DE S IGN CENTRE
VICTORIA BARKER
Having started her career as a florist, Barker studied at KLC School of Design before working for interior design Nicola Harding, striking out on her own in 2019. Her studio is based behind a shopfront in central London’s Connaught Village.
What have you become known for? I struggle to answer when people ask me what my style is. I adore colour – used in a calm and considered manner – layered patterns, lots of warm, natural finishes and well-considered details. I source a lot of unusual antiques for projects, and I am conscious about using beautiful, locally made furniture.
Is there any business advice you wish you’d known when you started out? How to manage clients’ expectations. Nobody really knows what you may discover, how much it will all cost or how long it may take when working on beautiful old properties. Juggling these alongside the execution of our ideas can be a challenge at times.
What projects are you working on? This year is going to be incredibly exciting. We have a very pretty house in the French countryside, a charming Edwardian townhouse in London, a manor in Ascot and we are coming to the end of a three-year project on a new-build home in Oxfordshire.
What’s your latest discovery at the Design Centre? I was delighted to be introduced to [House Guest] Christopher Moore at Focus/22 – I can't believe I didn’t already know them. I also loved the new collections at Tim Page Carpets, which we work with on many of our projects.
INTERIOR FOX
Designers Jenna Choate-James and Mariana Ugarte met working as home stylists in retail, but had a yearning to start something on their own, founding Interior Fox in 2016. What started as an e-design business for international clients has now grown into working on more substantial projects, focused mainly in London.
What have you become known for? Neither of us grew up in the UK [Choate-James
is from the US, and Ugarte is from the Philippines] so our designs are more global, which attracts lots of clients who also have mixed international backgrounds. Clean black lines have been an easy way to add architectural elements to century-old properties, but on the flip side of that, we adore pattern and fabric and will use any opportunity to create bespoke furniture and decor.
What inspires you? Mostly people and travelling. Growing up with tons of sunshine impacted the way we see colour and texture. We crave the intensity of natural fabrics, patterned weaves and organic materials juxtaposed with modern futuristic shapes. Right now, we feel a slight lean towards older architectural finds, antiques and repurposed artwork, pulled together in an approachable modern way.
What projects have you got coming up? We’re looking forward to some larger home renovations starting soon, as well as a personal home project in Milan. We are also manifesting the design of a boutique hotel or a cool cocktail bar…
What’s your latest discovery at the Design Centre? We get sidetracked every time we go to the Design Centre. Recently what stuck in our heads were Larsen’s collections at Colefax and Fowler, for curtain fabrics, which we hope to use in future projects.
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