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.