January 2024
Firstly I'd like to wish you all a very Happy 2024! I wish you all the best for the coming year! My Christmas was a beautiful family affair, myself, my husband and my 3 year old son Lucas spent time with many friends and family and I felt it was a joy to be homebound this year as we were away last year. The new year gets me thinking about plans and directions to take both personally and professionally. Taking time to start and maintain a monthly blog was definitely on my list of things to do, mainly to connect to people in a way that a website alone cannot really do. Each month I will allow the reader to learn more about me and my experiences; the lessons I have learnt and would like to pass on to you as an Interior Designer. I will also write about any design topic that I find interesting and any exciting things that may be going on in the design world that I would love to share with you all. I like to encourage an open forum for people to feel they can contact me for design advice or guidance whether you may be a student a design professional or just a lover of design - I'm here to help!
Out and about - I want to make my way to the Chelsea Design Centre to peruse the many beautiful design showrooms and see what sparks my interest. I would advise taking a trip to the wonderous design domes just because for anyone interested in design it is so much fun. I like to get the tube to Fulham Broadway as it's a shorter walk but if you get off at the King's road station it gives you a chance to walk up this street to see the many design showrooms along the way to the centre. I will be putting in my diary the yearly design shows I would like to attend. I always visit Decorex each year in October (now at Olympia) which is a high end design show where you really do get a lovely selection of amazingly made products. People are now very aware of the environment so many companies can now tell you exactly where each product is sourced, how it is made and all the tradespeople I spoke to are very environmentally and ethically conscious which makes me feel very confidence specifying their products. So this is definitely one for the diary! At the last show there was a section for creators who were painstakingly working on their crafts, headboard makers with bespoke botanical embroidery, artwork and leatherwork, furniture makers and textile and wallpaper printers; this was the highlight of the show for me and at the end of this blog I will show pictures of this section of the show. Another smaller design show that I have enjoyed is The Surface Design Show which is on in February in London. It showcases.... well exactly what it says on the tin many different types of surfaces, this is brilliant for learning about new products and making new contacts. Then in May is Clerkenwell Design Week, which is the time when all the new interior design makes an appearance, it's on from Tuesday 21st of May to Thursday 23rd. To let you know a little bit about it please see the piece below taken from boothsquare.com. I will definitely be making an appearance to this.
'Clerkenwell, London, is the ideal location to host the UK's leading independent design festival, Clerkenwell Design Week. With over 150 events, a series of pop up exhibitions, installations, talks, performances, music and workshops, the festival is a perfect opportunity for exhibitors to showcase their cutting edge design to an international audience.'
Decorex - 2023
As promised here are the images from the hand crafted section of the show. As I mentioned this was my favourite part because the crafts people were working on their projects showcasing what they could do. I was thoroughly impressed!
On a personal note I have really being enjoying the relationships I build with clients. I have always enjoyed these relationships because you really get to know the people you are working with. They have been kind enough to invite you into their home, their private space and this is a really honour and one that I fully respect. I feel I am able to tune in to my clients needs and wants for their home. I like to be a designer that really likes to make my client's feel supported at all times because they are calling on you because you are able to visualise what they cannot do for themselves. It takes time to connect and get to know and client and for them to get to know you. Advice on this topic would be - take you time to let the relationships grow and build. There will always be a flutter of nerves on the first few visits like you would have meeting any new person. Always be respectful when entering into someone's home and always, always let them tell you what they are wanting to keep and what they want to change. you don't want to 'jump the gun' and accidentally offend someone by saying - 'so you will want to get rid of x,y and z!' Always stop and think and let the client lead you and tell you what they would like to do. If as a designer you really feel that particular article of furniture or other objects will not work with the vision they want to create with your help; you can kindly say 'how would they feel if we were to remove this item for the scheme because as lovely as this item is it I feel and I have to give you my professional opinion that it won't work with the vision we are trying to achieve. Could we use this item in another room?'
You can ask delicately because as I have mentioned you have to be very sensitive because this is their home, be gentle.
So my first (ever!) blog is now coming to a close, I hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have writing it and as I have mentioned if anyone reading this wants to reach out to me I would be glad to hear from you.
Happy designing, Emma x
February 2024
Welcome to February's addition! This month I will be writing about my personal job experiences and what wisdom I have learnt and also The Surface Design show. I have been working on 2 different projects, both of them for a lounge and both are ongoing. The first one I worked on various aspects of interior design for my client; this included window dressing, wallcovering, wall and ceiling lighting, carpets and other accessories. One thing we must understand about working with our lovely client's is that they are coming to you because they are unsure as to what they want and 9 out of 10 times they have trouble visualising. It is our job as interior designers to hold their hand and guide them through the experience. Do everything we can to make them trust us and let us guide them along the design path instilling confidence in them. Show them visuals in the setting to help them visualise their space with the new interior design in it. One thing I have also learnt is that you must explain to them that their space might be turned upside down whilst the work is being carried out. As people who might have never experienced this it is best to explain to them what will happen during the work to prepare them. They might not be able to use their current lounge space for however long you anticipate the work being carried out. Clients tend to appreciate this level of verbal preparation so they know what's coming. Another big lesson I have learnt is that however much you try your best to organise and prepare sometimes things do go wrong but it's about your customer service skills and problem-solving skills when things do happen, clients greatly appreciate a caring proactive attitude because they are already stressed so trying to alleviate their stress is your number one job. Cooly and calmly deal with the issue even if you feel like a duck kicking their legs under water!
My second lounge interior design job is still ongoing. Currently the specified wallpaper and paint is being applied and I wait nervously hoping that the client will be 'over the moon' with the results. Even after showing large wallpaper and paint samples and I know in my heart they are going to love it, I still get nervous!! It's because I care greatly about my client and I want them to love their home!
The Surface Design Show - 2024
The Surface Design Show is great because it gives you a range of different surface options. This year I found a fab company that take a veneer of slate and them submerge it in a substance that creates a protective layer around the slate, so it doesn't chip when say a glad is dropped accidentally on to the floor. I thought this was marvellous and I would definitely use this in one of my projects!
March 2024
I hope you are all well and looking forward to Spring blooming all around you! In this months addition I will be writing to you all about my hand drawn visuals that I have always enjoyed creating for my clients. Years ago when I first started my design career in the residential sector I used to only create hand drawn visuals for me clients. This was before Sketch-Up and other software was invented and a time where an Interior Designer purely created the design schemes instead of having to be as we see now a 'jack of all trades' including drawing architectural plans and lot of other things. Hand drawn visuals are your chance to give your client's a very personal artistic touch to their design and in my experience this is received very well. This is your chance to put your own unique and personal stamp on your design project by letting your artistic side shine. There is so much admin with interior design you need to take the creative times when you can! This is something that people need to be aware of when they embark on their design career, it helps if you are organised and enjoy administration work because a lot of interior design (depending on what area you go into and what your job role is) includes so much of this, so my message to you is Enjoy all the creative parts of your job!
Below is an example of 2 of my hand drawn visuals. I like to sketch my images in lead pencil then paint in watercolours and once dry go over highlights in felt tip and black fine liner normally a 0.5mm tip. Everybody will have their own drawing style, maybe you need to take some time to investigate what your style might be if you are unsure. Try sketching some interiors and see what mediums you like to use, maybe start with pencil and try the different lead weights ranging from light to darker shades. It might take some time for you to hone your design skills so set time aside to experiment. If this really isn't suiting you maybe you are someone who prefers to use software instead of sketching; this is fine too after all it's personal to you. The whole point of this exercise is to get the creative juices flowing and to see how you enjoy conveying your design ideas to your clients. Remember this is about putting your own unique style on your design. Enjoy!
April 2024
Welcome to April's addition! Today I am focusing this month's entry for young people thinking about becoming an interior designer and any adults that are considering entering the world of interior design specifically. I wanted to suggest some things to consider before embarking on a career from my personal experience. I started my career at Writtle College embarking on an Interior Design Degree which I enjoyed thoroughly. Looking back as an 18 year old with little life experience I wish I had done things a little differently. At the time I felt so young and out of my depth trying to understand which direction I wanted to go in to, it's lucky (with the help of my parents!) that I managed to chose some sort of path and focus on this solely. So if I could speak to my younger self knowing what I do now I would discuss all the different sectors that are involved in interior design, asking questions like - do you enjoy looking a the colours and fabrics of a space or is it more the architectural structure? Always work with things that you enjoy and with such little knowledge you will have as an 18 you need to really speak to an experienced teacher of design to really help you figure out which avenue to go down. If you do enjoy the architectural aspects of building then you may prefer to go down the architectural route. It may sound simple but if you have no knowledge of anything to do with design you will not know which way to turn. There are many different types of architecture and design and here are a few to consider, residential, retail, cruise ships, hospitality and there is the architectural route which focuses on the structure. My experience has been in residential and hospitality. For residential interior design it really depends of how big the company is and what sorts of projects they have running which will depend on the role you have. Usually with a smaller company you will be involved with much more of the whole project and work more closely with the client than at a larger company. My experience initially was with a small company, well it doesn't get much smaller as I was the only interior designer! My process for each job included meeting with the client, finding out exactly what they needed such as curtains, colours for the walls, any furniture, carpet for example. I would then find the items that I felt would work best for them and their home and present these. In this role you work very closely with the client and it becomes quite an intimate relationship built on trust. Once they have agreed on the items you have presented you will then arranged to get say the curtains made and hung. You work through the full project. In this role you get to know the client very well as I have mentioned so confidentiality is crucial, you have to be very sympathetic and empathetic to understand the struggles they face when designing their home. You must remember that your clients struggles to visualise so you need to work hard to help them visualise through drawings and samples so they understand what their home will look like. I'm not going to lie it's an intimate and sometimes intense role but if you are a real 'people' person, are very organised and love working on properties then this role could be for you. Another type of interior design that I have had experience working in is hospitality. I focused of large scale hotels. (At this specific company they also worked on bar design but I was on the hotel team - so hospitality includes bars and restaurants - anything that includes hospitality!) My role included drawing up new designs of hundreds of bedrooms for the hotels so learning and understanding AutoCAD is a must. I learnt this when I worked for an Architectural company which I would highly recommend. So many hotel bedrooms were drawn up, different ideas board where created for my boss to present. In these sorts of roles because the company is medium sizes (about 50 people) you get to work on many different parts of the job such a concept work (producing different ideas for the space) it's extremely fast pace and you normally have quite a few bosses above you so you get very little say in the design of the projects or what part of the project you will work on and if you are particularly good like I was at drawing up the bedrooms it's likely to get 'pigeon holed' in this role. Another issues with having many bosses is the crazy amount of changes that can be agreed on and then needed to be implemented a the speed of light. This then means lots of late night working and endless deadlines and this is just the reality of working in hospitality- but you may thrive on this! In a larger company change is slow and sometimes promotion is also slow so you may have to move companies to allow yourself to gain a more promoted role. So the good points of working at a medium size hospitality company is on a social aspect there is a lot going on and the office is usually a lot of fun to work in, the work can be very interesting and if you like fast pace then this role of for you- there will never be a slow day! Another area I have worked in is the architectural field. I was looking for a job and realised as an interior designer I now need to be able to understand plans and also draw plans using different software. I rang up for work experience to get my 'foot in the door' and as we spoke it then dawned on me that I was being offered a job!! I was over the moon. I learnt so much in this role, how to draw plans on AutoCAD. I worked with other architects on various parts of large scale residential developments. It was all structural so there was no colour, no fabrics, no furniture, it was all Lifetime Homes Manuals and brick sizes. This is what it is like to work in an architects office, again it was very fast pace and I learnt so much. If structure and learning AutoCAD appeals to you then this might be something to consider. I had friends that worked in retail design and they said that compare to hospitality design it was so much faster pace! So again if you like a very hectic fast pace and 'flying by the seat of your pants' then this might be for you!
One of the very first pieces of advice I would give you is so read up about the different design sectors online - you can look up on the British Institute Of Interior Designers website https://biid.org.uk/ to look at the different reputable companies and contact them to get a week or two's work experience to show you the reality of what it is like to work in say an Architect's office or in the retail sector. If you are thinking about going to university to study interior design again if you research the different design sectors you will be better equipped to know which course you want to take. Look at many different universities as they will all offer different things, ask lots of different questions about how this sets you up for working life and what sector it focuses on so you can get a good idea of where you are heading. If I could do my time again I would have gone to a university with something called a 'sandwich year' where you have a year working in the industry before you then go back to university to complete your course. For adults looking for good interior design courses I would highly recommend the KLC School Of Design at Chelsea Harbour London - I have completed short courses in lighting, kitchen and bathroom design. These are great to 'dip your toe' to see if interior design is for you.
I hope you have found this month's article interesting and helpful and if you have any questions please feel free to contact me.
May 2024
Welcome to this month's addition. With Summer (hopefully) approaching I find people might start thinking about improving their home or even moving to a new home completely! I know in our household as we live in a cute little 100 year old cottage we do speak a lot about having a bit more space! We luckily have a loft room which gives us additional space but it is still (officially) only a 2 bedroom home. We often dream about moving more into the country and having a larger garden with space for chickens and maybe a little piggy! I'm sure in the future when we have more time and freedom (and hopefully money) this will be a reality. For you guys out there that live in a smaller property you need to make the most of the space you have and 'maximise' the feel of each room. Here are some tips of how to make each area feel larger and give the illusion of having more space than you really have! Our cottage is a typical 'step straight into the front room' home and that has always really bothered me and I want an entrance hall to give some separation to the rest of the house. So what I decided to do in our lounge is to buy one curtain pole that is fitted around the bay window and over the front door. This covers up the door in the day giving you a quieter room from the traffic noise and a feeling of being less 'exposed' to the outside world. At night time we can close the curtains over the bay window and front door and all the curtains join up to give a lovely cosy look as the whole wall is one continuous curtain. I find it looks so attractive with the rest of the interior design in the room. Another idea I had to maximise space in the room was to hang vintage wall cabinets in the alcoves around the fireplace, this avoids using the precious floor space. This allows us to have attractive storage above and space for chairs or other furniture below. Using the wall space is a great way to free up floor space. We hung a delicate metal wall unit with mirrors and shelves on one wall to place family and other memorable date photos and the mirrors reflected the window light around the room. We also have a mirror opposite the lounge window which also serves to bring more light into the room. Light can be a problem in old cottages because usually they are quite dark places due to their age so bring as much as you can into your home by using mirrors and other reflective surfaces to bounce the light around!
Our bathroom was originally downstairs and we moved it up into one of the existing bedrooms, we then opened up downstairs and made the old bathroom into a dining room and added french doors to bring in lots of light into the room. We the added a small side extension downstairs to add a small utility room with a toilet. In the kitchen there was an existing window which looked into the utility room and there was also a window from the utility room looking out onto the garden. To give privacy to the utility and toilet I bought 2 Arts and Crafts stained glass windows which had mottled glass to the colourful flower design so this allowed light to come into the kitchen and to also give privacy.
Upstairs the bedrooms are quite small so for storage in the master bedroom we have a cupboard that runs across the stairs which is so deep it has two hanging rails in it which is so useful! In doing this we didn't use any floor space for storage and it just looks like a lovely small cupboard flush with the wall. There was no space around our bed for side tables so we added shelving at different heights behind our headboard running along the wall which stopped at the height of the top of the headboard. This way we have storage for our reading books and also our 'bedside' lamps on the top shelf. We have found this so useful and there is also of storage which is easy to reach and out of sight.
So to conclude, make changes in your home to allow lots of light into the rooms. If this is not possible hang mirrors and other items to reflect the light around the room such as mirrored picture frames and metal objects such as lamps and different decorative objects. Use the walls to hang items such as wall units and hidden shelving (as mentioned) to free up floor space, and finally try to use 'dead' space such as space over and under stairwells for storage.
I hope you have found this month's article of interest and I look forward to writing to you all again in June!
June 2024
Welcome everyone, we are officially in Summer and we are currently in the middle of a heat wave!
For the month's addition I want to talk to you about style and although there are many different styles out there it is most important to recognise what your own personal style is and stay true to this when decorating your home. When I first meet a client I pay close attention to the clothes and jewellery they wear as this will give you a good indication of their personal style. For example a person that dresses in simple clothes in muted colours but has a really bright necklace on might be a person who likes understated design but will love a 'pop' of colour and pattern in the accessories for a room such as a lamp or a cushion. So in this same way you can start looking at what you like to wear and what accessories you choose as this will be the key to start understanding what your personal style. For myself I like all sorts of styles and I like to find out about my client's style so I can tailor their interior design to this. When I work with others it is all about them and their needs. My job is to deliver their vision in the most beautiful way possible. I think some people feel when they live in a period home that they have to choose designs and colours that fit in with the time period such as Georgian or Victorian, my personal view as I have mentioned is to discover your own style as this is your home and you want to create spaces that make your heart sing. To begin it is worth going on Pinterest and creating mood boards of everything that you like. This may be unrelated to interior initially but any ideas can show you what colours you enjoy, maybe the types of art you would like in your home, once you get the mood board together you will start seeing that there are images that are related, maybe some of the fabrics you have pinned are from the same time period and same sort of pattern. Always go with how you feel in your heart, if these things 'light you up' and make you feel happy then you are headed in the right direction. Really set aside time to explore what you enjoy because creating a beautiful space takes and deserves time and attention. Once you have the Pinterest boards you can look again and create a smaller board of just the very select things that you really love. This way you can start to make a selection of things that you may want to buy for your home. At the point people may worry about getting things 'right' but just remember it is about getting it 'right' for you! This is your home and you are the one who will be enjoying all the items you have bought. So my advice to you is if you have collated items that you want for your home and feel happy with your choices, don't forget to measure your room to make sure everything will fit (and make sure they fit through your front door!) and go for it! It might not be everyone's taste but it is yours and that is the main thing! The most important thing is that you enjoy the process so take your time and create a home you love! Fill your home with the items that make you feel joy each and every time you see them.
Remember if you are still daunted by this task (which is totally normal) then why not contact me and I can help you with all your interior design needs.
Happy sunbathing everyone!
Emma x
July 2024
Welcome to July's addition! This month I will be chatting to you about multi functional spaces in a small house focusing on a few areas downstairs in our home. As I've mentioned previously we live in a small Victorian mid-terrace cottage. It's pretty teeny so we had to think outside the box when it came to how we wanted to live within the space. Originally it had a downstairs bathroom which we moved into the bedroom right above it. We then opened up the downstairs space to create an open plan kitchen / sitting / dining space. The exterior door was close to the left side of the outside wall which led onto a thin walkway to the garden. This was a wasted space so we added a small side extension to create a downstairs toilet and utility room. We moved the old outside door from the left hand side of the wall to the centre of the wall to allow the utility room space to be used efficiently. As you walk into the room on the left hand side we tucked the washing machine and on the right hand side we added a toilet and straight on is the sink. Next to the washing machine we fitted a tall radiator. In fact we have 3 tall, thin ladder radiators in the kitchen and utility room combined because I know how much radiator space you need with a family, especially in Winter!
In the dining room I wanted somewhere to sit and relax because the room looks out onto the garden which is really pretty now we have have added French doors and a new patio, it's very cute! So I designed an area to sit on a comfy sofa and we bought a coffee table which transforms into a dining table. So when it is lifted up it works perfectly as a dining table for 2 people and the sofa doubles up as another seat at the table and folded away it is used as a really handy and beautiful coffee table. So the space can be used for dining, entertaining (on a small scale ha, ha!) and for relaxing by yourself or with your other half.
When you live in a small terrace you have to utilise every inch of the space to make it practical and beautiful! Our home is naturally quite dark so by adding the French doors the light now floods in.
Our garden is also quite small but we have still managed to fit in a large summer house at the end of the garden with a built in side shed to combine aesthetics and practicality. I searched for hours on the internet to find a summer house and shed combination and finally my search was over! We have also built a bike shed as we literally had no where to store our bikes! We fitted it to the right hand side of our garden behind our garden furniture which disguised the size of it some what. Behind the bike shed along the width of it we have a gorgeous old book case which we used to pot and grow strawberries and other plants, it's a great way to hide the side of less than attractive shed! We also laid a large (by our standards ha) patio where we have bought an L shape outdoor sofa with rectangular stool and a dining table which like our indoor coffee/dining table also can be lifted up and down to make it a dining or coffee table height. Sometimes even when you think a space looks quite small it's so important to measure it because you will be surprised at what you can fit in! We've been surprised ourselves! Remember no matter how small your home is you can still work with the space and make it beautiful and practical for your everyday needs. Remember that everyone deserves to live in a home they love.
I hope you find these tips useful and help you guys out there with smaller houses and always remember I am always here if you need me!
Thanks everyone and have a great July!
Emma x
August 2024
Hello everyone and I hope you are all enjoying your August! I know we have been. My husband is a teacher, so he always has the summer holidays off from work and my son Lucas goes to term time nursery to he was also on holiday. My son is nearly 4 so his personality is developing all the time, he is no longer a young baby anymore but is now coming on to being a child. One more year of nursery and he is starting school, hopefully going to the same school myself and my siblings attended and my husband's dad. It's funny how life works out, I never really thought that when I was in my 40's I would be living back in Bishop's Stortford and even more surprised that my son will hopefully be attending the very school I have so many fond memories of. I think today I will speak to you guys about the reality of running a business when you are a mum and, in my case, the main organiser of everything to do with Lucas and running our home. My husband and I have a very fair relationship, we are in a great partnership but somehow the general organisation falls to me. Maybe it's just how our brains are wired?? Who knows. I just know that I like to be organised, and I have been the one to work out what nursery he is going to, deal with any administration and be the main caregiver and stay at home with him when he is ill. All of this takes so much brain power, as well as cleaning the house and getting dinner on the table most evenings. Liam as I said is a teacher, so he is out the door at 7am then comes home at 5pm, my day has more parts to it. It starts with me waking up early so I can a home workout and meditate and the get ready for the day. I then wake Lucas up (if he isn't already!) get him breakfast and dressed (much negotiating and reasoning and patience is required- all at 7am in the morning!) I then leave the house at 7:30am to walk half an hour to drop him at the nursery at 8am, then walk home. From here all being well I can organise myself to start work on interior design projects at 9am. I get so engrossed in my projects that I have to keep an eye on the clock and make sure I take a screen break every 45 minutes for 15 minutes or I end up getting a bad headache! Because I have been diagnosed with ADHD I can quite easily get 'hyperfocus!' (for you neurodiverse out there you will know what that means!) I literally can have 20 tabs open and be in a rabbit hole of design and research and not even realise hours have passed, so I need to be aware of that and manage that! (My late ADHD diagnosis will be discussed in another entry and how I manage it in my business) I then go to pick my son up at 4pm and then I start dinner which we all have at 5pm. My son loves to take about a hundred years to eat his dinner so after that it's bath and bed for him (that's normally a drawn-out affair that parents of a 3-year-old will understand!) After this I spend time with my husband to connect about our days and share some time together before we go to bed, and it starts all over again the next day! The wonderful thing about working for yourself is you create your own schedule. If you are working with a client and feel you want to spend more time researching a product or need to go over to their home again, you can. You don't have anyone saying you can't because it's not cost effective for the business, or you are spending too much time on something. (I have struggled with this in previous jobs, and I love being able to spend as much time on something as I feel I need and want to without that pressure.) I also love really getting to know and understand your client to build great relationships. This is so important to me and delivering excellent attention to my client's needs is paramount. Being a working mum can feel overwhelming. One thing I have learnt is that as your business gets busier all the things you could do before like all the cleaning and housework, food shopping and making dinner have to be readdressed. If I am doing everything relating to Lucas and the house maybe something has to give. Maybe we start sharing the food shop and cooking, maybe we get a cleaner (which is laughable in our tiny cottage, but it all takes time!) What I am learning is you have a adapt as you move along and prioritise different things. It's all part of the learning. I am just nearly 2 years into the business and only nearly 4 being a first-time mum so there are lots still to learn, juggle and work out what the priorities are.
I know that my number one priority is and will always be my family and close friends. They are my life; my world. My parents live 5 minutes away from me and they are nearly 80 now so my life will change again when I take on more responsibilities for them. I think when you have your own business it's easy to lose yourself in the busyness of it all, so you have to remember your priorities and keep reminding yourself of them. So I thought I would give you all a little taste of my life and what it looks like roughly in an average day. I hope you find this useful in some way and I look forward to September's entry!
Thank you everyone and remember I'm here to help so feel free to contact me.
Thanks guys, Emma x
September 2024
Hi everyone, are we all finally feeling that 'nip' in the air, I think Autumn is nearly upon us. This means to me that design companies will start putting out there new design lines and I can look forward to seeing these at the Chelsea Design Centre and at design shows such as Decorex! This will take place at London Olympia which is an excellent venue, it's not so large that you feel like you need to stay in a hotel and make it into a 2 day event and no so small that you don't feel like it's worth going to, it's just right (as they say!) So I will look forward to that.
This month I have been working with a design client on his Regency style home. We are going to work our way through his whole house but right now we are starting in his dining room, hall and landing. It's amazing when you start working on a design project the brief starts off in one direction and as you look through fabrics and the more you show a client you suddenly start to realise that you are moving in a different design direction together. This sometimes just happens with projects because client's have one idea of the sort of style they like but as you show them different ideas in this style they realise for themselves that actually they want something with a darker background or they really didn't want floral but they are finding that actually all the fabrics they like are floral. It's a journey of discovery and it's not for the faint hearted. You must develop qualities of patience and compassion. You client is trusting you and you are building a good working relationship and you need to also 'go with the flow' of a project and allow for client's to change their mind and express themselves. My main focus is that my client feels looked after throughout the process and that includes as I mentioned being patient and compassionate because client's are normally very nervous about making decisions for their home even with your professional help. I showed my client many fabrics for their curtains and with each fabric I showed them I learnt more and more about what they truly wanted, no time is wasted. Remember this is about building relationships and longevity so accept this is all part of the process, well this is all about my process, how you choose to work is up to you. I attend a Buddhist meditation evening so I like to bring the philosophies I have learnt here into my work. All of these are about cherishing others so I like to see being patient and being of service to others as part of that and this creates more happiness in your own life when you focus on being kind to others. Plus it just feels great!
I work with a local interior design soft furnishings company called Edward's Interiors. They are a father and daughter team and I absolutely adore them! They are so knowledgeable and have always been so kind to me. It was over a year ago that I wandered into to see Philip to chat to him about setting up my own business and he was so encouraging and kind and said that he would be happy to recommend me. My first job was just down the road from him at Carr and Bury and he remembered me from that time and was so welcoming. So since then whenever anyone has asked them if they could recommend an interior designer they would recommend me. This is where I have gained my latest client with the Regency style property. As I have mentioned they have always been so kind to me helping me with any questions I have, getting any books out I need to look though and ordering me many samples to show clients. I think it is so important to support local businesses as the internet is creating such a loss of our local shops which is so important for our community, we need to encourage people to use their invaluable services and keep towns and villages thriving! I'm a firm believer in this.
So cut back to my latest client and we did eventually find the perfect fabric for him and I know the curtains in his dining room and landing are going to look beautiful. If you decide that you are never going to give up until your client is happy with their final choices then you know through determination and skill that together you will find the perfect thing! It's all part of the journey so enjoy it.
Emma x
October 2024
Hi everyone and welcome to October's addition! Recently I have been to a design show at Olympia called Decorex which I would say it is for residential and hospitality design. This is my favourite show because they have amazing exhibitors and this year I have to say that I think it's my favourite year going! There was an exhibitor's section at the show called Making Spaces where all the artisan makers were actually working on their craft, so as you walked into the show you could hear the silversmith working and the rug maker weaving, it was a sight to behold. I have put various pictures and videos up of this on my Instagram emma.blake.design. for you to view. The show isn't too huge so you can get round the whole thing and still have lovely conversations with everyone. One of the makers called Bryony Knox was hosting a copper work tutoring session which I attended and created a thistle design, it was so much fun. I think it is easy for people to look at another creative and feel that you could never do what they do but if you break the whole process down it is a series of very small steps. Each starts with an idea, normally a sketch and you build up from there. No one is born amazing at their craft it takes time, dedication and patience. Normally at the design shows I see many brands from many different places but this time I was lucky to find to great brands local to me in Chelmsford and Cheshunt, a lighting company Illuminati and an interior design company called House Of Interiors. Both of them I feel excited to work with.
Here are some pictures from this year's show for you to enjoy.
Happy reading
Emma x
November 2024
Happy November everyone! Can you believe it's only 7 weeks until Christmas! I can't believe it and I'm already thinking about when to bring in our little potted Christmas tree that we have grown from a sapling in from the garden to decorate. Over the years we have collected some beautiful tree decorations and we have really lovely sentimental pieces that fill me with nostalgia when we unwrap them once again; some are even as early as my own childhood and from the home I grew up in. My son Lucas is now 4 so he will understand more about the festive period and enjoy getting involved decorating the tree. This is the time of year that I start thinking about Christmas plans, who will be hosting? Where are we going on Boxing day? Then suddenly I started to feel stressed about the sheer volume of relations to buy for and actually then realise that Christmas is about spending time with the people you love, it shouldn't be about consumerism. So this year we have made home-made chutney from the eating and Bramley apples in my parent's garden. A lovely handmade gift that everyone can enjoy over the Christmas period.
At this time of year I love going into various interior design shops as everyone's shop and window displays just look so inviting! This is also the time of year when people take a look around their home and want new decor for Christmas because this is when you have more people visiting and you want your home to look it's best. Sometimes client's just want a bit of a refresh in their rooms, a new colour scheme and soft furnishings. In my first job is where a lot of my work was soft furnishings and colour schemes. There is so much skilled craftwork that goes into making curtains and blinds, choosing the right fabric with the correct colourway and the right fabric composition. For example if you want a more relaxed informal look to your curtains then a linen or linen mix would be for you. There is also the matter of the type of heading to go for, pinch pleat, double pleat, pencil pleat, the list goes on and each pleat gives a completely different overall effect. When working with a curtain maker it's best to show them, even if you gather an image from Pinterest the sort of look you want. There is so much attention and skill that comes with curtain making and it really can transform a room and bring all the other elements such as furniture and lighting together. Thickness of your curtains is also something to consider as you can have them made with lining or interlining and the interlining comes in different thicknesses so the finished product will look different depending on your choice. Roman blinds are the same they can be lined if you want more of a discreet appearance or interlined if you want a more luxurious look. There are so many different curtain designs you can create, some with tassel trim borders, different coloured plain fabric running vertically up the edge, a different block of colour at the bottom. With the roman blinds you can trim around the 3 edges of the blinds with a contrasting colour as I have shown in my portfolio and this really breaks up the colour of a neutral wall and adds some warmth if using a warmer colour fabric. This is great for people only wanting a hint of a colour (as many people do) I'm very used to helping client's finding the perfect fabric and really enjoy it. This is why people need help because it is a very specialist category soft furnishings because there is so much choice. Hundreds if not thousands, well most likely thousands of fabric books plus to have soft furnishings professionally made is an investment so many people will need help making the correct choices for their own style, the style of the house and a fabric that they will still love in ten years time. There is a lot to think about and this is where I come in. With my experience in soft furnishing design. I know what fabric houses to look at, I know how to narrow down style and colour choices, I know what style of curtain and pole, or track, or pelmet would look best and present these ideas to my client. I take the stress and the overwhelm away. I am here to help you have an enjoyable experience. Interior design and curtain making is a skill that takes time to develop over many years and I'm here to help to guide you through using my knowledge and experience. So if you have a project and need some professional help then just drop me an email and we can move forward on our design journey together.
Emma x
December 2024
Hi everyone, can you believe it's the Last month of the year! Time has flown! This month I will be discussing networking, yes I know for some of you this word fills you with dread but the thing I must say about it is that the people I have met along my networking journey have been so friendly and approachable so hopefully in this piece I can help you relax and learn from my own experiences.
Life has a funny way of attracting to you what you put 'out there'. I started my journey going as a visitor to the local WIBN (Women in Business Network) and then I was contacted but not 2 but 3 different people asking me whether I would like to visit their networking groups. 2 of which were the BNI, (Business Networking International) The fist chap that contacted me was an estate agent and went to the Dunmow chapter (yes they are called chapters!) He also said that the group would start at 6:30, so I assumed he meant 6:30pm but no it was A.M! I calculated that I had to get up at 5am to get ready and head on over to leave at 6am. Childcare was arranged with my husband and my mum, so I thought to myself I don't think this is going to work as it's a weekly event with all the logistics involved. I am the mum that does the school drop-off and pick-ups so I thought this may have to be a one-off event. I also thought well if this is the right thing for me we will make it work! Somehow!
So I went at 6 in the morning and I was aware that I would have to stand up in front of everyone and speak about myself for 60 seconds. What I wasn't really prepared for the the formality of it all, we were up, down, clapping, this referral, that referral, this was serious stuff! Real business was happening right in front of my eyes!It was great! The good thing about the BNI was because they have chapters all over the place you can attend different chapters if they don't already have someone from your profession there already so this way you have great opportunities for lots of networking. Everyone there fully enjoyed and was invested in the experience and helping one another. It was a really great experience. Yes I had to push myself massively out of my comfort zone and it felt like there were So many people in the room but I told myself everyone in that room has had a first experience of networking, everyone knows how it feels. That calmed me down (some what!) but I was still very nervous. I made some great contacts and I would recommend the BNI for sure.
For me as I have had a variety of different jobs, I would say I have many 'hats' that I can wear, the corporate hat, the personal hat, lots of hats. But the trick is to find the hat that is yours and unique to you, the hat that feel authentic to you, a good fit is what we are all looking for.
I then went to another BNI chapter meeting in Ware which again I was invited to attend. This one was slightly smaller and less intimidating, it was run the same but maybe because I had my first experience of the BNI previously I wasn't so daunted by it. Again a really great meeting and I made a lot of contacts and people that as our relationship develops could turn into friends.
The next meeting I had was an all female group called Thrive that meet currently once a month, this was a local one to me in Bishop's Stortford at The Little Arts Workshop and instantly I felt calm and welcome. It wasn't massive group of women which I liked and it felt like you were meeting a group of friends instead of a business meeting. There were no forced connections or referrals it was a very organic experience. I also felt that a lot of the business women there could assist me with my business. The guest speaker Sarah Dew has a business called the Mompreneur and I felt like this was something that I needed in my life, like now! It'a all about planning and working your business to flow around the academic year. And I thought 'Yes! this is exactly what I need!' I have a child about to start school and a husband who is a teacher, so it's an obvious way I need to work. I have arranged a video call with Sarah to learn more about shaping my business to fit around this model. I met so many inspirational women. The group leader Sam Dixon was great, she is in marketing and was running a marketing group which I signed up for. These groups are so important when you are just starting out on your own because they can help you shape your business from the get go and you learn things you didn't even realise you didn't know and really need too! Amazing group and I felt right at home.
The next group I attended was the Women In Business Network at The Mead barn at Wicken Hall in Bishop's Stortford that meet monthly. Again as soon as I walked in I felt at home around these lovely, professional women. The arrangement was fairly formal so everyone got a chance to speak and let others know a little bit more about themselves. I loved it, as I did Thrive and began thinking I think the women's groups are for me. Also they both started at 9:30-10am so it was perfect for school drop-off. I was still nervous because again it's public speaking so the nerves were there but I felt welcomed and everyone was championing one another. One of the lovely ladies there even invited me to her home for a Christmas get together with the other ladies. I thought that was so generous and kind. I gladly accepted her invitation and has a really lovely time getting to know everyone on a deeper level.
Working for yourself can be a bit lonely so when you have a group to meet up with regularly it really is something to look forward to especially when you are a mum and your spare time is usually spend watching children's film or playing with toys. It's lovely to have something that is just for you.
The next networking event was called Pop Connect and that was at Stansted Golf Course. This was a mixed group at a leisurely time of 11am-1pm, again a really lovely group of people that meet once a month. Yet again the nerves were there but I managed it and this time I had written something down and had picked up along the way the rough format of how people present. You introduce yourself and your business, say what you do and who you are looking to connect with such an architects, estate agents, that sort of thing. Again I made some great connections and possible work opportunities.
Each group I attended was enthusiastic, friendly and professional. I think it's about finding the best fit for you and your needs. For me I loved the Pop Connect but as I can't go to all of them I am joining Thrive and WIBN as these feel like the best fit for me and my family.
If you are just starting out on your own you can always drop me a message if you need some help and guidance on your journey.
Thanks everyone and have a great Christmas and a wonderful 2025!!
Emma x
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