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Industry Profile
INDUSTRY PROFILE: DESIGNER
SOPHIE-LOUISE BYNAM
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Sophie-Louise Bynam is a designer at Channel Island Ceramics, who won the ‘Industry Supplier of the Year’ award at the recent Guernsey Property and Construction Awards. Sophie has worked at the company for around two and a half years and we spoke to her about her route to the role and what she enjoys about the job.
TELL US ABOUT THE CAREER PATH TO GET TO YOUR CURRENT ROLE?
After completing my Masters in London, I stayed and worked as a freelance interior architect/designer on residential and commercial projects for various different firms. These included everything from a private residence to retail spaces and museums and the roles included drawing and planning for both. Eventually I decided it was time to return to Guernsey and this new challenge as designer at Channel Island Ceramics came up.
WHAT QUALIFICATIONS OR TRAINING HAVE YOU HAVE UNDERTAKEN?
My love of interiors started at the University of Brighton with a BA Hons in Interior Architecture. On returning to Guernsey, I then completed a house renovation which further inspired my love of design. A year later I went on to complete my Interior Design Masters degree in London. Having studied art and design and photography throughout school, my passion runs deep for anything to do with the industry, right down to the tiles I like to use in my designs and how they are made.
DESCRIBE YOUR CURRENT ROLE AND WHAT IT INVOLVES.
I am currently working as a designer. The role tends to include an initial meeting with clients in the showroom where I run through the products we can offer. Once we have had this meeting, the next step is to go to the site to measure and survey. I look at every aspect of the bathroom right down to the heating system of the house to know which brassware we can offer.
The designs are then drawn up for bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchens or living rooms and can often expand to us designing the whole interior including the tiles and colours of paint. These areas are then the designer’s job to look after and we are required to visit the sites as they are fitted as well as resolve any issues which may arise on the way.
WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?
It tends to be a real mix. Most days I do design work, along with this I usually have several site visits which may be for new measurements or to ensure we are keeping up to date with everything happening on site and communicating
with fitters to overcome issues which inevitably come up.
WHAT ARE YOUR AMBITIONS FOR YOUR CAREER GOING FORWARD?
There is definitely a lot more for me to learn on the practical side of design, every day a new challenge comes up which I have to solve. I always want to continue on the path of design and to perhaps become more involved in the sourcing of new products and to begin working on the whole ‘scheme’ of designing houses from the plans right down to the tile and carpet choices. Bringing someone’s vision to life is an incredible feeling.
WHAT DO YOU MOST ENJOY ABOUT THE ROLE?
The satisfaction of looking after your job while it is being fitted and seeing the end product is always very rewarding. Being an designer in larger firms can sometimes mean you become a ‘cog’ in a machine and you don’t always see the job completed. Personally I have really enjoyed the practical knowledge you gain working closely with plumbers and builders alike, this gives you a much wider perspective of what and how designs can be achieved in the ‘real world’.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHALLENGES OF YOUR JOB?
It has to be time. I always have several jobs on the go at once, so I am not only looking after the design side of the work but also the fitting of the rooms as well. I am constantly popping to site to ensure the room is ‘coming to life’ as I had imagined, not a bad thing as it certainly keeps you on your toes.
HOW HAVE YOU SEEN THE INDUSTRY CHANGE IN YOUR TIME?
Certainly since my time at university people are no longer playing it safe, open plan living and ‘indoor/outdoor’ spaces have definitely come into the UK market. The idea that the space flows from the interior to the exterior, perhaps with the use of the same tiles, has made a huge impact on the way we design our homes.
HOW DO YOU SEE THE INDUSTRY EVOLVING IN THE FUTURE?
I think people are willing to experiment more now so we will see further progression into innovative ways to create environmentally friendly housing, as well as new materials to build the houses. One movement which we are seeing more and more are pre-fabricated houses that arrive on trucks and are built in days – there is definitely room here to grow with this style of construction.
WHEN DESIGNING A KITCHEN/BATHROOM, WHAT ADVICE DO YOU GIVE TO CLIENTS?
Generally, it is good to know the style of the room your client is envisaging – whether it be modern or traditional as this can greatly affect the product choice. After this it is definitely important to get down to the practicalities and the site visit. Where can the WC or shower basin go in terms of wastes? What is the existing makeup of the room? Those questions are important as the last thing you want to do is sell a design which isn’t possible. But after this it is down to the fun stuff such as colour schemes and tile choices. I always try to choose a select few items which I believe the client would love as it can otherwise get very overwhelming with the vast array of choices.
WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON MISTAKES PEOPLE MAKE?
Perhaps not appreciating the time it can take to get your dream design to completion. It is always beneficial to start these things early as it makes the whole process much more relaxing. There is a surprising amount of product knowledge needed to sell bathrooms, kitchens and bedrooms, from the way the tiles are made to the way an oven works so it is always nice to be able to go through this with the client thoroughly to ensure you are choosing the right items for them.
DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL DESIGN IF YOU WERE CREATING A SPACE FOR YOURSELF.
The industrial movement is one I love. Natural materials, be it weathered woods or worn copper colours. The dark blues, browns and blacks which all go so well together despite what you were always told. Dark, sultry interiors is definitely how I would design my dream home. This is something people tend to shy away from, but especially in a bathroom with the correct lighting it can be so effective and create a beautiful relaxing atmosphere. The large format tile movement is also a huge interest of mine, the slabs that they are creating these days are stunning, something along these lines in dark deep colours, along with copper brassware would be my dream bathroom.
Designer
FACTFILE
THE JOB
Projects typically begin with the designer touring the property and meeting the client to understand the needs before designing the space and estimating timeframes and costs. They will then source the materials and often manage the project to completion.
THE SKILLS
Designers need to ensure their work is not only aesthetically appealing but also works on a functional level. Good computer skills are necessary as designs are usually conceptualised using CAD software and, increasingly, virtual reality equipment. Organisational skills are fundamental as the role involves procuring goods and liaising with fitters, electricians and plumbers to ensure the project is completed on time.
THE QUALIFICATIONS
There is no official requirement for qualifications in the area but designers have often completed a degree in interior design or a similar creative subject.
SERVICEEVERYSTEPOFTHE WAY
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Alongsidethatdesignexpertise,theteamatLuxioso suppliesarangeoffurniturethatcancatertoalltastes. From the modern, elegant functionality of Cesar kitchenstothetraditionalheritagelookofDavonportor theGermanprecisionofSchüller,theteamcansupply somethingthatsuitsyourspaceandfitsyourlifestyle.
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Mr.Hogson
Fordeveloperslookingtofitouttheirproperties, Luxiosocanhelpthroughouttheproject–from planningthespacetoprovidingthefurniture andmanagingthefittingifnecessary.Theteam hasawealthofexperienceondevelopment projects and can also offer a competitive development range of kitchens and bathrooms. They are happy to work with developerstosupporttheprojectasmuchoras littleasisneeded,whetherthatissimplyby supplyingqualityfurnitureorarrangingfortheir teamofexpertfitterstoensureeverythingisjust right.
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WhileeverythingintheLuxiososhowroomsays luxury, it doesn’t necessarily come at a prohibitivepricepoint.Theteamhasalways beendeterminedtohavearangeofsuppliers to suit various budgets, although quality is alwaysparamount.
Thatdriveforqualityextendstotheappliancessuppliedbythecompany.Theyarea Miele partner forintegratedequipment,andamaindealerfor Bosch integratedappliances.Othermajornames theycansupplyinclude Franke wastedisposal, Gerberit sanitarywareandthepopular Quooker boilingwatertapsforkitchens. Luxiosoknowthatprovidingabespokeserviceisallinthedetails,sotheirexpertisestretchesfar furtherthandesignandappliances.Theycanofferafullrangeoftilingandworktopsincluding granite, Silestone,Dekton andlaminates,andevenalightingrangeforthefinalfinishingtouches. Aswellasofferingoptionsfromtheirglobalspecialistsuppliers,Luxiosoalsousearangeoflocal supplierstoprovidethestoneandtilesfortheirprojects.
WhileavisittothespaciousLuxiososhowroominStMartin’sforinitialinspirationisalwaysadvised, theteamhasnolimittotheoptionstheycanpresentyouwith,thankstotheirspecialistvirtualreality software.Putonapairof3Dgogglesandyoucanbetransportedtoyourdreamroomwiththe 360 degreeviewsystem,VirtualWorld. Thisgroundbreakingsoftwareallowsyoutoseethedesign cometolife,andtheinteractivedesignallowsforinstantchanges.Theonlyproblemmightbe makingadecisionwhenyouseehowgoodeverythingtheysuggestlooks.
