1. You are a multi-faceted and talented woman who dabbles in interior design, furniture design, running an online store and more! How did you get into this industry and how do you manage juggling your roles?
I was a buyer in the corporate world for a very long time, and although I enjoyed it, I always had a yearning to sail my own ship and create beautiful things, be as creative as possible and just explore a part of me that I never could before. I feel like I got my "big break" when we were renovating our first home in Greenpoint. I could not find the type of furniture I was looking for, so I sketched my own ideas and had the pieces made from scratch. When I had enough pieces to put a website together, Stokperd was born. From furniture design, this ventured off into interior designer persona and now home products as well. I love the ability to have multiple projects on the go as it keeps me excited about what I can create next.
2. What is the most rewarding part of designing a new interior space?
As an interior designer, it is about seeing the potential a space has and its ability to be upgraded. I also love seeing a client reaction when they are able to visualise the project through the initial 3D renders. Once the renovation has been completed, it's very rewarding to compare the interior design space from before to after. I generally enjoy every part of the process from beginning to end, but the client’s joy at the reveal makes all the stress worth it everytime.
3. Where do you draw your inspiration from?
My inspiration starts when I first meet the client. Everyone has an idea in their mind of what they would like their restaurant, new office block or home to look like. I try to connect as much of what we design back to the client and what makes them tick. When it comes to furniture design, I love trawling second hand stores and vintage shops while drawing interior inspiration from the colours to the designs. My love for how things were built back in the day will always stay true.
4. Which is your favourite shade to work with and why?
While I love to experiment with different colours, shades and textures, terracotta is my go-to. It is such a rich, grounding and earthy shade that you can add almost any layer of colour to it.
5. What do you feel makes an interior transformation successful?
I think it's successful if you have met the client's brief, but also exceeded their expectations for the space. Being an interior designer, it is all about spaces that tell a story and feel authentic, so that's always a win to me.
