Working from Tangier

Working from Tangier

The way we work as interior designers has evolved massively across the course of my career.

Back in the 1980s and 1990s, when I was first starting out, there was no social media or much access to the internet - you relied entirely on word of mouth, and magazine publications if you were lucky, to build your business. Now, the mainstay of publicising your work and becoming known is through Instagram and other social media.

It used to be that you sourced and bought everything for your designs in person, visiting endless antique dealers and furniture shops - whereas now, that physical world has diminished hugely and all moved online.

As with many things in life, there are pros and cons to these changes, but a huge benefit is the ability to work remotely from anywhere and still be able to keep up communication with your team and your clients.

One aspect of this industry that I love is that it's not ageist; your work gets better, and you become more respected with age and experience.

The Importance of Transparency with Clients

My key piece of advice to any interior designers working today is that being authentic, upfront and scrupulously honest with your clients is the only way forward. You must be brave and forthright about what you want to achieve from the outset so that your client knows what to expect.

You may be working for your clients for years on a project, so building a good relationship with them is key. The process should be as happy and enjoyable as possible.