PR: How did you get into property and what is your current role within the industry?
RL: I had a passion for interior design from a young age, specifically Italian design and furnishings. I had previously worked for McLaren Automotive, which required a meticulous eye for detail. Once I had finished my university degree in Business, I began renovating houses and selling them on. Friends and family saw my work and asked me to do the same for their homes, so I began building a clientele very quickly. Once I had built up enough revenue to support me in my passion for interiors, I founded Design’d Living, where I head up the company as Managing Director, surrounded by a team that all pull together to deliver our projects.
PR: Considering the events of the past 18 months, how has the advice you give your clients on styling their property changed, if at all?
RL: The pandemic has changed the style of people’s homes quite a lot. Spare bedrooms have been turned into studies, and homes with less space have required a fair amount of creativity to segregate or build areas for a home office. The pandemic has also been tough on people’s mental health, so we’ve looked a lot at the space, both indoor and outdoor lighting and bespoke storage solutions to produce something entirely different for each client that allows them as much space and flow as possible.
We consider all elements, and it needs to be right when you’re spending so long at a desk, so if there’s an option to reconsider the lighting requirements in a residential space or to produce bespoke storage so your spare room can still have a pull-down bed, we always suggest it.
PR: How does Design'd Living differ from its competitors?
RL: We fuse twenty-first-century essentials with timeless original style to create a luxuriously comfortable space. The team bring with them a wealth of experience not only in bespoke interior design but also concept design and building renovation.
We also know how to work with different trades and understand the difference a great tradesperson can make. We have an implicit understanding of the build process through our own experience of renovation and the timeline of events that need to be scheduled. These also differ with each and every client and their requirements, so there isn’t a one size fits all approach.
We invest heavily in our concept packs, they are very detailed and guide our clients through the decision process of investing in well-made furniture and/or renovations that will add value and stand the test of time. We respect their budget and always work closely with them to deliver their vision in a cost-effective way.
Consumers want a wonderful design, but they also want to feel they are getting value for money. We offer an open book policy that lets our clients see our trade relations and pricing. We also offer impeccable communication methods and do regular walk rounds and calls to check in on the build process. Our clients tend to become friends and we see a lot of repeat custom because of this.
PR: What are the main challenges facing your sector of the property industry over the next 12 months?
RL: Without a doubt, it’s the lead time for materials. We’ve become used to this now, but the price increase, length of time it takes to get materials and also booking great tradespeople in is something that requires exceptional organisation skills, along with being able to articulate these changes in time and cost to the client. Our clients have been very understanding of the situation and the many challenges Brexit has presented. Once again the key to managing this process is keeping the client informed at all times.
PR: What trends can we expect to see in interior design in the near future?
RL: Although I’m not massively focused on trends, I appreciate some of my clients are. I see colour becoming more relevant, I think we’re starting to see a transition away from greys and beiges and a move into deep greens, blues and even bright oranges. I also think we’ll start to see a move to how to dress a home more, such as placing sculptures, artwork, and greenery together. Texture is another element I think we’ll see more of in furnishings, flooring and mixing them together, such as matt with gloss finishes, along with placing a much bigger concern on patterns of biophilic design.
We’ve also signed up to be part of the Interior Design Declares, which is a public declaration of our planet’s environmental crises and a commitment to take positive action in response to climate breakdown and biodiversity collapse. Moving forward, we will be much more conscious of our designs and how they affect the environment.
PR: What advice would you give to someone starting out in interior design?
RL: I would say it's not as glam as it might look, but it’s a great industry to be in. Be prepared for long hours and be prepared to work with clients out of hours to accommodate their timetables and different time zones. To do this job, you have to be organised, efficient, creative and be able to budget in a realistic way.
Interior design is competitive, but there’s space for everyone and it’s a great option if you’re like me and super passionate about design from every angle, from the interior to the concepts to the finished project. Always treat everyone with respect, particularly your supply chain with respect and recognise they are part of your extended team, without them, one’s designs cannot be delivered.
