Build Magazine 30 Interior Design & Decorating Tailored Living Interiors, winner of 2016 Interior Designers of the Year, London is an interior design studio providing a one stop service from planning permission all the way through to choosing accessories. The Dulwich-based firm looks after clients from all over London, Kent and Surrey, tailoring specialist designs to the tastes and lifestyle of its clients, offering a complete design and project co-ordination service. ntroducing herself as Director of Tailored Living, Gloria Sanchez very quickly establishes a firm sense of pride in the knowledge and in-depth experience she encourages in the company. This level of professionalism is required for all phases of project development, from design concept, through to construction administration, and Gloria professes her team’s ability to deliver high-quality, stunning finishes for every project. Gloria’s main objective at the head of Tailored Living is, simply put, to understand her clients’ needs, find solutions to the challenges facing the team, and to offer different options as to how progress. It is vital, as well, to share these ideas in a way that they are understood by all involved parties, so that they can be successfully implemented. This is, according to Gloria, the surest way to achieve the calibre of bespoke and luxurious interiors that the client expects. “Communication,” she states, “is key.” This is ample motivation for Tailored Living to develop an ability listen to clients, getting to become intimately familiar with their style, their likes and their preferences. “In order to transform their ideas into exceptional interiors that exceed their dreams and expectations, our rooms are designed so that they feel tailored for the people that are going to live in them; we take into consideration exactly how they are going to feel and interact in that space. “It’s not all just about choosing amazing curtains and fabrics,” Gloria explains. “We implement the realisation of the designs ensuring that nothing is left to chance. We have a competent and highly specialised team, equally capable in communicating with house and external suppliers. We also tightly define the scope of work and allocate responsibilities whilst keeping good communications and control over timelines and budget. In addition, Communication is Key I we always fully complete a design before the work starts and this not only helps us work towards a clear goal. It also ensures that items are on site just before they are needed avoiding unnecessary stress and delays. Looking into past projects, Gloria identifies that her clients have come away significantly better off financially through Tailored Living’s careful planning; by making good furniture and fittings through honest recommendations, and by bringing the right people for the job, this string of previous clients are a testament that Gloria’s team has succeeded in looking after every aspect of the implementation process, from conception to finalisation, minimising their time and effort and reducing the stress associated with renovations in doing so. This is, fundamentally, all down to great planning and excellent management skills. While the company is in the critical process of finalising a couple of ongoing projects, Gloria is eager to demonstrate that Tailored Living is always looking to participate in the next big development. In doing so, they are becoming more and more visible in an industry undergoing constant evolution and rediscovery, especially through the application of modern technology. Already, Tailored Living has embraced 3D printing techniques in order to enhance its ability to generate their clients’ dream interiors; increased access to specifications of materials and finishes, as well as fittings, equipment and colour consistency, are further areas where technology has significantly aided in the development of a robust, holistic business strategy. “Clients these days are having great tools at their fingertips,” Gloria explains. “Thanks to websites offering great images, they are gaining a much better idea of what exactly they want. Whilst sometimes this can be great for us, at other times it can create confusion and noise, because the client’s collection of images might not offer a consistent style, not even be something that would work in their space. “In this competitive environment, then, we designers need to increasingly take on the role of a ‘part-time therapist’ of sorts, in order to be able to reflect our clients’ hobbies and passions, and redirect these back into the interiors that we design and develop for them.” Evidently, this strategy has paid off for Gloria. Tailored Living has recently posted figures that show a doubling in the valuation of a property post- completion of a project – and this came without even doing an extension. “We have learnt that a combination of high-end and mid-market products can go a long way towards achieving an amazing final result whilst keeping on budget. It also helps to get a faster and better result, especially when the client completely trusts the designer and is able delegate effectively.” “Innovation can come from anywhere – shops, the Internet, nature, magazines, books, trade shows… We at Tailored Interiors want to remain in a position where we can keep observing things around us, take notice, and implement them in our future endeavours. Pictures featured on the right are from the ‘Woodhall Drive’ project. Company: Tailored Living Name: Gloria Sanchez, Director Email:
[email protected] Web Address: www.tailored-living.co.uk Address: 26 Hitherwood Drive, London SE19 1XB Telephone: 07973 118936