London’s Interior Design Consultancies

Floor coverings are critical to the work of many of London’s interior design consultancies. My floor covering philosophy is fairly straightforward, so I thought I would share it on this blog posting.

Marble: Interior design consultancies should consider this option for a high-end luxurious reception area in an extravagant London office, for example. Durable and easy to clean, marble gives a highly sophisticated feel that top London executives often crave.

Wood: Less expensive than marble, but still easy to clean and somewhat durable. A great choice for interior design consultancies that need to create a classic, timeless look.

Carpet Tile: Perfect for situations where affordability is essential and exceedingly high traffic is expected. An interior design consultancy may consider carpet tile for the foyer of an industrial park building outside London or in the suburbs. Tiles can be easily cut to shape to cover even unusual floor patterns. Interior design consultancies should advise the client that individual carpet tiles can be readily removed and replaced should they become soiled. Another benefit: interior design consultancies can specify the use of underfloor cabling with carpet tile, which can be a real practical boost.

Broken Paint: An interior design consultancy would be well-advised to choose this option for a low-end pizzeria restaurant with family appeal, perhaps somewhere off an A-road in South London.

Interior Design Consultancies Often Complain that....

Interior Design Consultancies often complain that container units in lacquered oak are hard to find in London. Stackable, flexible units are even more elusive. That’s why I was so delighted when I discovered Flat 256 by Piero Lissoni for use in a luxury residential project that was overseen by our interior design consultancy. The 1999 design is simple, straightforward, modern and totally vibrant. Many London interior design consultancies crave fresh, contemporary furniture options - and this one is right on target!

Each container unit is 90 cm wide. Interior design consultancies can choose any of the following attractive surface finishes, perfect to complement even the most non-standard decor:

- Dark-stained oak

- Gloss lacquered white

- Gloss lacquered red

- Gloss lacquered grey

- Gloss lacquered brown

- Matte lacquered white

- Matte lacquered black

In terms of storage options, the possibilities are excellent. Our interior design consultancy recommends the following three popular configurations, all of are practical for most London residences:

- Two doors

- Three drawers

- One big drawer and a tray for bottles

The container unit tops can have their own distinctive look. Interior design consultancies can choose from three attractive options:

- Dark-stained oak

- White painted glass

- White carrara marble

Each unit has a height (including feet) of 60 cm. But the best part: each unit is completely modular and stackable. The interior design consultancy can create mega-units up to three levels tall for a total height of almost 180 cm. The tops are manufactured separately and can be as wide as three units in order to accommodate wider modular storage designs, ideal for interior design consultancies creating schemes for London basement apartments, for example.

Interior Design Consultancy Works

I was surfing the web the other day in order to do some research on kitchen design philosophies for one of our interior design consultancy’s current projects in London. I was intrigued to find all sorts of recommendations for how to think about kitchen design. I thought I would recap some of the best suggestions here – but with my usual focus on London residences, and adding a few time-tested tips drawing on the experience of our interior design consultancy!

1. Just because it is possible doesn't mean that you should do it! Sometimes our interior design consultancy works with a client who is desperate to make major structural changes to a kitchen. Such a reconfiguration may be possible (and London’s master plumbers never lack creativity!) but rather expensive, without promising any compellingly spectacular improvements. In such cases the interior design consultancy should suggest less radical alternative options for a refreshed look.

2. Kitchen workflow is key. The interior design consultancy should ask the client multiple questions. Will the residence be filled with food connoisseurs or London fine dining enthusiasts? Does the main cook of the household crave a luxury baking station, a stowage zone for fine teas, or a temperature-controlled section for speciality beverages?

3. Think about usage scenarios. The interior design consultancy should consider whether the kitchen will double as an entertainment space for guests during parties. Few London residences are large enough to accommodate an entire gathering in a kitchen, but the interior design consultancy should find out whether the kitchen will need to function as a spillover zone during especially large reunions or celebrations.

Interior Design Consultancies or Independent Designers Compete to Create The Best Interiors

Interior design consultancies are more in the public eye than ever. Top design shows on the BBC and ITV attract major television audiences, and the public loves the reality-style competition format in which several interior design consultancies or independent designers compete to create the best interiors. But what these shows often fail to focus on is storage. To be honest, some London flats can be a bit cramped and, although clients crave spaces in which to luxuriate, they also often demand that our interior design consultancy provide creative space-optimising storage solutions to match their lifestyles. Increasingly, Londoners are turning to interior design consultancies to create valuable storage areas that enhance the net worth of their homes, while also showcasing their clothing and providing extra "retreat space" that they can be proud of. The best London interior design consultancies recognise this and will include functional accessories such as lift-down swing rods, extendable tie racks, bespoke jewellery receptacles and slideout undergarment zones.

Purview of Interior Design Consultancies Everyday Work

I don't blog very often about garden design, but I have mentioned elsewhere that I consider exteriors to be very much within the purview of interior design consultancies everyday work. Exterior lighting can be incredibly important in this regard. Some large London gardens really benefit from a wide range of understated effects that add interest and bring out the best look. I know of interior design consultancies that specialise in all sorts of exterior garden illumination techniques – from marbled moonlight effects to coloured uplighters that emphasise the gnarled bark of an ancient beech tree. Interior design consultancies use these exterior garden lighting schemes to reinterpret the layout of a landscape, creating depth and texture to highlight focal points, in order to bring joy to London dinner guests who appreciate the garden’s beauty and splendour.

Interior Design Consultancies Will Add Interest by Texturising The Paintwork

Sometimes my interior design consultancy proposes a scheme to a London client that features many tones of white. Some clients react in alarm, concerned that the result may feel frigid or uninspired. But top interior design consultancies recognise that different whites, creams, ivories and snow colours can help create fabulously intricate patterns. Many contemporary London interior design consultancies specialise in creating bright, tranquil and practical luxury – and the multi-tone white approach really allows the light to take over and dance throughout the space. London wintertimes are not exactly the brightest times of year, so designs that maximise natural light often come at a premium. Interior design consultancies will add interest by texturising the paintwork or using high-gloss coats to create extra shimmer and gleam.

Interior Design Consultancies Will Sometimes Incorporate a Replica Davenport as a Miniature

Recently I was honoured to be invited to contribute some material on the davenport desk, a remarkable piece of eighteenth-century British furniture, and one that is still appreciated by many of London’s top interior design consultancies today. The origins of the name are unknown, but it seems to be linked with a 1792 accounts book that includes “Captain Davenport” as a listing. The main alternative to the davenport was the ladies’ boudoir – it was fashionable in the day but is no longer practical for interior design consultancies in the 21st century. The davenport became especially popular among the fashionable young ladies of London in the 1800s. The upper part forms a desk that pulls forward to slide over the knees when extended; underneath are drawers to hold writing equipment and paper. Today, interior design consultancies will sometimes incorporate a replica davenport as a miniature laptop workstation in a scheme that demands an authentic sense of London’s interior design history. I too hope that our interior design consultancy will have the opportunity to use this fabulous piece of furniture in some of our future work!

How Interior Design Consultancies Handle Feature Lighting in Bathrooms

Lately I've had to think creatively about how interior design consultancies handle feature lighting in bathrooms. One of my London projects required that our interior design consultancy create a speciality lighting concept to transform a bathroom from a fresh, workaday zone in the morning to a tranquil and restful sanctuary by night. Fortunately our interior design consultancy has heaps of creativity when it comes to lighting! We decided to use narrow-beam halogen illuminators to focus in on a collection of pebbles that are artfully placed adjacent to the bathtub. To add pizzazz, our interior design consultancy also placed a directional lighting array over the basin, so that the clean white light will create extra glitziness as it glances across the water. There are all sorts of philosophies on how to do lighting designs, but in the end it's all about results - and our design ended up being right on target!

Top London Interior Design Boutiques Can Take The Simplest of Spaces

The other day I went for an energising fitness session in one of London’s prestigious Royal Parks. Even an interior design professional needs her downtime occasionally! As I was running under the trees I was astonished to notice afresh the dappled colours of the London sunshine, refracted through the leaves. It got me thinking about the role of lighting in interior design.

When the interior design is done right, light is really never noticed. The goal is to maximise the influence while minimising the impingement. Top London Interior Design boutiques can take the simplest of spaces and use lighting to provide depth, dimension, structure and texture. And honestly, what nature does so effortlessly in the London parks takes quite a lot of work in the interior design field! But only by deeply understanding light can the interior design professional really build a foundation for creative and imaginative dreams to come true for their clients.

Important Part of The Work of London’s Interior Design Community

Lighting is an incredibly important part of the work of London’s interior design community. Pre-set controls are absolutely a must-have for high-end interior design concepts today. These can be programmed in advance by the interior design team to create different atmospheres for different events.

I once was mentoring a London Interior Design student who seemed to have quite a flair for lighting. I showed her how to incorporate dimmer switches into an interior design concept in order to allow the client to build mood-shifts to transition from late afternoon to early evening. My London interior design student picked up on it immediately. She understood that lighting control is all about creating and transmuting atmosphere. As an interior design professional, I create spaces that can start out as a bright and fresh taskroom by day but reinvent themselves into a theatrical or mood-filled space of relaxation by night. Lighting truly is the key to my interior designs.

Every London Interior Design Consultant knows that

Several years ago I was asked to create an interior design concept for a “Santa Grotto” in a London shop. I knew that lighting was going to be key to create that festive interior design look which the client craved.

I started by focusing on the basics. Every London Interior Design Consultant knows that a clear tungsten bulb with an uncovered filament will result in defined, harsh shadows, while a clouded lens will make for a more relaxed, harmonious glow. For a friendly Christmas Grotto in London, the average interior design student might select the clouded bulb option. But I knew that the way to put the “London wow” in Santa’s hometown this year would be to create a magical interior design effect by taking a clear bulb but placing it in a lantern or chandelier. Do this a dozen times, and by dimming down the overall light level the interior design consultant can create a fabulous and mystical soft candle-like atmosphere, perfect for this speciality interior design concept.

By separating the lighting system out onto different circuits, my interior design team made sure that the client would be able to precisely control the Grotto and balance the composition for any London weather conditions. The results were delightful!

How Interior Design and Visual Arts Collide to Great Effect in London!

Just recently a prominent London visual artist asked me to collaborate with her on a new lighting installation for an exhibition. She was in need of a real expert from the London Interior Design community to help her develop exactly the artistic and expressive look she needed.

I explained to her that there are many different types of illumination system commonly used by interior design boutiques. Low-voltage bulbs are particularly popular. These are best when the interior design team needs a more subtle effect, as in feature lighting for example. Some task lights also use low-voltage illumination. Fluorescent tube lights, by contrast, are perfect when an interior design consultant needs a smooth, uniform light - fluorescents are perfect in uplighters or as a wave of light moving over an entire wall.

The London visual artist and I brainstormed a bit and eventually I was able to use my interior design expertise to collaboratively create a concept for her that perfectly met her needs. Thanks to lighting and interior design, her installation was a huge success. Yet another example of how interior design and visual arts collide to great effect in London!

Reflections of a London Interior Designer - Making an Entrance

Every interior designer knows that a well-lit entrance should feel like a welcoming hello, re-emphasising the architecture and highlighting adjacent borders or terraces. Even with London’s occasionally cramped semi-detached homes, entrance lighting is all about subtlety and focus. Even though I’m an interior designer, I consider it essential to make the exterior look just as fabulous by night as the interior! Back doors are another critical part of the interior designer’s work, since they allow for unfettered access as one moves from house to garden or (in London) perhaps to off-street parking. An interior designer can beautify your home within and without, using custom lighting to set the scene and build the perfect mood.

Reflections of a London Interior Designer - Designing with Emotion

My work as an interior designer is both emotional and practical. In London there are all sorts of different ways of doing design, but I try to focus on my “signature feel” that really emphasises fresh, harmonious and elegant. However, that definitely doesn’t mean boring! As a professional interior designer, I am never scared to jazz up a concept to create a customised target aesthetic. One recent example was a private project, a residence in London’s prestigious Chelsea. The client requested a stunning, modern, luxurious feel with a true “interior designer look” and plenty of flair. We filled the apartment with bespoke furniture and fresh colours, staying true to my “signature feel” as an interior designer, but also perfectly accommodating the client’s needs.

Reflections of a London Interior Designer - Staying Current

Recently, a trainee interior designer asked me how I think about the latest fashionable London design trends. I replied simply that I ignore them! As a professional interior designer, my concepts and foci are true reflections of my own personal day-to-day conversations, experiences and thoughts. I think of my work as an interior designer as an adventure. It starts when a new concept leaps into my head, sometimes out of nowhere but sometimes prompted by a new art exhibition at a London gallery or a conversation with a colleague. From there my journey as an interior designer gets magical – I keep imagining, enhancing, and fine-tuning the look and feel in my head until I reach something both workable and fabulous.

Reflections of a London Interior Designer - The Value of Experience

I am enchanted by diverse experiences. I love travel, adventure, history and art. And all of these have influenced my career as a London Interior Designer. I feel that fresh new experiences are what keeps me as an interior designer from getting jaded in the way I conceptualise my designs. For example, a recent trip to the London Zoo left me gazing in amazement at their beautiful Corfu Toothcarp specimens. This led to a deep blue marine-inspired concept that I collaborated on with other interior designers for a London client. It was a great way to kickstart that interior designer flair!

How does a London Interior Designer like yourself

And this is part two of my interview.

How does a London Interior Designer like yourself include artwork in your designs?

Often I will ask during the project briefing what type of artwork my client is collecting. If they have started their own collection then I always try to create interior design schemes that map onto their tastes. Alternatively, if we are creating an interior design with no pre-existing art, I need to know this as well. For example, in London it is really easy to find great photographs and also amazing paintings. Lighting can be a challenge regardless under London’s often-gloomy skies, but we need to tailor the lighting features of the interior design scheme to best showcase and present either paintings or photos.

Do you feel that junior interior designers can learn “good taste”?

Definitely. In fact, we see this very process with clients all the time. Sometimes we work with Londoners who have never hired an interior designer before and who will tell me frankly that they don’t know anything about design.

So what is the process for acquiring taste?

I think the best way is to roll up one's sleeves and jump right in. Try to create an interior design scheme, implement it somewhere in London, and then have a break and take a good hard look at the results. You might imagine a fabulous interior design concept, but then when you try to execute, it ends up being disappointing! Well, you need to learn from your mistakes and move on. Only practice makes perfect. Interior designers continue to develop and refine their design taste with every new project they do. It is a process.

Can junior interior designers learn “style”?

Style is largely a gift. I feel that one can fine-tune one’s style, but fundamentally it is either there or it is not.

How do you interpret the role of a London Interior Designer

A few days ago I received a phone call from a London interior design student who was doing a project on how interior designers approach design. I was pleased to be asked to represent the profession in this way. I thought the readers of this blog might be interested in my answers as well. It was a fairly long interview, so we're going to break it up into two separate blog postings. Part one:

How do you interpret the role of a London Interior Designer as an educator?

I love to teach, I like educating people ... in fact it is an important part of what interior designers do. I enjoy it immensely, whether I am teaching a student intern who is getting a first glimpse at London's interior design industry or a client who is employing an interior designer for the first time. It is always fun to watch the client evolve.

How do you interpret the role of the interior designer as a learner?

As an interior designer, I never stop learning. London is full of so many different styles, opinions and interpretations. Sometimes I need to inform myself to be able to explain the nuances of an interior design scheme to some of my more detail-orientated London clients. For example, I was recently working with a client in central London who wished to buy period furniture pieces. In this case, the client wanted to hear the entire interior design story - including the background. For example, Who was Chippendale? When did he create his furniture and for what type of interior design schemes? Who manufactured the originals? My clients also sometimes wish to hear about the current market, and occasionally that may require doing research on London furniture auctions. It is imperative to know the sales value of a piece, including why the client should make a given purchase and why it could be a valuable item to own in the future.

Interior Design Consultancies

One of the best ways for Interior Design Consultancies to stay in touch with new ideas is to attend exhibitions and trade shows. Just recently I was honoured to receive a VIP invitation to “The London Sleep Event 2009,” 3rd and 4th November at London ’s stunning Business Design Centre in fashionable Islington. This well-known annual exhibition and conference is always attended by representatives from many of London ’s top interior design consultancies. I took advantage of the opportunity to meet and/or reconnect both with exhibitors and with interior design consultancies whose work I admire. As the name would suggest, London ’s Sleep Event focuses on hotel furniture, bathrooms, fabrics and wallcoverings. The exhibitors included a number of well-known architecture firms, furniture designers, project management companies and interior design consultancies. Although Global Interior Design does not regularly serve the hospitality and resort sector, I always love to see the exciting cross-fertilisation of ideas when concepts from hotel design get absorbed by interior design consultancies and used in London residential settings.

Since conferences are very much on my mind right now, I thought I would offer a few tips for how to make the most of attending a conference, from the perspective of an interior design consultancy:

1. Be focused. Scan the exhibition floorplan in advance, and mark out exactly which exhibitors or interior design consultancies you most need to see.

2. Always follow up with new contacts. A great technique I use is to have my assistant write on the back of each business card I receive a brief 2-line summary of the conversation and any required follow-up or action items. That way when we return to London and to our interior design consultancy’s office with a stack of contact cards we know exactly what to do. If contacts are based in London , I will often suggest an in-person meeting over coffee.

3. Use your time wisely. Often there is the opportunity to split between exhibitor booths, awards ceremonies and conference seminars. If you are employed by an interior design consultancy that has several staff at the conference, try to have each person go somewhere different in order to get good coverage.

Role of Social Networking in the Interior Design Profession

Sometimes people ask me about the Role of Social Networking in the Interior Design Profession. I always respond that it works in different ways for different people. Most London interior designers tend to ignore social media altogether, but I think that it is a great way to both connect with potential clients and to improve the public's knowledge about interior design in general. For example, many Londoners misunderstand interior design and seem to think it is just about pretty colours and beautiful fabrics. Similarly, I often feel that the public is confused about the differences between interior design and interior decoration or renovation. Social media interactions can be a great way to clear up this confusion.

In my opinion, social networking is a fabulous opportunity to connect with people who otherwise would never get to interact with a real interior designer. In this blog posting I'd like to tell you about some of the social networking websites that I'm on. Feel free to connect with me via any of these - or just send me email via my company's website.

* LinkedIn - this site is very business-focused and de-emphasises the "social" while maxing out the "network" aspect of things. I have established valuable business relationships within the interior design community via this site, though I would note that its membership seems more US-based, at least in my limited experience.

* Facebook - I was invited to join this popular social networking community just a few months ago, and it has exceeded my expectations in many ways. Many interior designers, surveyors and property managers have accounts on Facebook and it is a very dynamic and interesting community. I love to connect with people who are looking for interior design ideas or tips - both in London and beyond.

* Twitter - the newest social networking phenomenon, this can be a great tool for interior designers to get the message out about what they do. I mainly use Twitter to explore the latest trends and ideas from well beyond just the London interior design community. In the future I have big plans for how to use this site more deliberately in my day-to-day work. Stay tuned!

London Interior Design Consultancy

Often, junior interior designers or interns will complain to me that they just can't seem to find the time to get everything done. I tell them that being a great interior designer 100% means being able to respond in a timely fashion to clients, working effectively to deadlines and not losing focus. All of this means the modern interior designer must have outstanding organisational skills. I wanted to share a few of the top tips and techniques that I use in my London Interior Design Consultancy, Global Interior Design, to make sure that I stay on top of my busy schedule.

1. Use a planner. This sounds really simple (and it is!) but so many people forget that just writing things down is the key to staying organised as an interior designer. There are all sorts of tools out there to do this - from paper-based diaries to electronic gadgets and calendaring software packages. I like to keep one electronic planner for my interior design business and another (paper) diary for non-work or lifestyle items.

2. Don't let the hectic pace of London life become a distraction. There is so much going on in the city that some junior interior designers or interior design interns often get side-tracked into all sorts of other projects or activities. I always gently remind them that being a superior interior designer in London requires true dedication to the profession!

3. Be attentive to clients. I always make it a priority to let my interior design clients know my mobile phone number, and I stay on top of technology in all its forms. In addition to writing this interior design blog, my team keeps our company website regularly updated and I work hard to be responsive through all media - including text messaging, email, phone, facebook, and now Twitter as well!. Sometimes my clients include busy London professionals, and I have gone for weeks during a project when the only way that my client communicates with me via SMS text messaging!

4. Don't take on more than you can handle. My interior design clients are always my number one priority, and although I am often offered work across the world, I am very selective about which projects I choose and when. I never allow my workload to get in the way of outstanding results for the client.

Interior Designers in London

Just the other day I was thinking about what makes a great blog posting. So few Interior Designers in London actually write blogs, and I have often wondered why that might be. So, for other interior designers who are thinking of taking up blogging, I thought I would explain why I love to blog and why you might enjoy it too.

My first recommendation is: don't be scared to start blogging! Not everyone can immediately become a thought leader in the interior design community - but everyone can contribute. Sometimes the hardest part is just getting started. I would recommend that you start by commenting on projects that you have recently encountered as an interior designer. If you are based in London , you could perhaps talk about the seasonal ups-and-downs of the industry, or review any number of the great interior design exhibitions that one can attend so easily in the capital.

Secondly, blog about subjects that you find exciting. Personally, I love to blog about new trends in interior design, and just in general about what it's like to be an interior designer at Global Interior Design, my London interior design consultancy. I also like to talk about specific projects and reveal how my team uses creativity and design flair to overcome myriad interior design challenges. Just looking back over my recent blogs, I see topics like how to hire interior design contractors, international influences in the London interior design community, applying for jobs in interior design, and specific commentaries on a London kitchen redesign and the deployment of "rat traps" in London lavatories. Quite wide-ranging, as you can see!

Finally, do make sure to respond to comments from your readers. I often receive enthusiastic and very complimentary feedback from people who gain interior design inspiration from my blog, and I always try to respond personally. Sometimes my readers even supply ideas for future interior design subjects that I should cover!

London Interior Design Community

Recently I was thinking about how the London Interior Design community continues to evolve over time. London is such a dynamic world-class city that there is always a steady influx of new interior designers from abroad, and of interior design students who graduate and complete their qualifications to enter the profession. Many interior designers who come to London will bring their own perspectives and cultural conversations to bear on their subsequent interior design careers. And even though an international interior designer may start out in London, often they will return to their home countries and continue those conversations in a different way in the future.

I am always intrigued to learn more about the practice of interior design in different cultural contexts. In recent years I have seen the growth in popularity of Asian-inspired interior design themes in many London residences and offices. Many of these interior designs feature highly tasteful and fresh styles that can be truly eye-opening. I have also increasingly observed Asian influences (especially Japanese and Chinese) in some of the furniture and wall hangings that are available today from some of the UK's top interior decorating emporiums.

What is equally exciting is the increasing use of technology in interior design today. Today's interior designers have access to a vast array of high-tech options, many of which feature Japan-sourced electronics or are engineered in continental Europe. It is a great feeling for me to be able to spruce up a room or even an entire residence with high-tech LED lighting solutions, underfloor heating, remote controls and comprehensive home automation. And that is not even to mention the increasing availability and affordable cost of home entertainment systems, from Blu-Ray players to high-definition TVs and integrated consoles. Can't wait to see what the next few years will mean for London's global interior design community!

As the Lead Interior Designer and Founder of Global Interior Design, I often receive

As the lead interior designer and founder of Global Interior Design, I often receive applications from designers or students who are seeking employment or internship opportunities. The autumn is always a busy season as graduating students start seeking interior design work, and I sometimes find myself deluged with applications from all over the world. Unfortunately many of these get eliminated from the selection process by my assistants or by our office manager because of their failure to follow a few simple guidelines. So with this blog post I hope to provide some advice for interior designers or students of interior design who may be seeking work. By sticking to these easy instructions, you can make sure that your application will get past the initial screening process and into my inbox.

1. Read this website! Whenever you apply to an interior design consultancy for work, you must read every word on their website to fully understand their focus areas, projects and design styles. If you miss out on this simple step, your application can seem generic and may well get eliminated immediately.

2. Do a spell-check! I instruct my office manager to immediately delete any applications that have egregious spelling errors or that seem confused about the name of our interior design consultancy.

3. Showcase your abilities. I always love to hear from applicants who have a natural flair for interior design. Include examples of your interior design portfolio and please be sure to discuss your coursework or experience in interior design.

4. Please don’t exaggerate the compliments. I appreciate it when job applicants compliment Global Interior Design on recent projects or mention how much they respect me as a thought leader in London’s interior design community. However, mentioning this repeatedly or overstating these facts can seem fawning or sycophantic.

That’s all! Good luck to all job applicants.
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