GM Interiors

GEMMA MCDONNELL INTERIORS

Jacqui Priestley caught up with Gemma McDonnell of GM Interiors in Wokingham, recently, and discussed everything from painting shutters in France to London Showrooms. Here is what she had to say...

Like many professionals you recently relocated to the leafy suburbs of Berkshire, but what attracted you to the village of Wargrave? After 14 years of living and working in London I longed for a more balanced and slower pace of life for my family. We didn’t know a soul here, but stumbled across Wargrave after a tip-off to the Wokingham area, and it just ticked so many boxes for us. It seems quite sleepy to drive through the high street, but it’s a brilliant place to raise kids with a great sense of community.

Have you always been interested in design? I have fond early memories of traveling to France during school holidays to paint shutters on a property my nan was renovating. She flipped and converted houses to bedsits over the years and I definitely acquired a passion for bricks and mortar through her. My mum followed suit as a keen DIY’er, she always pushed me to work hard and follow my passion.

How did you get into design? I graduated with a first from university in 2005 and went straight into a design job in London. I worked for a number of agencies, across retail, events and hospitality design and learnt such a breadth of skills and thinking. It was a real hive of talent with a strategic thread but a creative output, which I loved.

Why did you start working for yourself? I found a quote a few years back, which still sits on my bedside, on a faded piece of paper. It says “either find a job you love, or make a job you love”. It really struck a chord with me and ignited a fire.

I was a Design Director at a top agency, but I never felt like I‘d found my happy place. I guess when you go out into the world you strive to climb the ladder, but sometimes lose focus on what really matters. I’d ignored that little voice for over a decade but knew deep down I wanted to work more closely with clients. A pivotal moment came when researching high-end spas for a project. I remember thinking how amazing it would be to bring that feeling of peace and relaxation to homes. It sounds cliche, but

I learnt to listen to myself, trust my gut and look for the signs in that transitional year. I was on maternity leave soon after that, so I created space for those feelings.

What’s your niche? Wellness and wellbeing through good design and planning. The spaces we begin and end our days impact how we think, focus, behave and interact in our lives. Our homes are the only places we can control the environment and have the option to switch off.

I think that good planning is fundamental as it helps to define and support the routines we foster; from stressful morning rushes, to slowing down for family mealtimes. That’s the space in which I operate.

A new client recently said “Gemma, I don’t know what you are, somewhere between an architect, a builder and an interior designer, but I know I need to work with you’. I’m a bit of a hybrid I suppose and it’s something I’m learning to be less apologetic about.

How would you describe your style? I’ve adopted more of a house palette than a house style. I love neutrals that can work across a number of architectures. My taste is calm, understated and timeless through using limited materials and muted tones - that doesn’t necessarily mean devoid of colour, but I lean to earthier colours and simple textures.

It’s important to choose a designer who has an aesthetic you relate to so there’s a shared vision and passion there from the offset. Design can be very subjective.

What influences you? Nature, without a doubt. I love the stillness, the ever-changing colours, the contrasting textures and above all, the sounds. I’ll never forget sitting at the top of a glacier in Switzerland years ago, it was about the only time in my life I experienced true silence and I would love to recapture moments like that. Two children later, it’s all but a distant memory!

What would your ideal project look like? I love getting ingrained in projects from their conception, so being with the client and the wider team to share the big vision on a full renovation is when I feel happiest and at my best.

I’m a practical gal, but I also love beautiful, elevated design. I’d love to design a space where I can really consider emotional responses through materiality and tactility.

You have come a long way in a short time. What does 2023 hold for Gemma Mcdonnell Interiors? I’d love a couple of big renovation projects where I can really focus my energies this year - a mix of residential and commercial would be great as I love the cross-pollination.

I did a London showroom for Welltek last year, and some office design master planning for a financial cooperative with wellbeing at its core. I also worked on interior blueprints for a beautiful start-up travel / accommodation company, so I’m hoping to see some of that come to life.

Gemma, we all look forward to seeing more of GM Interiors in and around Wokingham and we all wish you the very best for the future.

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