In our next Interior Design Q&A Series, we spoke with the highly experienced, London-based designer, Caroline Paterson.
Caroline boasts an extensive portfolio of contemporary, traditional and corporate designs for a range of clientele, and her style is best described as "eclectic and versatile".We were keen to find out more about how Caroline started her career in interior design, projects she's been working on and her predictions for the future of interior design...
To start, tell us about how it all began for your interior design career.
"I started off in Christie's Furniture department in the late 70’s for 6 years, followed by a lengthy period in Hazlitt, Gooden and Fox - An Art Gallery off St James’s Street, London.
I then realised I wanted to have a career change to Interior Design, and was fortunate enough to join Chester Jones at Colefax and Fowler. I was there with him for many years and followed him when he started up his own company. I then went solo in 1988, trading under my own name."
Talk us through your creative process, how do you approach each project?
"Each project is unique and dependent upon client, nationality, and of course architecture. Our work is very diverse."
How would you describe your style, to those who aren't familiar?
"We are not style led. I am as happy working on highly contemporary building projects, as I am with much older traditional work. We have recently completed the Morning Rooms and Entrance Hall at the Turf Club. Classic contemporary with eclectic twists."
If you could only pick one project from the last 5 years that you're most proud of, which would it be?
"I would rather not state which project, in case my clients read this article! Certainly some of the more interesting projects have been a Chalet in Val D’ Isere, a Yacht built in Turkey and an apartment in Moscow."
How often do you incorporate industrial or vintage elements in to your designs?
"Where we feel it's appropriate. It depends what is meant upon vintage. We love incorporating Antiques with Contemporary."
What's your take on the introduction of metallic tones within interior design?
"Again, in small quantities these can be very effective where appropriate."
Name (any) three things that you think will shape the future of interior design.
"1.) The continued revolution of LED lighting and improvement on their colour rendering.
2.) Continued improvement on non-oil based paint for the environment, without compromising the durability - water based egg shell being pretty unpractical at the moment...
3.) Improvement on reliability of ground floor source heating."
What's to come for you in the coming 2016, anything exciting you can share with us?
"We have an interesting year ahead. One is an interesting project in Lugano."
