Finding your true colours
Kirsty Mcluckie quizzes designer Emma Cross about her business in East Lothian and how her bright and upbeat approach can help colour her clients’ view of their interiors
How long have you been an interior designer?
I’ve been self-employed for 15 years. Interior design was all I ever wanted to do from when I was at primary school.
When I left school I had a stint of work experience at Designworks in Glasgow, and then I went into working in commercial interiors and space design.
After a City and Guilds qualification in art in London, I worked in property development before taking a job back in Scotland with [housebuilder] Applecross Homes. My role was to co-ordinate their showhomes and work with clients.
What services do you offer?
Our design studio in Gullane sees private clients, who either are embarking on a major renovation project or a newbuild, who need design input. People can get overwhelmed with a building project and just need expert help.
Another group of clients are those who have lived in their existing houses for a while, but perhaps their children have left home and they are looking to invest in their home by redecorating.
Our clients are generally interested in colour and want to go bright and bold, as that is what we are known for.
What prompted you to open a shop?
It was an established interiors business in North Berwick which had been running for about 20 years. The owners were looking to retire and approached me. I made quite a quick decision to take over – I just saw it as providing an opportunity for people who know what they want and just need a place to buy it.
The shop has been refitted with our brand, but the building has stayed the same. It is an old Victorian building – very beautiful – and so we have repainted it and stocked it with our pieces.
What does the shop stock? We are stockist for [paint brand] Farrow and Ball and have most of their popular colours, and we also have Farrow and Ball wallpapers.
We carry lots of different furnishing brands, such as Andrew Martin, Designer’s Guild, Addison Ross homeware and Gilly Nicolson bedding, so a range of local and Uk-wide brands that are difficult to find elsewhere. As well as lighting, soft furnishings and accessories, we have our own brand of sofas and armchairs, and much of it is quite affordable and accessible.
How would you describe your signature style and where do you get your inspiration? Doris Day is one of my go-tos, I love the style of her 1950s and 60s films – so bright and optimistic. But I’m not stuck in that era, I get inspiration from travel, movies, art exhibitions, photojournalism and the environment.
When you are in someone’s house, looking out at their garden or views, that will often spark something too.
Why do clients use interior designers?
I often find that it is because they are not confident in their own decisions and how to interpret their personal style.
You have to have very clear communication. I have American clients currently who said they
were interested in a “classic Scottish interior”, but it was important to dig down and find out what they meant by that.
So you have to be careful when someone is trying to convey what they want – does it mean bright red tartan and huntsmen green? You are much better trying to explain by using pictures and mood boards because different descriptions mean different things to people.
What advice would you give to a beginner wanting to redecorate to put their mark on their own space?
I would always tell people to think about what really makes them happy, and not to be swayed by trends. And be specific. Pinterest can be difficult because there are so many elements in each picture, you are better off pinning down the precise wallpaper that you love and going from there.
“I would always tell people to think about what really makes them happy, and not to be swayed by trends”
How important is it to get to know your clients?
You have to know what it is they want. What people need and deciding the function of the space is really important. My clients cover a wide range of different people and styles but, just as an aside, 99 per cent of people I work with have dogs – I don’t know why that is!
What are the advantages of good interior design?
Being comfortable and happy in your space, feeling secure and enjoying it.
It doesn’t really matter what it looks like to other people, it is what you want it to look like that counts.