We caught up with Deborah Fitz to talk all things interiors – lighting inspiration, interiors tips & advice.
@deborahfitz_interiors_
Deborah Fitz Interiors
Q: We’d love to hear a little bit about your background and how you came to work in interiors.
Purely by accident as my dream was to become a fashion designer from a very young age, but I was told at the end of my college course I was far too soft and nice to survive the fashion industry. I was broken hearted and went to work at Laura Ashley and totally loved dressing the windows and doing room displays. I then fell down a trap door in the stockroom and badly damaged my back, and couldn’t work for a year and a half, so studied a degree in interior design whilst off sick. I then started my own business at 21 alongside part-time hours at Laura Ashley and gradually grew my business until I could sustain full time.
Q: What inspires you? How would you describe your style?
Nature inspires me, the colours and textures all around us. I would say my personal style is modern traditional, but when designing for clients I will work with what ever style suits their home and taste.
Q: What is your favourite part of the interior design process?
Fabric is my favourite element of interiors, I always start with this when designing a room, as it sets the stage for the rest of the design, colours etc.
Q: Why is lighting so important in interior design?
Lighting is hugely important in interior design and can bring a room to life. Both the lighting fixtures and the light itself can create so many difference effects and bring another dimension to your space.
Q: What should you consider when choosing lighting?
Always layer your lighting to create different effects and practicalities. Good lighting should allow you to alternate between reading a book and having dim chill lighting.
Q: What one piece of advice would you give when choosing lighting for a room?
Add a dimmer, this way even if your room only has one source of lighting you can create different levels of light.
Q: What trends do you see in the next year for interior design?
I’m not a huge one for trends as I feel that if you research this topic is t is so broad it pretty much covers everything. Trends I do love are Sustainable design choice, with more people becoming mindful of choosing environmentally friendly options. Indestructable fabrics, I mean who doesn’t love the idea of this , especially when they are not just indestructible but also sustainable as mostly made from recycled plastic, and made to look like linen and cotton. Another trend I really love the idea of is dedicated Listening rooms as vinyl becomes more and more popular.
Q: What is your best piece of interiors advice?
I always ask clients to select a collection of interior photos they love. This will instantly show your
taste and allows you to narrow down your choices and hone in on your look.
Q: Which is your favourite project that you have worked on?
That is very hard to answer, probably a complete house I worked on for a client relocating from Hong
Kong. It was lovely to transform a dated home into my clients dream home. The client had beautiful
taste and was very lovely to work alongside, which always helps.
Made in our Warwickshire studio in Leamington Spa.
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