Creating a home with a global story

After years living in Singapore, Sue and her husband returned to West Berkshire with a treasured collection of furniture, art and rugs from their life abroad – and a spacious new-build home that couldn't have felt more different. They knew their cherished pieces deserved better than to sit awkwardly against bland walls, but they didn't know how to bridge the gap and create the contemporary calm they craved. That's where we came in.

When Sue and her husband walked through the doors of their newly purchased West Berkshire home, they carried with them memories and treasures from years spent living in Singapore. The distinctive pieces of furniture, art and rugs that told stories of their time abroad were very important to them, but felt out of place in the blank canvas of a new build. At a loss as to how to make these pieces work in their new home, they asked us to help them refurbish the entire ground floor of their new home and create a cohesive, calm space.

In our initial meetings, the couple spoke confidently about wanting a "modern" look. But as we worked through our invaluable in-depth Colour Psychology and Style assessment and conversations unfolded, it became clear that ‘modern’ meant something quite different to them than it might to others. Unfamiliar with formal design vocabulary, they were searching for words to describe a feeling, rather than a specific design aesthetic. What emerged, as we listened and explored deeper, was that Sue and her husband loved the ‘transitional’ style. Bringing this together with their Oriental pieces, we bridged two worlds, giving space to the treasured pieces of their life abroad while embracing the calm, uncluttered clarity they associated with contemporary living and wanted for their new home.

A Dining room in an open aspect living plan

From Vision to Understanding

We took time to properly understand what Sue and her husband wanted and assess what their carefully collected possessions revealed about their style preferences. Each piece that they wanted to keep came with its own history and deserved a space that would allow it to breathe and be appreciated. This is where listening becomes an art form. What emerged from our work together was an Oriental transitional scheme: this is a style that whispers rather than shouts, that creates harmony, and that celebrates both the old and the new.

Reimagining the Downstairs

The scope of the project was ambitious: a full renovation of the entire downstairs. A vaulted hallway, broken plan kitchen, dining area and snug, living room, and piano room. Six distinct spaces that needed to flow as one coherent narrative to create the warm, calm home our clients were seeking. We began by looking at how the spaces could work for Sue and her husband's daily life. The former dining room became an intimate snug—a cosy retreat that would provide warmth and sanctuary alongside the open, more social energy of the broken plan kitchen and dining areas. Each room, though distinct in function, was clearly connected to the other.

Discovering the Language of Design

Sue and her husband were very honest about struggling to imagine the new spaces we had designed. For them, translating our visuals into reality was just impossible. That’s where our highly realistic renders come into their own and made such a ‘massive’ difference. It allowed Sue and her husband to ‘see’ their new rooms before any work had even begun and to feel totally confident in their decisions. All the rooms had large windows overlooking their newly designed garden – the work of a talented garden designer (Helen Parsons Garden Design) they’d commissioned alongside the interior project.

With such a beautiful backdrop as a constant presence, we knew the interior colour scheme needed to celebrate and complement their view rather than compete with it. In Oriental transitional design, what you leave out is as important as what you include. So, we designed a palette of soft, grounding neutrals and muted tones. These colours created a serene backdrop without being bland beiges or impersonal greys, which the couple wanted to avoid. Against this harmonious colour scheme, the couple’s treasured pieces shone out, creating intentional conversations between cultures and eras. One of Sue's greatest discoveries during the design process was learning the subtle art of layering fabrics and patterns. What initially seemed like "clashing" prints in isolation became, under our careful guidance, a sophisticated blend of texture and tone.

Commissioning bespoke upholstery and window dressings added depth and visual interest while maintaining the overall sense of calm. This was where Sue's genuine enthusiasm for the process truly shone through. Rather than simply signing off on selections, she became an engaged participant in understanding the "why" behind each choice - and loved how her home started to come together.

The Measure of Success

True success in design isn't about trends or accolades. It's the moment a client sits down in their finished home and simply feels right. When Sue told us that the results were "everything I could have wished for" and expressed genuine enthusiasm about the next project, we knew we'd done more than renovate a home. We'd created a beautiful sanctuary that truly reflects who Sue and her husband are. This is the essence of our approach: to listen deeply, to fully understand the unspoken wishes beneath the stated brief, and to create spaces where life doesn't just happen, where it can flourish. Sue's home is living proof that the most beautiful interiors aren't those that follow a formula, but those that reflect a person's story, embrace their treasures, and create room for new memories to grow. A home, like Sue and her husband’s journey, should honour where you've been while embracing where you're going.

picture of a face hangin in a hallway over a table

Creating a home with a global story

From Vision to Understanding

Reimagining the Downstairs

Discovering the Language of Design

The Measure of Success

Other projects