So, if you follow me on the ‘Gram, you’ll know that I’ve made it absolutely no secret that my life is currently nothing but one big interior design Pinterest board (sorry, not sorry). I became a fully-fledged grown-up this year and moved into my very own ~ house ~, and have made it my MO *not* to end up living in another space full of Ikea furniture (no shade to Ikea, though, I still <3 u).
My first port of call was to redo my bedroom. So, naturally, I took to social media to ask my trusty Insta fam which company they’d recommend for the best beds. The Design House won by a landslide, so I slide into their DMs and the rest – as they say – was interior design history.
I was subsequently contacted by the founder, Sharon O’Keeffe, who I worked with closely and meticulously to design my brand-new bed right down to the last thread of the headboard.
I couldn’t possibly walk away without tapping into Sharon’s pearls of interior design wisdom, so ahead, please indulge in her top tips to creating and curating your perfect bedroom.
Sharon O’Keeffe, founder of The Design House
Cosmo Middle East: Tell me about The Design House. Why did you decide to start the company?
Sharon O’Keeffe: It is a furniture design studio here in Dubai, and we customise bespoke high-end pieces using the finest of materials. We also carry a beautiful line of rugs and soft furnishings that have been sourced internationally. The Design House has also launched an online store. It’s very convenient for people who want something a little different but don’t necessarily want to come and see us. They can order it all from the comfort of their homes. Online we stock our full range of beds and mattresses. We also have a range of sofas and ottomans from our furniture collection which are all fully customisable in different sizes, colours, fabrics and finishes.
Cosmo ME: Creating furniture from scratch can often be intimidating. Where should someone start?
S: Don’t do it on your own, find someone who understands what you want, has experience, and allow them to guide you. It can be really overwhelming when you are faced with so many decisions all at once. A simple bed has about 15 decisions for a customer to make – and this is after they have chosen the design. I often laugh when people tell me that they didn’t even think some of what I asked them mattered, but it’s all so important! Like on your bed, for example, where the mattress sits, if the mattress sits 5cm inside the frame this drives some people mad when making the bed and others love it. So, when you’re customising you have the luxury of choice.
Cosmo ME: Walk us through the rest of the process…
S: A client typically shows us a picture of what they want, and from here we encourage them to take that piece and make it their own. They tell us their style, show us pictures of their homes and from this we show them samples of suggested materials, colours, fabrics etc. We also discuss in detail dimensions and proportions in relation to the space of their bedroom, and from here we design! The whole process takes approximately four weeks.
Cosmo ME: What styling tips do you give people when designing furniture to match their existing bedroom?
S: Don’t follow trends. Build it because you love it not because it’s fashionable.
Cosmo ME: How do you change-up a piece of furniture and update it either for new seasons or to elevate a room?
S: I’m a huge fan of fabrics so reupholstering is always something I suggest. We do it a lot for our private clients. If you have an item of furniture that is the perfect size and shape, but the fabric or colour is dragging it down, changing the fabric will make it unrecognisable.
Cosmo ME: What is the biggest interior design mistake people always make in the UAE?
S: I see a lot of people trying to create very high-end luxury pieces of furniture on a very small budget. It is possible but it will not look or feel the same. I am all about being honest and realistic, as I know that the end result will look like a completely different piece and I don’t want my clients disappointed.