EXPERT INTERVIEW
Interview with design experts Retro House How was Retro House Design established? Design is still viewed as elite only, and so not enough people benefit from it; I think innovative design can drastically improve our houses often at little cost. I enjoy creating elegant and timeless, yet comfortable spaces that reflect the needs, identities, and aesthetics of each client. The goal is to create a compelling space, that no matter where life takes you, home is always your favourite place to be.
What’s different about your company? Expressing the client’s vision in a timeless creation. Designing unique spaces and creating comfortable homes with a lasting aesthetic that evolve with your life. It is a pleasure to get to know my clients and understand their lifestyle and habits so as to offer a made to measure experience. My favourite part of the project is my client’s reaction when they step into their new home for the first time and they can’t decide which room is their favourite as they constantly go back and forth to compare and choose their new bedrooms.
What encouragement would you give to a potential client who is considering contacting you but maybe hesitating? I understand the limitations of a budget and believe that great space doesn’t need to be expensive. Bringing in an architect early on can protect and add lasting value to your investment, ensure that the works are undertaken in the most efficient manner, ensure maximum functionality and give you pleasure every day you spend living in your home.
Is there a project you are most proud of? Working for a young development company that had bought a mixed-use building in Oxford, the shop on the ground floor became vacant as businesses suffered during Covid. The developer wanted to imagine a space that would have the flexibility to be used in different ways given the uncertainty coming out of the pandemic. I created a plan for a space that could work either as a retail unit, an office, a home office or a two-bed flat. We built a glass atrium that acted as a corridor to a two-room rear extension, whilst enhancing the feeling of space and light. Adding a kitchen in the middle of the property created a separation that could be used to divide the client space from the rear offices in a commercial configuration or the living area from the sleeping area in a residential configuration.
Favourite thing about living and working in South West London? We are very lucky we live in a city with so much history and a very rich architecture. The inspiration is everywhere around us, the lovely and unique nature, the river, it’s in the air we breathe; I take and use it to create a place that works for my neighbours, somewhere they can feel right at home. 32
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