When Interiors and Events Speak the Same Language

There is a quiet but profound relationship between interior design and event design. Both shape how people feel in space. Both orchestrate mood, movement, texture, proportion and light. And both, at their best, tell a story that feels instinctive rather than imposed.

For me, event design has always begun with the same principles that underpin thoughtful interior design: respect for architecture, sensitivity to context, and a deep understanding of how people inhabit space. Whether we are working within a historic private house, a contemporary gallery, a rural estate or an empty field, the goal remains the same — to create environments that feel coherent, intentional and emotionally resonant.

An event should never feel like it has been dropped into a space. It should feel as though it belongs there.

Designing Within Existing Architecture

When designing an event inside a property, the building itself becomes our primary collaborator. Its proportions, materials, light, flow and history all inform the design language. Much like an interior designer, we begin by listening to the space: understanding its rhythm, its strengths, its tensions and its idiosyncrasies.

A Georgian drawing room, for example, calls for a different visual vocabulary than a converted Cotswold barn or a minimalist contemporary home. Ceiling heights, window lines, wall textures and architectural detailing dictate scale, palette and layering. In these settings, event design becomes a form of curation rather than domination - enhancing what already exists rather than overpowering it.

This is where restraint becomes a design tool. Rather than competing with strong interiors, we work in dialogue with them: echoing tones, mirroring materials, and allowing negative space to breathe. The most successful interiors-led events often feel deceptively simple - but that simplicity is highly intentional, rooted in proportion, rhythm and balance.

There are, of course, moments when full transformation is the brief. Pipe and drape installations, complete reconfigurations and immersive builds allow us to temporarily rewrite a space entirely. But even then, architectural logic remains paramount. Great transformation does not ignore structure; it reinterprets it.

Building a World from Nothing

In contrast, designing within a marquee or temporary structure is closer to architectural creation. Here, we are not responding to an existing personality - we are inventing one.

A blank canvas brings freedom, but also responsibility. Every decision matters: floor texture, ceiling treatment, lighting temperature, acoustics, spatial flow, sightlines, scale. There is no inherited atmosphere to rely on. We must design not just decor, but a complete experiential environment.

Yet even in these moments of total creative autonomy, context still reigns.

A sailcloth tent in the middle of rolling countryside asks for a different aesthetic language than a city garden or coastal estate. Landscape becomes our architecture. Light becomes our ceiling. Horizon lines shape how we layer depth and drama.

In rural settings, there is often a natural pull toward organic materials, softened palettes, tactile linens, natural timber and restrained elegance - a visual language that sits comfortably within the surrounding environment. That said, contrast can be powerful. A sculptural, modern installation placed within a historic or pastoral setting can create extraordinary tension when done with intention and intelligence.

The key lies in discernment. Juxtaposition must feel purposeful, not trend-led.

The Art of Discernment

True design leadership is not about following fashion cycles. It is about developing a visual philosophy - point of view - that transcends trend while remaining culturally current.

My work is rooted in a belief in timeless modernity: spaces that feel relevant today, but will still feel elegant and intelligent in twenty years’ time. I am drawn to texture over excess, restraint over ostentation, atmosphere over spectacle. I find inspiration in artists, in architecture, in considered retail environments, and in the quiet sophistication of spaces that privilege emotion and experience above visual noise.

This is not luxury as logo, nor opulence as performance. It is luxury as intelligence, curation and emotional fluency.

In an era saturated with hyper-stylised aesthetics and algorithm-driven sameness, the most compelling design statement is individuality. Clients today are increasingly seeking spaces that reflect their personal identity rather than borrowed trends. They want environments that feel lived-in, cultured and layered - not formulaic.

Designing for Emotional Memory

Ultimately, both interior and event design serve the same purpose: to shape how people remember a moment.

We remember how a space made us feel long after we forget how it looked.

That feeling might be intimacy, expansiveness, warmth, anticipation, joy, reverence, calm. It is created through proportion, lighting, sound, tactility, flow and atmosphere - not simply through visual styling.

This is why cohesive design matters. When architecture, interiors, event design, music, scent, lighting and hospitality align, the result is something quietly powerful: a sense of ease, belonging and immersion.

It is not about spectacle. It is about resonance.

And it is in this space - between design, emotion and experience - that the most meaningful events are created.