spaces are also the most practical because they have been designed around real daily routines.
The open-plan kitchen, dining and living space quickly became the heart of Blackbarn. The Belvedere Quartzite island isn't simply a dramatic centrepiece. It's the place where our meals are prepared, family life unfolds, conversations happen, and friends gather. It is, in every sense, our family firepit.
The hidden playroom allows family life to unfold naturally while maintaining a calm and organised living space. A dedicated boot room provides generous storage for coats, shoes and everyday essentials. Circulation routes were planned to allow the house to function effortlessly, whether entertaining guests or managing the morning school routine.
Good design rarely announces itself. Instead, it quietly improves how people move, interact and live.
Selecting materials is about far more than aesthetics.
Every material contributes to how a space feels, how it performs and how it will age over time.
Throughout Blackbarn, we sought materials that would develop character rather than deteriorate. Natural timber introduces warmth against the architectural simplicity of the black exterior. Quartzite provides durability while becoming a sculptural focal point within the kitchen. Textured fabrics soften clean architectural lines, while carefully selected flooring creates continuity throughout the home.
Luxury is often associated with expensive materials, but genuine luxury is more often found in thoughtful restraint.
Choosing fewer materials and allowing each one to perform beautifully creates spaces that feel calmer, more sophisticated and ultimately more enduring.
Lighting is perhaps the most underestimated element within residential design.
It has the ability to transform colours, textures and atmosphere without changing a single piece of furniture.
At Blackbarn, natural daylight informed many of the architectural decisions, from window placement to room orientation. Decorative lighting was then layered throughout the house to create atmosphere, define spaces and highlight architectural features.
Rather than relying solely on downlights, each room incorporates ambient, task and decorative lighting. During the day, the interiors are shaped by changing natural light. In the evening, carefully selected feature fittings create warmth, intimacy and a completely different experience of the same spaces.
The best lighting schemes are rarely noticed. They simply make a room feel exactly as it should.
Every project leaves a lasting impression on a designer, but designing your own home changes your perspective entirely.
It deepened my appreciation for the emotional investment clients make in every decision. It reinforced the importance of balancing budgets without compromising long-term value. It reminded me that patience almost always leads to better outcomes than rushing decisions simply to meet deadlines.
Perhaps most importantly, it reinforced the belief that architecture and interior design should never be treated as separate disciplines. The most successful homes emerge when both are developed together, allowing every element—from spatial planning and lighting to furniture and finishes—to support one another.
Those lessons now influence every Studio 31 project.
Whether we are transforming a Victorian townhouse, designing a contemporary new-build or renovating a single room, the process always begins by understanding how people genuinely live. The aesthetics naturally follow.
Designing and building Blackbarn taught me more than any other project. Creating our own family home shaped me both personally and professionally, and continues to influence every Studio 31 project today.
It serves as a constant reminder that exceptional design is rarely defined by individual furniture pieces or luxurious finishes alone. Instead, it is the accumulation of hundreds of thoughtful decisions that shape how a home feels, functions and evolves over time.
For Studio 31, that philosophy continues to guide every project. We believe the most successful interiors are those that quietly enrich everyday life—spaces where architecture, materials, light and functionality work together seamlessly to create homes that are not only beautiful today, but will remain meaningful for many years to come.
Blackbarn reaffirmed everything I believed about great interior design. More importantly, it continues to shape how we design for every client who places their trust in Studio 31.
About Studio 31 Interior Design
Studio 31 Interior Design is a Dublin-based interior design studio specialising in bespoke residential and commercial interiors throughout Ireland. We create timeless, functional spaces tailored to each client's lifestyle, business and aspirations. Our comprehensive service includes interior architecture, space planning, lighting design, bespoke joinery, material specification, furniture sourcing and complete project management from concept through to completion. Every project is approached with creativity, meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to exceptional quality. Our work has been featured in leading Irish publications, reflecting our passion for creating beautifully considered interiors that stand the test of time.
In an industry often focused on what is new, Yotam Ottolenghi's recently refreshed kitchen offers a valuable reminder of the importance of designing for longevity. More than a decade after its original installation, the Roundhouse kitchen remained so successful that the refurbishment focused not on replacing it, but on carefully evolving it.
Few compliments carry more weight than a returning client. When someone has lived with a kitchen every day, raised a family around it, cooked thousands of meals, hosted friends and relied on the space for years, choosing to return to the same designer speaks volumes about the success of the original project.
That is exactly what happened when internationally renowned chef, restaurateur and food writer Yotam Ottolenghi returned to Roundhouse to refresh the kitchen in his North London Georgian townhouse.
The original kitchen was designed and installed in 2013 using Roundhouse's Urbo collection. Defined by its understated aesthetic, practical layout and carefully considered functionality, the space was designed around the realities of everyday life rather than passing trends.
As Ottolenghi explains: "Roundhouse designed my kitchen 13 years ago, and it still works brilliantly. The refresh was not about changing the fundamentals, I wanted to build on a design that had already stood the test of time."
For interior designers and professionals, the project demonstrates how thoughtful planning, durable materials and adaptable layouts can significantly extend the lifespan of a kitchen without compromising aesthetics or performance.
Rather than embarking on a complete redesign, the refurbishment focused on enhancing a space that was already working exceptionally well. The original layout continued to support the way Ottolenghi and his family lived, while the material palette remained as relevant and appealing as when it was first installed.
"Everything is at my fingertips. The kitchen works intuitively, which makes cooking a pleasure," says Ottolenghi.
That simple observation highlights one of the most important measures of successful design. Beyond appearance, great kitchens make everyday routines feel effortless and intuitive.
While the foundations remained unchanged, the refurbishment introduced carefully considered updates that brought new character to the room.
The most significant addition was a hand painted tiled splashback created by artist Cecilie Maurud Barstad of Gilles & Cecilie Studio. Inspired by family memories, favourite foods and shared experiences, the artwork introduced a deeply personal layer to the space.
"I wanted a kitchen that felt personal. The new splashback brought character and individuality that made the space my own," explains Ottolenghi.
For designers, the project serves as a reminder that personality does not always require dramatic intervention. Sometimes a single carefully chosen element can transform the atmosphere of a room while preserving everything that already works.
Alongside the new splashback, a series of practical improvements helped bring the kitchen up to date.
Storage around the oven wall was reconfigured, appliances were upgraded and the kitchen transitioned from gas to induction cooking. A new suite of Gaggenau appliances and a Quooker tap enhanced performance while maintaining the familiarity of a well-established space.
One of the most notable aspects of the refurbishment was the decision to retain the original white lacquered cabinetry. Years after installation, it remained in excellent condition and continued to provide a calm backdrop for daily life.
As Ottolenghi notes: "A simple, calm backdrop allows everything else to shine. That's true in our restaurants, and it's true in my kitchen. The tiles designed by my dear friend Cecilie Barstad bring some fun and character to the space."
The project also highlights the enduring appeal of restrained material palettes. White lacquered cabinetry, walnut interiors, and stainless-steel worktops create a timeless foundation that allows artwork, objects and ingredients to become part of the visual composition.
For interior designers, there is an important lesson in the way this kitchen has evolved.
Longevity is not simply about durability. It is about creating spaces with enough flexibility to adapt alongside the people who use them. The most successful interiors are rarely those that remain frozen in time. Instead, they mature, evolve, and accumulate character while continuing to support changing lifestyles.
By prioritising functionality, simplicity and quality from the outset, the original design created a framework that could be refined rather than replaced.
The project demonstrates that successful kitchen design is not measured by how quickly it is replaced, but by how well it continues to perform over time. By combining enduring design principles with carefully considered updates, Ottolenghi's kitchen continues to support the changing needs of its owner while retaining the qualities that made it successful from the outset.
In a profession often driven by the pursuit of the new, it is a refreshing reminder that thoughtful design, quality craftsmanship and a deep understanding of how people live can create spaces that remain relevant for decades.
Yotam Ottolenghi's kitchen demonstrates the value of designing spaces that can evolve over time.
If you are planning your own project, book a design consultation or visit a Roundhouse showroom to discover how thoughtful design, quality craftsmanship and carefully considered materials can shape the way you live for years to come.
About Roundhouse Design Ltd
Founded by architects, Roundhouse is a multi-award-winning British company, creating beautiful bespoke kitchens and furniture. Their stunning kitchen designs feature a signature understated aesthetic, influenced by contemporary and traditional design, using innovative materials, texture and colour. Each project is made to measure from a wide range of stunning finishes. Expertly crafted by skilled designers and makers in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Malvern, Worcestershire. Visit any of seven Roundhouse Design kitchen showrooms; Wigmore St, Clapham, Fulham, Richmond, Cambridge, Guildford & Cheltenham.
Frank Iaria, Kitchen and Interior Designer at Mint Kitchen Group, has given his insights into the industry.
My career in the industry began as an apprentice cabinet maker, which gave me a strong hands-on understanding of joinery, construction and detailing from the very beginning. After sustaining a back injury, I moved away from the physical side of cabinet making and into the design field. What started as a necessary career shift quickly became a genuine passion, and I found that I enjoyed the creativity, problem-solving and client interaction of design even more.
I went on to become a Certified Kitchen Designer and built my career around creating highly functional, detailed and beautifully resolved kitchen spaces. After working with major retailers and developing a strong reputation within the industry, I decided to go out on my own and open my own showroom. From there, it was a natural progression to expand into other areas of the home, as many of my clients were renovating multiple spaces at once. This led me to further study bathroom design, allowing me to provide a more complete design service across kitchens, bathrooms, laundries, wardrobes and whole-home joinery.
Entering industry awards became an important turning point in my career. In the first year alone, we achieved 10 awards, which gave me the confidence and motivation to continue pushing the design side of the business further. Year after year, we continued entering awards and collecting recognition, which helped strengthen our reputation and increase demand for our style of work.
As the business continued to grow, I formed a group with industry colleagues to create better buying power, greater exposure and stronger collective advertising. This became Mint Kitchen Group. Since then, we have continued to build on our success and are proud to have become one of the most awarded kitchen design groups in Victoria. Today, I operate two design studios with a team of six designers, and much of our work comes through referrals from existing and past clients.
I am very proud of the work we produce and the care we put into every project. For us, great design is not only about how a space looks, but how well it functions, how carefully it is detailed and how successfully it is executed. That commitment to detail, craftsmanship and the client experience continues to drive the way we work today.
I was drawn to interior design because it combines creativity with problem-solving in a very practical and meaningful way. My early background in cabinet making gave me a strong understanding of how things are constructed, but moving into design opened up a much broader opportunity to shape spaces from the very beginning. I enjoyed being able to think not only about how something was made, but how it would function, how it would feel, and how it would improve the way people live.
For me, the profession is about much more than selecting finishes or creating a stylish space. It is about listening carefully, understanding a client’s lifestyle, and then translating that into a design that is both beautiful and practical. That combination of creativity, functionality, detail and human connection is what first attracted me to the industry and continues to motivate me.
I really enjoy the process of taking a client’s brief and turning it into a resolved design that feels both beautiful and effortless. There is something very rewarding about working through the details — the layout, proportions, materials, storage, lighting, finishes and joinery — and seeing all those elements come together into one cohesive space.
I also enjoy the relationship-building side of the profession. Every client is different, and every project has its own story. Being trusted to help shape such personal spaces in someone’s home is a privilege. The best part is seeing the finished result and knowing that the design has genuinely improved the way the client uses and enjoys their home.
One of my most memorable career highlights from the past year has been the transformation of our South Melbourne Design Studio. We converted what was once a commercial office space into an apartment-style showcase, designed to feel like a real home rather than a traditional showroom. This allowed us to demonstrate the type of work we do across all areas of the home, from kitchens, bathrooms and laundries through to wardrobes, living spaces, custom furniture and detailed joinery solutions.
The studio was designed to help clients experience our work in a more personal and immersive way. Rather than viewing individual displays in isolation, they can walk through connected spaces and see how materials, finishes, storage, lighting and joinery details work together in a complete interior environment. It has become a valuable space for presenting design ideas, inspiring clients and showing the level of detail, craftsmanship and functionality that sits behind every project we deliver.
My favourite projects are those where we are able to create a complete design solution rather than looking at one room in isolation. Whole-home renovations, kitchens connected to living spaces, and projects with custom joinery throughout are particularly rewarding because they allow us to create consistency, flow and a strong design language across the home.
I also enjoy projects that require careful planning and detailed problem-solving. Kitchens, bathrooms and laundries can be some of the most technically demanding spaces in a home, but that is what makes them interesting. When a space works beautifully from both a design and functional perspective, the result feels seamless — and that is always the goal.
One of the most challenging aspects is balancing creativity with practicality. A successful design needs to look beautiful, but it also needs to be functional, buildable, durable and suited to the client’s budget and lifestyle. There are often many layers to consider, from design intent and client expectations through to manufacturing requirements, site conditions, lead times and installation details.
Communication is also critical. Interior design involves many people — clients, designers, suppliers, trades, manufacturers and installers — and every decision needs to be clearly documented and understood. The smallest detail can have a big impact, so maintaining clarity throughout the process is one of the ongoing challenges, but it is also what leads to the best outcomes.
I wish I had understood earlier just how much of interior design is about communication, documentation and decision-making. Many people see the creative side of the profession, but behind every successful project is a huge amount of planning, coordination and attention to detail. Good design is not just about the idea — it is about how clearly that idea is communicated and executed.
I have also learned that every project will evolve. Site conditions, budgets, client preferences and technical requirements can all shift along the way. Being flexible, calm and solutions-focused is essential. The ability to adapt while still protecting the overall design intent is one of the most valuable skills a designer can develop.
My advice would be to learn how things are actually made. Understanding construction, manufacturing, installation and detailing will make you a much stronger designer. A concept may look beautiful on paper, but it needs to work in the real world. The more you understand materials, hardware, joinery construction, clearances and site limitations, the better your designs will become.
I would also encourage aspiring designers to listen carefully. Clients may not always know how to explain exactly what they want, but they will usually give you clues through the way they talk about their lifestyle, frustrations and routines. A great designer knows how to interpret those details and turn them into a space that feels considered, personal and practical.
I think the industry will continue moving toward more personalised, lifestyle-driven design. Clients are becoming more considered about how their homes function, not just how they look. They want spaces that support the way they live, work, entertain and relax, with a greater focus on quality, longevity and intelligent storage solutions.
I also see technology, documentation and communication becoming even more important. Clients expect a clearer understanding of their design before it is built, while design and production teams need accurate information to reduce errors and improve efficiency. The future of interior design will still rely heavily on creativity, but it will also depend on strong systems, clear processes and better integration between design, documentation and delivery.
Being an SBID Accredited Interior Designer represents professional recognition and a commitment to maintaining high standards within the industry. It is an acknowledgment of experience, design capability and professionalism, but also of the responsibility designers have to deliver considered, ethical and well-resolved outcomes for their clients.
For me, SBID accreditation is also about being connected to a broader international design community. It reinforces the importance of continual learning, professionalism and striving for excellence in every project. It is a privilege to be recognised within an organisation that values design integrity, innovation and the ongoing development of the interior design profession.
About Mint Kitchens by Designwize
Mint Kitchen Group is a Melbourne-based kitchen and interiors company specialising in the design, manufacture and installation of bespoke joinery. We create custom kitchens, bathrooms, laundries, wardrobes and interior spaces that are tailored to each client’s lifestyle, home and design vision. With a strong focus on quality craftsmanship, practical functionality and personalised service, our team manages each project from concept through to completion. By combining thoughtful design with locally made joinery and attention to detail, Mint Kitchen Group delivers beautifully resolved spaces that are made to be lived in and built to last.
Set within the New Forest in Hampshire, this Georgian-style manor house was conceived as a complete interior architecture and design project for a substantial new-build residence of more than 15,000 sq ft.
Dream Design was appointed to develop the interiors in close collaboration with the architect, allowing the architecture and interior design to evolve in parallel from the early stages of the project. This ensured that spatial planning, room-to-room flow, material continuity, lighting, furniture and detailed specification were considered as one coherent whole.
The result is a composed and timeless private residence, where classical architectural language is balanced with modern design. Rather than treating the interiors as a decorative layer, Dream Design approached the project through the principles of interior architecture, with ceiling details, lighting positions, bespoke joinery, kitchen planning, bathroom specification, furniture placement and material transitions all developed in relation to the architecture of the house.
The kitchen is one of the defining spaces of the project, forming part of an open kitchen, dining and lounge environment where traditional architectural features are balanced with contemporary cabinetry, modern furnishings and integrated lighting. Decorative ceiling cornices, clean-lined kitchen detailing and carefully planned lighting allow the room to feel both impressive and highly liveable.
The L-shaped island anchors the space, supporting natural circulation while framing views towards the terrace and surrounding landscape. Arranged for cooking, dining and conversation, the island gives the kitchen a natural sense of focus within the home.
A bespoke ceiling design, formed of three raised sections with concealed LED lighting, brings definition to the kitchen, dining and lounge areas while preserving the openness of the room.
The scale and character of the property called for a high-calibre specification, bringing together leading brands including SieMatic, Flexform and Rimadesio, alongside specialist ateliers and one-of-a-kind furniture pieces. Several elements required detailed knowledge of materials, craftsmanship and sourcing, ensuring each piece contributed to the overall composition of the home.
A key example is the kitchen dining table, crafted from 50,000-year-old Kauri wood from New Zealand and expertly worked by the experienced artisans at Italian furniture maker Riva1920. The piece brings a distinctive material story into the main living space while remaining fully integrated with the broader design language.
Material selection was central to the success of the project. Traditional references were treated with restraint, while contemporary finishes introduced clarity and precision. This balance between classical form and modern detailing gives the home its quiet confidence: elegant, substantial and comfortable without feeling overly formal.
Beyond the living spaces, the bathrooms and private areas continue the same considered language. In the principal ensuite, marble-effect porcelain surfaces, a sculptural freestanding bath and a large vanity with his and hers countertop basins create a calm and enduring room. Traditional elements, including sliding sash windows and decorative ceiling cornices, are integrated with contemporary detailing, ensuring the space feels aligned with the Georgian-style architecture of the house.
Across the project, Dream Design’s role extended beyond individual rooms. The studio considered how each space would be experienced in sequence, from arrival and circulation to everyday use and moments of retreat, ensuring the home felt coherent at every scale. In this New Forest residence, classical architecture and contemporary interior design come together in a home shaped by clarity, restraint and quiet permanence.
About Dream Design
Dream Design is a luxury kitchen, bathroom and interior design centre in Dorset, creating one-of-a-kind private residences across Dorset, Hampshire, Poole, the UK and internationally. Supported by its award-winning interior architecture and interior design studio, Dream Design specialises in bespoke kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, living spaces and complete home design. The 5,000 sq ft Design Centre brings together leading brands and specialist ateliers across kitchen design, bathroomware, appliances, surfaces, lighting, furniture and interior architectural details, creating a distinctive design destination for private clients, architects and developers seeking a considered, highly tailored approach to residential design, specification and project delivery.
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