Where does your design inspiration come from?:
Everywhere! From embracing nature and city life to the people I know and places I visit, I find inspiration in everyday life as it lets me consider the physical attributes, materiality, and visual style of my design work to create real, meaningful moments.
In what direction do you feel that design is moving towards in a general sense?:
The world of design is naturally people led and as consumers continue to widen parameters, they’re finding new ways to define their own personal style at the discovery phase.
Familiar with all types of products, brands, and interior styles before they even commit to an initial design consultation, today’s consumers are researching their likes and dislikes on platforms like Instagram and Pinterest as they’re able to review honest buyer feedback, video demos, and lifestyle photography at their own pace.
Whether it’s a shift in culture, or the rise of self-generated design briefs using Chat GPT, I believe that multi-directional design briefs will continue to impact the kitchens of tomorrow and foster more evidence-based interior design and space planning.
Name five key themes to consider when approaching design in the future. :
1. Going beyond aesthetics: Atmosphere is not something that can be added at the end. It is shaped from the very beginning. Through the architecture of the space, materials that sit within it, and the way people move, gather, and spend time there. Going beyond aesthetics, the kitchen has become not only a visual composition, but an experience with many tapping into places, memories, and products that promote calm and contemplation in the home.
2. Contemporary classic: Today’s kitchen continues to lean on the classics, and I expect to see greater demand for living spaces, which reimagine popular interior design styles decades after they were first introduced.
3. Bespoke design: In a truly bespoke kitchen, if it can be imagined and drawn, it can be created. This freedom to introduce a wide range of expression continues to drive kitchen design, with bespoke cabinetry, surfaces, and hardware in a range of quality raw materials being used to create impact throughout the home. No two kitchens are alike.
4. Warmth from wood: Wood continues to create a sense of belonging. Known for inducing a natural, biophilic effect, traditional joinery is helping to transform the look and feel of wood cabinetry, worktops, walls, flooring, and architectural details. A source of calm and restoration, wood has become a dominant visual theme in both traditional and contemporary kitchens. Warm, artisanal, and immersed in nature.
5. Luxury through layering: Layering is essential. A combination of styles, textures, materials, colours & finishes, lighting, and visual weights allow a space to shift gently between clarity and softness. Unique and highly curated, layering will add depth and dimension to a space while cultivating a look that is truly original.
If you could offer one piece of advice when it comes to designing, what would it be? :
Embrace your uniqueness, as your background is distinct to only you and therefore, impossible to recreate.
