Helen Green Design have been profiled in the annual Interior Design Yearbook 2018 discussing the revival of British artisans and craftspeople being instrumental in a renaissance in furniture design.

“Through the fantastic community of makers and brands such as Linley, Sebastian Cox and The New Craftsmen, and the revival of Britain’s artisans and craftspeople, we are definitely seeing a renaissance in furniture design. Indeed, I think the UK has its own distinct offering which sets it apart from its European counterparts; this brilliant union of old skills and customs with new applications and materials and designer collaborations. “Made in England” still holds tremendous value.

Attention to detail coupled with an innate understanding of our client needs is why we get the business we do. In conducting ourselves in this way, we are able to interpret and manage client expectations for furniture requirements. We are busier and more technology driven, therefore our homes and living spaces must be a refuge, comfortable and luxurious yet appeal to us on emotional level through aesthetic details and touches.

Our clients look for furniture, which is both wonderfully comfortable but superlative in terms of fabrics, upholstering, and detailing; never brash but understated. We continue to innovate in the furniture sector by drawing inspiration from the worlds of art, travel, culture, technology and fashion. Our excellent international design team are also at all the major shows and develop their own taste barometer of ‘what is hot’ but always in the context of the Helen Green Design Design Studio clients.

There is an overarching Helen Green Design Studio signature aesthetic to our work, which is about timelessness and comfort, layered textures and clever application of materials and colours. In terms of ensuring proportion and form, our furniture briefs are almost always bespoke pieces selecting specific fabric, finishes, detailing and even the degree of cushioning. This is something we have become recognised for.

The level of work our clients ask for is always so nuanced. We are often asked to build in pieces such as cabinetry, or design specific items of furniture and these cover the full range of options. Our lighting is almost always bespoke because every room has different orientation and scale, and there are a variety of factors to consider to get the look just right.

In terms of budgets and the way clients are spending in the current climate, at the top end of the market where we operate; thankfully this largely doesn’t affect us. We hold our clients’ budgets in the highest respect and liaise very closely with them from day one to determine where they wish to apportion their overall spend. For example, we can make savings on joinery or furniture accordingly if they wish perhaps to accommodate a more luxurious fabric or wall finish. At the discovery and concept development stage, we like to get to know our clients’ personalities, lifestyles, tastes and aspirations for the space. This underpins the development and finishing results to meet their expectations. Looking at other countries whom serve as inspiration to us as furniture designers, we turn to our closest neighbour France for a classical approach in terms of form and style but Italy remains a driving force in terms of design.

Our own network and design library is our greatest resource when looking for materials. Our design team frequently meets the studios at the Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, which is close by. We also love the work of companies like Based Upon who are doing something extraordinary with materiality and concept.

In 2018, we see lighting moving beyond being a feature and into the sculptural, almost furniture arena. It is a concept we have been working with for some time. We are also looking more at brass, which is subtler and warmer than its glossier counterparts. This offsets well with the deep blood burgundy and rust tones coming to the fore. We tend to reference nature to inspire colour palettes and textures, there are so many surprises to be unravelled. We are also seeing the continuation of a ‘quartzy’ palette – dare we say millennial pink, which is very soft and calming.

We have used it in subtle measures for our Crescent Suite at the Berkeley Hotel and it falls effortlessly in to the Helen Green Design Studio palette. The sofa is also getting a lot of attention, it might be dramatic to say but this single piece of furniture can take on an almost preternatural position of ‘life giver’ or at least life saver/enhancer, providing supreme comfort and a haven away from the rigours of 21st Century living. We also like the resurgence of dignified patterns and tailoring treatments, such as houndstooth, checks and tweeds in interiors.”