This month we ask Rebecca Harris at Dapa Interiors to tell us what it’s like to work in interior design for show homes and marketing suites.

KR: How long have you worked at Dapa Interiors and why did you decide to specialise in interior design for show homes?

RH: I have worked at Dapa for nearly six years and I am a senior sales manager which means I manage the large interior design projects from conception through to installation. As a youngster at school, I was good at art and always had a passion and an eye for colour, details, shapes and form. I love colour and detail, and homes are so much more personal, so I became a show home interior designer.

KR: Tell me about the work you are doing with one of your clients? 

RH: I am working on two projects with Kebbell at the moment, Misbourne House at Gerrards Cross and Meadow Court in Iver. Our directors worked with Kebbell eight or nine years ago and then we bumped into them at the WhatHouse? Awards and we got back in touch and it is fantastic to be working together again.

KR: How long do you stay on a project at any one time?  

RH: Taking Misbourne House as an example, we have been working with Kebbell since pre-Christmas 2020. After winning the work we may be involved in CGIs, followed by a lot of creative designing and then planning. A project of this size (eight, two to three-bedroom apartments) will take about a week to fully install.  Installation involves delivering all items to site, fitting window treatments, furniture, artwork and styling.

KR: What skills do you need to be an interior designer for show homes?

RH; Designing for a show home is very different to designing for private interiors. You are not designing to suit someone’s personal taste but working to a brief to create the look and feel so potential buyers can then imagine themselves living in that house and ultimately create sales for the client.

KR: What are the biggest issues facing your industry at the moment?

RH: A shortage of supply is affecting our clients in terms of timber, tiles, plumbing parts and so on, but we are also seeing furniture and wallpaper supplies being held up. There are bottlenecks for the industry as a whole and we have to factor it into every job. Demand has of course also gone through the roof too as developers are more ready to launch their developments.

KR: How important are environmental issues compared to 10 years ago?

RH: Our clients are increasingly asking for UK made products for less footprint, that are also sustainable. Our stylists and designers consider all sorts of things like fillers for cushions and where materials are sourced from. We have another division called HUB where all the furniture and packaging is sustainable, recyclable and made in the UK.

KR: Tell us about your typical day.

RH: My day varies so much but I am up at 5am if I am going into the office, otherwise I get up between 6-6:30am and might do some exercise and then I am ready to start work between 07:30-8am. On a typical day I might be briefing a designer on a new project and looking at a scheme that another designer is working on.

I prepare pitches, present and show sample boards and digital design boards. I attend meetings with colleagues and directors where we discuss current and forthcoming projects and I have meetings with clients. I may go to site and do a recce and take a look around at the area, the people, the shops, and get a feel for the lifestyle and who lives there. I am onsite during the installation to oversee everything.

I typically work until 6-7pm, sometimes 8pm if I am travelling back from site and then running through designs, so that the design team have feedback ready for the next day.

KR: What’s on trend for show homes at the moment?

RH: Because of the pandemic and the restrictions we have all faced, homeowners want to bring the outside in; natural light has never been more important. We are also bringing more plants indoors and using beautiful colour combinations of Mediterranean blues and greens with a colour pop perhaps of rust.

KR: What key trends are you incorporating into kitchen spaces at the moment?

RH: Open plan kitchen/family & dining areas are perfect for modern living for both the family and entertaining with friends.  There are so many available on-trend finishes to choose from depending on house design, from your classic shaker style to high gloss to concrete finishes.  Often colours are combined with tall & base units in one colour with the wall cabinets in a second colour. 

Halo lighting to the plinth is increasingly desirable, in addition to the under cabinet lighting.  In the kitchen, I love a breakfast bar, with hanging drop pendants and feature bar stools

KR: What do you think makes a home a home?

RH: For our clients, we need to make sure that potential buyers will walk through the door and feel that feeling, when you just know this is the right home.

As a homeowner, you want to know that your friends and family can walk into your house and know its yours because it reflects who you are but most importantly that you feel really good in your own home and that it’s a lovely place to come home to. 

To find out more visit https://kebbell.co.uk;  Home | DAPA Interiors (interiorsbydapa.co.uk)