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What was it that attracted you to a career in commercial interior design?
I didn’t actually intend to have a career in design! I hadn’t really decided exactly what I wanted to do but while working as a Furniture Estimator at Penketh Group, I was given the opportunity to translate my knowledge into the CAD department. Turns out my degree in Creative Writing transferred well into creative workspace design.
What do you do to get started on a new design project?
Before starting any design project, I like to really get to grips with how a client is using their current space and then how they would like to be using their new space.
How do go about getting this insight and information?
Sometimes, during the initial conversations, clients get way more questions from me than they do answers. This is because I want to eventually present them with a design that I know has been fully thought out and delivers what they asked for as well as solutions for problems they didn’t even know they had.
I always ask a client that wants to see a big chance through their new space – how committed are you to this change? We need to be on the same page and working towards the same objectives.
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What has the biggest impact on your initial design process?
Light. Light makes such a massive difference. If you’ve got the right lighting, you’re off to a great start. Of course, it depends on the look and feel of what you want to achieve with the design but when a space has a lack of natural light, it can be a challenge. Light can be the difference between an average interior and a stunning workspace.
Anything else?
How the space is going to be used and any workplace issues it needs to address and resolve. For me, it’s no good if a space looks incredible but doesn’t serve a purpose; there’s no reason design can’t look great and perform at the same time.
Why would you say our clients pick us as their partner?
We’re the complete package – they want a workspace that has the wow factor and that can include everything from space layout, furniture and flooring right through to technology, AV and office supplies. Working for a company which caters for all of this means I can consider so many different elements within my design.
What trends are you enjoying incorporating into your design schemes at the moment?
Biophilic design is something that has been talked about and experimented with for a while now but as mental health and emotional wellbeing in the workplace become more and more of a concern, this is one trend I’m going to be keeping close. The importance of bringing natural elements into the spaces we spend time in cannot be overstated and there are so many ways we can incorporate this multifaceted trend through workspace design.
I also really enjoy mixing hard and soft textures as well as different heights, patterns, colours and sizes to make the space beautiful as well as functional.