The design process

The Design Process

My design process has remained the same for many years, and can be broken down into three key stages.

Step 1

Furniture Planning Establishes the Bones of a Room

Every project begins with a scaled drawing of the home. This helps you to establish the physical parameters you are working within.

I would always recommend a site visit at the very beginning to observe things like the light in each room, and what views there are to make features of.

Based on these observations, you can then work on the furniture layout, which can have many iterations until you land on the right one that offers the best use of space in the room.

This is what I call the bones of a room, where you have established where all the large items of furniture will go and how they will work together with the architecture of the space.

It is essential to get the furniture layout right before even thinking about colour schemes, fabrics, or even choosing the specific items of furniture.

Things to Consider When Creating a Furniture Plan

• Think about where there is a nice outlook or view from a room and arrange your furniture so that this can be enjoyed.
• In a large room, you will want to include two or three different seating arrangements to allow for smaller groups to have conversation comfortably.
• It is essential to experience the room in real life and map out your proposed plan before finalising it, to make sure it will work as you intend it to.

Step 2

Colour Schemes

With your furniture plan finalised, you can move on to choosing the colours and fabrics.

I always like to anchor a space with plain, neutral colours and fabrics, punctuating with a pattern that is balanced throughout the room.

Cushions are a great way to add a pop of drama, and can also be tools to help balance the pattern and colour within a living room.

Things to Consider When Creating a Colour Scheme

• Balance is incredibly important when using colour and pattern. If I use a pattern in one part of the room, I like to echo it elsewhere to achieve balance.
• A colour scheme should be harmonious, with every element singing together.

Step 3

Sourcing

There are now a huge number of fabric suppliers and furniture designers to choose from, which can be overwhelming.

I personally find it beneficial to stick to the tried-and-tested collection of fabrics that I have used before and loved, and have continued to stand the test of time. This repertoire is added to occasionally if I find a really amazing new fabric, but I don't let myself get distracted by the plethora of choice.

Many of my clients are striving for originality, so I will get fabrics recoloured or tweaked to be a custom design that no one else will have.

Good Design Is Supported by Nature

I always find that a room doesn't feel complete unless it has an element of nature within it. I love to include potted geraniums, pelargoniums or small trees within my schemes and endeavour to have vases of fresh flowers consistently in my own home.