Can you please provide us with a description of your professional careers?

K: Having studied new media production at university, I joined the television industry where I was involved in writing and directing children’s television programmes as well as set design. In my early 20s, I decided on a complete career change and enrolled at the KLC School of Interior Design in Chelsea Harbour going on to spend several years working for high-end interior designers.

L: From an early age, I developed a keen eye and passion for the arts and history at school and went on to study history of art and architecture at university where I became increasingly aware of man’s ability to create incredible buildings and interior spaces with an ever-evolving array of materials. It was a natural step to train in London as an architectural interior designer going on to work for high-end interior design companies.

What inspired you both to become interior designers?

K: My interest in interior design started at an early age as a small child, I remember changing my bedroom furnishings around on a weekly basis!

L: Colour, texture, light and the natural world have always fascinated me. From my earliest memories of a favourite double aspect bedroom flooded with light and wonderful views, I have felt a real connection with how important living spaces are to everyone.

How did you both come to meet?

K: We met whilst working for the same interior design company in London. We worked on several projects together both in the UK and abroad and had an instant rapport both as friends and work colleagues.

L: We both have the highest standards of professionalism and passionately shared a vision of starting our own studio. So, it was a natural progression to open Olive Design Studio, which we did in 2012.

Do you have individual design styles? If so, how do you merge your styles together?

K: Being an interior designer you need to be flexible and able to work on all kinds of projects. We both have country roots which definitely gives us a similar design aesthetic. We both love eclectic interiors that mix the old and new to create an air of understated elegance.

L: We both know that understanding our clients is key. We love meeting people and working out how best we can help them to realise their ideal interiors.

What do you both personally believe that Olive Design Studio has brought to the interiors industry?

K: We like to think that Olive Design is part of a new generation of interior designers and that we have created our own look and style with our fantastic team of highly talented individuals.

L: Having just won a five-star award for the ‘Best Interior Design Apartment London’ at the UK Property Awards, judged by distinguished professionals across the property spectrum, we are thrilled and feel that we must be getting something right!

What do you believe is the biggest challenge for today’s interior designers?

K: In today’s market, the margins for property development have become a lot tighter. Consequently, developers often allocate smaller budgets for the interior design elements of a project yet still expect us to achieve the same level of sophistication.

L: Yes, although you can still be just as creative with a restricted budget and still create that understated elegance that underpins all our work.

What has been Olive Design Studio’s biggest accomplishment to date?

L: We have just celebrated our fourth birthday and can honestly say we are well on our way to achieving everything we set out to do. We’ve assembled a very talented team of people who share our values and have completed some prestigious projects for loyal clients with more in the pipeline.

Do you each have a favourite project that you have worked on under Olive Design Studio?

K: Every project has been very different and I personally don’t have a favourite! I loved our Dorset Street project and Chelsea Loft Apartment as we totally transformed the footprint of both these spaces and it was a real challenge to introduce a lot more light, storage and space into these interiors.

L: All projects are favourites in their individual way but if I had to pick one, it would be our latest at Portland Place. It has given the team the perfect opportunity to be creative in many areas, designing bespoke chandeliers, a metalwork decorative screen and unique joinery. Do you each have a favourite

part of your job?

K: I love the sociable aspect of our job. We are always meeting new and interesting people whether it’s clients, subcontractors, builders or suppliers. I’m very much a people person and love building up these new relationships.

L: I’m very much a people person too, but having the opportunity to work on any building, understanding its history, location and construction is what continues to inspire me, particularly those of historic significance where I can take my work to another level.

Can you talk us through your concept for your project at Cadogan Gardens?

L: The existing interiors of this project were very dated and we were given the task of retaining the eclectic style and tastes of our clients yet making the interiors feel fresh and timeless.

K: The clients were incredibly happy and I think the photographs speak for themselves!

What do you believe is the most important skill to have when it comes to interior design?

K: People skills are vital. It’s very important to be able to take a brief and understand the exact requirements and needs of one’s clients.

L: Alongside communication, it’s about being organised. Good administration skills are vital if you want a project to run smoothly. It’s all about check, check and check again!

Do you both have favourite fabrics that you enjoy working with?

K: We both love fabric houses such as de Le Cuona, Rubelli, Fox Linton and Lelieve which supply a lot of natural products such as silks, cottons and linens. These fabrics remind me of my family home and country roots as well as my desire to work on a beautiful beachside property.

L: We like luxury silks, wools and subtle patterns which work equally well in a London apartment and in a chateau in the south of France with their natural richness and subtle undertones.

You work on a lot of developments, are there any recurring requirements you are witnessing in these developments?

K: Recently there has been a trend for a space to be adapted and reconfigured so that it is very much one space and therefore open-plan, light and airy. The bigger and more spacious an interior feels the better!

Do you have a favourite palette to work with?

L: You can never go wrong with a neutral palette and bringing pops of colour in through artwork, cushions and accessories. We recently saw a trend for grey interiors and I personally love to mix these tones with blues and purples or even the odd pop of yellow, copper and gold.

K: I have just refurbished my own home with a very similar palette yet kept it fresh by mixing in lots of off-whites, mirror glass walls and some stunning decorative feature wallpapers which I used in my new baby’s nursery and downstairs cloakroom.

What was the concept behind your Chelsea cottage scheme?

L: We were commissioned to renovate a beautiful but run-down Chelsea cottage, a stone’s throw from King’s Road. Our client lived in Yorkshire and it was agreed we would provide a turnkey service with limited client involvement. We were very sympathetic to the surrounding area and ensured a timeless renovation was achieved for the lettings market whilst also paying great attention to the construction costs.

And what about your design at Eaton Place?

L: The client’s primary residence was in Singapore and the brief was to subtly introduce a masculine, minimalist, Middle Eastern aesthetic whilst at the same time valuing the very classical, historic interior.

K: We introduced several specialist finishes, such as silk and grasscloth wallpapers in the bedrooms and cloakroom as well as a stunning dark shellac-lacquered floor in the main sitting/dining areas.

L: Carefully selected chandeliers were chosen to reflect the integrity of the period features of the property while timeless Italian furniture by Minotti and retro lamps by Serge Mouille were introduced to enhance the feeling of opulence while providing a key bridge linking the classic with the styles of today. Specially commissioned artworks have been subtly added to reflect the client’s personal taste. The core palette was an earthy, textured scheme introducing Asian floral prints with pops of orange and teal blues which bring the interior to life in a very gentle, eclectic yet timeless way.

What can we expect to see from Olive Design Studio this year?

K: Well, we have a very exciting year ahead. Not only have we got some great projects in the pipeline, we will also be working on our very own furniture and rug range. Watch this space!

L: We’ve also been busy developing relationships with the aerospace and yachting industry with a view to designing interiors for airport lounges, VIP areas, aeroplanes, motor boats, yachts and much more.