Q Design House has been shortlisted in The International Design and Architecture Awards 2022. Read more about Creative Director, Josie Lywood, below:

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Name: Josie Lywood

Company: Q Design House

Position within company: Creative Director

Website: www.qdesignhouse.com

Tell us a little about your background in design:

I always wanted to work in the design industry since studying textiles at school. However, I knew I also wanted to understand the industry and how to be successful as a business. This led me to pursue a degree in Politics, Philosophy & Economics at Durham University, which I think has helped me to be more than a designer, but a business woman who can look at each project holistically from the budget, to the timelines, to the clients practical needs. I then went on to study interior design at Cheslea College of Art before working for a number of very talented design studios, where I developed my technical skills and supplier knowledge before setting up Q Design House with my business partner Michelle Katz.

How would you describe your personal design style?

I think Q Design House reflects my personal style as it really is a bit of everything. We call ourselves ‘style agnostic’ as we don’t have a studio style. We believe that concepts such as ‘contemporary’, ‘modern’, ‘rustic’ put design thinking into boxes that prevent creativity and achieving what the clients actually want. Many of our clients are somewhere in between a typical style category. We choose to listen to our clients closely, understanding what they or their family need in terms of the practical and what they like in terms of style ambitions. Through these discussions we build up the design aesthetic which may not sit in a specific category, but the ultimate goal is to deliver a home that the client loves and can live in as home. My current house is a Grade II listed building with pops of colour and pattern on top of some very traditional items. My next house will probably be a super contemporary glass box full of textured neutrals. I’m a designer – I love to design everything!

Where does your design inspiration come from?

This relates back to my personal style as a designer – I’m interested in everything even if I don’t like it personally. I look at textures and schemes before putting a project into a box by defining it as a style. This means that one scheme might take inspiration from completely opposing concepts. The design inspiration is the client’s design aspirations and requirements and our role as designers is to deliver that concept into reality. 

In what direction do you feel that design is moving towards in a general sense?

We place a lot of emphasis on project management, budget management and delivery. Our clients come to us as designers but I think actually what ends up being just as important for them is that we are excellent project managers who they trust with their budgets and can deliver on time. Traditionally, designers are taught the skills of being a designer, but actually to be a successful designer you need to be an accountant, a project manager, a supplier coordinator and a skilled technical designer whilst having the natural skill to work with people both in the industry and as clients. I hope to see the industry move towards teaching a wider range of these skills and placing and importance on them in training.

If you could offer one piece of advice when it comes to design schemes, what would it be?

Spend time deciding on your concept and agree with yourself to stick to it. This is not a mood board. We aim to narrow down every concept into one of two images that truly illustrate the nature of the scheme. It is extremely hard to do and even harder to commit to. However, if you do this and stay true to that direction, everything else will fall into place. 

How important are The International Design & Architecture Awards?

Bringing recognition for the hard work of our teams is exceptionally important. Many projects last years and it is easy to forget all of the hard work that went into delivering a successful outcome. It is also very important for us to reflect back on where these projects started, how they developed and what we learnt along the way. We should do more reflection and analysis of our projects as an industry but these awards encourage us to do that within a framework and share with others in the industry how each of us is achieving our goals. 

What projects are you currently working on?

There is a lot going on at the moment. We are working on a complete renovation of an arts and crafts house on the Wentworth Golf Estate and also a new build of a luxurious contemporary home on the same Wentworth Golf Estate. We are also working on the furnishings for a number of houses in Surrey which we have been involved with since their builds began and we managed all interior architecture elements for those projects. We have a lovely family home from the 1800s that we are completely refurbishing in South West London which is a challenge to balance the contemporary schemes with the traditional architecture. And many more!

What was your favourite project to work on and why?

I have to say the project we submitted this year has been our favourite so far. We loved our clients! They really had a clear vision from the beginning and they stuck with it throughout the process which I think is why this was such a successful project and why everything came together so well. As I said before, focus on the concept and deciding to stick with it is the best way to deliver a project. This project was also in a style that we have been wanting to work on for a while. It is very popular in the states but less so in the UK, where light and bright areas are contrasted with bold colours and traditional architectural details are brought in in contemporary ways.

What was your most challenging project to work on and why?

One of our projects is a very old house and it can be very challenging to keep peeling back the layers and finding more and more problems with the bones of the house. This limits us from progressing to design and is disheartening for the client as more and more of their budget goes towards fixing existing issues rather than the transformation of our home. I think this makes it difficult as it can be a very long phase of the project to solve these problems. 

Which products/services could you not live without when designing?

Pinterest is always so useful for discovering new ideas. It is also a great tool for clients to use as a starting point to give us design direction. 

What are your aims and goals for the next twelve months?

Michelle and I are looking to expand our business to display our design work and integrate this with the hospitality industry so that guests can experience our work.  

Your most treasured possession?
My dog Winnie. She loves coming to the studio with me each day and sitting on clients laps during meetings!

Your favourite holiday destination?
Bandol in the South of France. It is a typical French town by the sea with beautiful scenery, tasty wine and delicious food. It is a special place to me as it is where I got married and I have lots of happy memories there.   

Your favourite hotel, restaurant & bar?
I love the Lime Wood hotel in the New Forest. The interiors are beautiful and it is dog friendly!

Your favourite food and drink?
A spicy margherita or a glass of rose, with a side of spicy tuna sushi… or truffle chips

If you weren’t an interior designer, what would you be?

I think if I hadn’t discovered interior design then I would still be doing something creative – perhaps fashion or textile design instead. 

Q Design House

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