Making a home suitable to fit the family’s lifestyle
This home-based business makes a colourful splash as found out in our series on
A gap in the market for sound interior design advice opened up an opportunity for Cambridge woman Elizabeth Karam.
Three years on, her business Cambridge Colour and Design, is leaving it’s mark on homes wherever she goes.
She has a thorough grounding in aspects of proportion, colour and tone, thanks to her experience in the Sydney and Auckland fashion industries as well her her degree qualification in fashion.
Further qualifications in interior design and colour consultancy meant she had a refined eye for what works.
As an interior designer/ colour consultant, Karam works with clients to ensure they have a home suitable for their lifestyle.
Having flow-through in a home and sensible use of space is vital.
Karam uses computer-aided design to assist with the planning of room layouts, furniture placement and finding ideal options dependant upon the family’s dynamics.
‘‘For example, having a room where everyone walks in front of the TV to access other rooms is not good flow,’’ she said.
The styles and colours seen in the glossy magazines can be used as a starting point but ‘‘your home should be a reflection of you – rather than a complete replication of someone else’’.
For some describing a colour accurately can be a struggle - so many variations found - but this is where Karam’s experience can guide them.
Drawing inspiration from everything around, she bases her design ideals on theories centuries old, used in all design aspects including architecture, landscape design, photography, furniture design and even nature creates inspiration.
‘‘Where colour is concerned, nature does not get it wrong,’’ she said.
Most people have an idea of what they want but often come up against problems they don’t know how to fix.
‘‘There is something not quite right but they just cannot put their finger on it,’’ she said.
Karam’s experience in new builds, renovations and redecoration of homes helps people find the right mix for their homes.
Giving back to her community she also teaches her own interior design classes in Cambridge and at Hamilton’s Fraser College.