28 | THE VOICE JANUARY 30 - FEBRUARY 5, 2014
Interior Design
www.voice-online.co.uk
voicenewspaper
@thevoicenews
AGAINST ALL ODDS James Balogun on life, homelessness and the transforming experience of Sentric Design.
By Jacqueline Asafu-Adjaye, Sponsored Features Editor
J
ames Balogun’s childhood in rural Nigeria can only be described as a humble beginning; his earliest memories pay homage to his mother, who passed away when he had reached the tender age of five. He recalls her running a successful small supermarket business. “I was only six years-old, I cherished my mother, she raised me on my own as my father was in Italy chasing the American dream. “ When my Ma passed I stayed with my grandma in a tiny village called Aye San Ondo. We had no choice but to farm everyday immediately after school, and sometimes on Saturdays, except Sundays, where we spent most hours in the church. I quickly developed skills for farming, hunting, fish.� Hours spent farming, caused James to develop a strong connection with nature and appreciation for quietness. In his teens he settled in Lagos, before travelling to the UK, he said: “ In the village you had a self-staining existence, I had seen banknotes and coins before but they never mean much to me and I was never interested.� “All that quickly changed in no time, when you live in a big city with no job and empty pockets you will learn money makes the world go round. I quickly started business with a friend, we would wash cars, dry cleaning and manual labour work whilst studying.� Living with his uncle in Lagos in his early teens, James admits that he had little interest in school and spent 80 per cent of his time playing football or boxing for money in abandoned buildings, and that this would be often be followed by watching Indian movies prior to the school day ending. He said: “By the time I finished watching two movies, no one would ever finds out if I’ve been to school or not. Of course by the end of each academic year I got punished, where I would be stripped naked and beaten in indescribable manner.� Between the ages of 12 to 14, prior to immigrating to the UK, his truancy had left him unable to read and write. “I decided to improve the alphabets knowledge. I started spending more time at school, memorised the 26 letters in song so I would not forget. At this point I was desperate, as I was due to meet my father for the first time.� James recalls making attempts to pronounce almost every word he saw: “ The Pocket English dictionary was my bible. I would write and tried to read it out or get
“Our true strength lies in the mind-set�
someone to read it out. There was a bright kid in my class who could read, write and pronounce words very well. “The kid soon became a friend and started hanging out with us during lunch-break, as we were one of the cool ones. This kid helped me a lot and I offered protection at school in exchange.� James went against his father’s wishes and joined the Army Reserve Force, where he had a rewarding few years and went on to be given lots of opportunities and benefits including travelling around the world and gaining exposure to different cultures. But of all the Cities London, holds a special place in his heart smiling he says: “There is no city like London in the world. It’s a magical city, from the wild life, the evolutionary spirit, its multicultural society to the golden skyline at night the falls against the city’s phenomenon landscape.� Prior to setting up Sentric Design he studied at Uxbridge College, where he received a National Diploma in mechanical engineering. He says: “It was there I discovered I was a creative and I went on to study in industrial design. I was practically homeless during my last two years in college but I never gave up. I slept in the park, in friends’ house, girlfriend’s house and abandoned houses in Hayes. I remember having to jump down from the first floor, just to hide from the landlord, but I never gave up my education regardless.� “In 2003 towards end of my college I got a part-time job and bought the small Ford Fiesta, I put on big alloy wheels, fitted in mind blowing speakers and tinted windows. Technically I was homeless but I was very happy. “In spite if experiencing homelessness whilst setting up “Sentric
Design� I never gave up. I slept in the park for weeks, or outside the library and at the hub in Shepherds Bush, a homeless initiative set up by Boris Johnson. Talking about the emotional impact of finding himself homeless for a second time in his life he said: “I have to say that the second time around was a whole new experience. I met all sort of people a: writer, chef, graduates, drugs addicts and alcoholics. I spent Monday to Friday, from 7AM to 10AM at Starbucks using Wi-Fi and making free call on Skype, and worked on general sales & marketing. Then from 11am to 5 pm I was distributing brochure and cards.� James is philosophical about his experience, and believes that we are too often judged on our current circumstances, which are always temporary. Reflecting on his journey he says: “Our true strength lies in the mind-set, therefore homelessness is what I told my mind it was and you couldn’t possibly guess that I’m homeless by the way I dress. I’ve always believed that failure is not an option. There is a price for everything in this world, including ambition. “By the time I graduated I had already worked few companies including: Balbus, Nokia, University of Hertfordshire, and many others, either directly and subcontracted. When you enjoy what you do, you can only get better at it. I’ve learnt from Nelson Mandela that life is not made of straight victories but a zigzag of mistakes. There is plenty of tumbling, picking yourself up, dusting off the dirt, treating the wound and walking forward.�
Continued to page 30
3
5
6
JANUARY 30 - FEBRUARY 5, 2014 THE VOICE | 29
www.voice-online.co.uk
voicenewspaper
1
@thevoicenews
Interior Design
2
4
SENTRIC DESIGN PROJECTS: 1. Luxury Lifestyle Private Client, Uxbridge 2. Luxury Lifestyle Private Client, Hillingdon 3. Luxury Lifestyle Private Client, Moore Park 4. Private project, Istanbul 5. Sunoptic, Park Royal 6. Concept designed for Samsung retail 7. A single concept arrangement for Mozambique Embassy, London
7
www.sentricdesignltd.co.uk
30 | THE VOICE JANUARY 30 - FEBRUARY 5, 2014
Interior Design
www.voice-online.co.uk
voicenewspaper
@thevoicenews
8
SENTRIC DESIGN PROJECTS: 8.
Eco-friendly rotary display
9.
Complete turnkey solution incorporated and automated display concept for West side Retail Store, Watford
10. Converted kitchen for a small family
Continued from page 33
BRITs are fascinated by home makeover TV shows and yet when it comes to interior design so many of us opt to do it ourselves. James Balogun the CEO of Sentric Design answers the typical questions asked by people thinking about hiring a professional interior designer...
HOW DO I BOOK A CONSULTATION WITH YOUR COMPANY? Please visit our website: www.sentricdesignltd.co.uk where you can find all the contact detail. Give us a call or email us to arrange a visit. PHONE: 01707 244515 EMAIL: INFO@SENTRICDESIGNLTD.CO.UK
9
Why use a professional Interior designer? Hiring a professional can be a wise decision and thoroughly rewarding. Not only will you save a great deal of time and money but it is headache and stress free. What services can you expect from Sentric Interiors? We give you a professional evaluation on what’s possible and advise on the best way to go, which leads to a solid plan of action. I guess, the advantage with hiring Sentric Design is that we also have contacts and connections to unlimited resources and materials that are not available to the public. Is using an interior designer very expensive? Now days, interior design is no longer the preserve of the rich and famous. Most people can afford to hire a good interior designer today at a reasonable budget. How do I make sure my own taste is not compromised? Great question, back to back feedback and communication can help making sure your taste stays central to the vision after all your space is your identity and little piece of heaven - it’s suppose to say something about you. The most important thing to bear in mind when you brief an interior design firm is to understand exactly what you want to achieve and to have a strong image around what you hope to accomplish. This definitely adds value to the direction of the overall project, and manages expectations on both sides. Will an interior designer work within my budget? We get asked this all the time. It really depends on the Interior design firm, some designers are not very comfortable working on budget. Although, at Sentric Design we think that this is doable if both designer and client agree to work together - open transparency is key.
10
Can I use an interior designer for just one room? Absolutely yes, matter of fact you can use an interior designer for a corner of your room. Can I just hire an interior designer for an evaluation and conceptual 3D visual? It varies some firms may be limited on service or skills such as 3D visual and some may not prepared to work partially, but all things are possible in this business. If you’re just concern about end results, 3D visual language is an effective solution beforehand although this comes with price tag but it’s well worth. Can I include my own ideas and specific pieces of furniture into an interior design scheme? What is a home without pieces of statement hanging or placed somewhere with pride. Although I would suggest that you inform the designer as early as possible in the building process, so this doesn’t create confusion later. Talk to me about client reaction to spaces you have interior designed for hotels or business and for residential private clients? We often get the ‘wow ‘factor. That’s the priceless memorable reaction every interior design firm strives for. We are trained to think differently spatially and to see an overall picture that clients often can’t see. Thinking outside of the box is what designers do all day long. A couple have decided to rent or buy a new flat or house together what are the three main interior design booby traps they must avoid? 1.An inexpensive paint job as that doesn’t last more than a couple of years. 2. Don’t overcrowd rooms with furniture. Keep it simple and create room for space. 3. It is not a race to the finish. Effective interior designing can sometimes requires a lot of planning and organization. If you rush through a few
steps, you may find yourself making decisions that have unfortunate consequences. Take your time and be patience. Name the interior designers who have influenced your career or inspire your work? Actually, I don’t have a single source of inspiration. Ideas can come to me anywhere at any time. I tend to sketch quite often at night, and sometimes I jump out of bed in the middle of the night just to sketch it out quickly. I’m very familiar with Kelly Hoppen, Philippe Starck and David Adjaye’s works. I have a lot of respect for their creations, which have contributed significantly to the scene. I’m not following anyone at this point but I do keep a keen eye in trends through magazines such as Wallpaper, Elle, Corre77 and many others. I get energised by the past great pieces of Bauhaus students. What support did you get with setting up your business? I attended the Princes Trust program few years ago, although I never received the funding I was expecting to kick-start the business, I was introduced to my mentor, Joe Lewis, who is now a good friend. It’s hard to find someone believe in your dreams even when you’re totally knocked down by circumstances -but he never gives up on me. What’s your reaction to African and Caribbean business in the UK’s approach to interior design for their retail spaces? I’ve spent great deal of my time visiting African and Caribbean restaurants and retail spaces both in and outside London. I think we are not responding to changes effectively, as a result they’re losing market share and missing all the action. Regardless the size and shapes of your space you can attract your audience in millions of ways. You don’t have to spend a fortune to create an OMG shopping experience, it’s only matter of thinking outside the
box. More needs to be done. If you are a single woman what is the number one interior design tip you’d give to attract her future spouse? I’m don’t think cuddly toys lined up on her bed, represent a good design move nor does it represent a lady. I would say just be yourself, don’t try what you’re not sure of, get the professional involved and let the real you shine through. You are a Product and Interior Designer, Engineer and Inventor. How would you like to be described? This is what makes Sentric Design so unique. I guess I’m fortunate enough to have a background in engineering, in art, and interior design through family business. I enjoy solving problems through creativity. I’ve done so many projects and designs that I even forgot about. I have couple of inventions I’m pushing through IP at the moment and few more in my secret pads. I really don’t know what tomorrow would bring but I feel good today that if you give me a pen and blank sheet perhaps I might just contribute. What is your last word on those tempted to use your service but are unsure? I can honestly say that creativity is in our DNA at Sentric Design, what we do best and breath is design. We are mixed of old wisdoms with years of experience in the sector and young vibrant individual with great skills. Try us today and we will exceed your expectations.
SENTRIC DESIGN OFFER 10% DISCOUNT FOR VOICE READERS
www.sentricdesignltd.co.uk