YEOWARD AT HOME | MEET THE DESIGNER: CLARE WILLIAMS
YEOWARD AT HOME | MEET THE DESIGNER: CLARE WILLIAMS
In our latest 'Meet the Designer' instalment we met up with Clare Williams to see her latest London penthouse project, and dig a little deeper into her creative style and influences. Established in 1999, Clare Williams Interior Design has grown into a world renowned design studio, highly regarded by both private clients and property developers. With Clare's calm, professional and friendly attitude it is no wonder her clients not only feel like they are in incredibly safe hands but have a completely stress-free experience with the end results being simply stunning… we can't wait to show you!
WY: Can you tell us a bit about your background, how you got into the world of interiors and how Clare Williams Interior Design studio came to be?
CW: After spending some years in South Africa and discovering my passion for interiors, my design career begun when I studied at the Inchbald School of Interior Design in London and initially gained experience working in both the architectural and interior design sides of the industry before launching my own studio 24 years ago.
WY: What do you enjoy most about your job and what do you find the most challenging about your work?
CW: I thoroughly enjoy transforming spaces and bringing the ideas and visions of our clients to life. It is always rewarding creating the most beautiful interiors for our clients to enjoy. I would say the most challenging work would be designing in London where space is limited and can bring more design restrictions.
PRINCES GATE PENTHOUSE APARTMENT
We were lucky enough to have a private tour of this London Penthouse apartment. Arriving in the private lift, the entrance hall was simply stunning and the views over Hyde Park were breathtaking, but it was Clare's ability to turn this space into such a comfortable yet contemporary environment that truly blew us away. Take a look inside…
WY: Can you tell us a bit about the client brief and what was your inspiration behind this project?
CW: Our Princes Gate Penthouse is located in a very desirable location overlooking Hyde Park, and therefore the property needed to appeal to the luxury rental property market within the area. Our studio was given free rein to design the penthouse incorporating and reflecting our own design styles.
WY: What was your favourite part of this project and why?
CW: I enjoyed every aspect of this project as we had a great team however it is always exciting when you start to see the new spaces emerge and form their purpose. In this project, it was a great relief when the floors were finally completed as beneath them we had to accommodate and conceal many of the services and we were finally able to see more of the design concept come to life.
WY: What were the biggest hurdles to overcome for this project?
CW: Our biggest hurdle in this project was getting everything up to the 8th floor without using any of the buildings common parts and thanks to the a very comprehensive hoist attached to the exterior of the building we managed it!!
Click here to shop Clare Williams Princes Gate Penthouse Look
ISLE OF WHITE FAMILY HOME
One of our favourite projects of hers (and not just because it features lots of amazing William Yeoward pieces!) is Clare's Isle of White family home. Mirroring its surroundings the blue and white colour palette truly sings to us and her use of fabrics and textures combine together to create an interior haven that feels lived in and special.
WY: In three words, describe the look you were going for?
CW: Warm family home.
WY: We love your use of fabric, texture and colour in this space. Any tips on putting together a scheme with different colours and patterns so it works cohesively all as one space?
CW: The clients particularly wanted some warm tones mixed in with the blues and whites. Complementary colours and textures can create a warm and fun look within an interior. When it comes to injecting colour and pattern, don’t shy away from looking at adventurous, bold use of colour and using accessories with a hint of texture. This pops of colour and texture will bring the scheme to life. There I used fabrics from William Yeoward, Hodson Mckenzie, Larsen, Colefax & Fowler, Thibaut, Turnell & Gigon, Robert Langford…
WY: This project has such a homely feel to it. For you, what makes a house feel like a home?
CW: A house feels like a home when you create a space that makes people want to linger in it. Creating areas where people can come together, relax and be surrounded by a combination of personal artifacts, luxurious upholstered pieces and precious items they have collected on their way.
We loved using the William Yeoward Atworth dining chairs and barstools, Heronsford sofas and Palmer chairs, the Bickerton sideboard, the Karinta console and a number of WY rugs in this space.
Click here to shop Clare Williams Isle of White Look
WY: Finally, do you have a favourite WY piece?
CW: We have worked with William Yeoward for many years, sourcing many quality and quirky feature pieces for our projects. My latest favourites would be the dining room table and sideboards in our Princes Gate Project from the William Yeoward Brinkston range.
