Learning through observing beauty

Learning through observing beauty

From a young age, I have been in the pursuit of beauty - specifically in relation to the design of houses and the lives lived within. From as far back as I remember, I was always wanting to look at the houses of my friends and observe the way their families lived in them.

My interest in interior design not only came from a visual perspective, but a social one too. I was fascinated by how a house could facilitate a certain lifestyle, and the role a home would play in how families lived and interacted with loved ones.

The importance of self-education

I didn't enter the interior design industry until my early thirties, and I think it is my life experience up until that point that makes me the designer I am today. While I have never been formally trained in interior design, I have always had a thirst for observation and knowledge that has meant I have self-educated myself, and still continue to do so to this day.

When I first came to England, I loved going to country houses owned by the National Trust, not only to see how they were decorated but also their architecture and how people lived in them. This led me to designers such as Nancy Lancaster, who have provided me with lifelong inspiration.

Learning the art of living

You can have infinite knowledge of interior design and access to the most beautiful furniture and fabrics, but unless you know how to put these things together to live well within the rooms you create, they are pointless. My job is to design a home that supports my clients to live the very best way they can.

Further reading

• Nancy Lancaster's home, Haseley Court