Meet the Experts #1: Our In-House Senior FF&E Designer
There are many components to interior design, and FF&E design takes up a highly specialised and specific part of the discipline. However, our Senior FF&E Designer, Laura, details her role at Studio iF as a diverse and dynamic one. Read on to find out more about her experience.
This is the first in our Meet the Experts series, where we reveal the stories and some tips and tricks from the interior design specialists in our studio. Stay tuned to meet our other experts!
What do you do as an FF&E designer at Studio iF?
Generally in FF&E, we do material and furniture selection, as well as style spaces. The selection process can be quite collaborative too, as there are moments where I work closely with our clients and take them down to showrooms to check out materials and furniture together. We also do things such as material and furniture specifications for projects during the documentation phase. At times, we work together with the DD team to produce drawings. We also curate the mood imagery that sets the tone for the space.
In the FF&E divisions of larger companies, you might only have such roles. However, in Studio iF, my role is a lot more expanded and varied. The advantage of working in a smaller company is that you get to participate in a lot of different areas of designing. You get to assume multiple roles that aren’t limited to just picking out furniture. The role in our studio is less specific, and more focused on the full-picture. For example, you can also have a say in what the wall design is, and what the entire space is. You can then also work on the styling after.
How did you get into FF&E design?
I started out doing hospitality design at a big company and they had a lack of FF&E capabilities then – that was how I started. I’ve worked in different areas in design and FF&E is actually my favourite.
What do you enjoy most about FF&E design?
I like that it’s a role that is very active, in the sense that you’re not just sitting down at your desk doing repetitive things. You constantly move around: you go to showrooms, go into the material library, and you get to see new exciting furniture pieces, even go to the site to see installations. You get to communicate with suppliers too, so it’s very social. It’s a role that has a lot of variety to what you do, so I think that’s very exciting.
Styling is also my favourite part of FF&E – it’s kind of like the finishing touches to a project and it really makes the difference. All these little things at the end are what brings everything together to elevate and accentuate the final design.
Are there any memorable moments or favourite projects you’ve encountered in your experience so far?
I really enjoyed working on the Jervois Mansion (JRK) showflats. Due to the nature of our field, with every project, everyone always starts out so excited. But there are so many unpredictable things that can happen along the way and you might not be able to work on it from start to finish, or see it entirely through.
Close up details of the master bedroom in the Jervois Mansion showflat
For JRK, I was able to work on it in pretty much every single phase of the project. It was very fast-paced – I started on the design part of it in the initial stages, and then the documentation; and finally finished it off with the styling on-site. Being able to participate in it fully was great, and when you’re able to see a project through and experience various sides of it, I think it’s quite exciting. It’s always thrilling to see something go from nothing to something. It was also nice because the client gave us some freedom towards the end of the project.
Custom furniture like chairs were also designed for the Jervois Mansion showflat to add personalised touch to the space.
Do you have any challenges that you face as an FF&E designer, and how do you overcome them?
Sometimes in the design phase, you can get really stressed if there’s a deadline, pressure from the client, or a tight timeline, etc. and you need to make things work. In moments of stress, it’s always important to always go back to the basics that you’ve learnt in design school.
For example, if you’re looking at a render and determine that the colours are not working out, you might revisit colour theory. If there’s a problem with proportions, you might relook into principles of balance. Going back to these basics will always take you to the right answer. Usually what I try to do is examine things in a logical way; so if something is not working out, I try to figure out what it is specifically. And quite often it is just these design principles that you haven’t been following.
You can also learn a lot from your colleagues and apply them in various situations, especially in this company. I think people have learnt a lot from Gwen – she’s very calm. I learnt a lot from her actually; about her design and her perspectives and how she can pinpoint very quickly what’s not working. That has helped navigate some of these challenges I face at work.
Any advice you might share with aspiring designers?
The great thing about interior design is that there are so many components to it. Different parts of design excite different people. It’s good to find a role that aligns with your personal interests and personality.
If you enjoy pulling together different components to create the overall mood, or look and feel of the space, FF&E might be a potential place for you to explore. It’s also great for someone who enjoys very hands-on exploration with materials.
A 3D designer role might be great for those who enjoy production. If you don’t enjoy running around all the time, you might not like the FF&E position. If you prefer not having to communicate with so many clients, a project manager role might not be it.
Share with us some furniture brands or designers you love.
There’re so many, it’s so hard to pick! I think that for me, in terms of design, one of my most favourite designers is Patricia Urquiola, a very prolific Spanish architect, interior and furniture designer.
Her designs are very contemporary, while feminine at the same time. She designs for multiple companies – even famous ones – and quite often when I look at different designs and find something cool, I discover that they’re designed by her. One of her works I really enjoy is Tufty-Time by B&B Italia.
Modular sofa, Tufty-Time by Patricia Urquiola for B&B Italia. (Photo from: SPACE Furniture)
There is also this Australian brand called SP01 that has really cool, streamlined and contemporary furniture. In general, I gravitate towards contemporary and usable pieces that I would like to own myself. With design, of course it should be beautiful, but it’s also important that they work with your daily life.