PAUL WARREN

I studied art and design at art school and opened my interior design practice in the late Eighties. I have worked on many different types of properties over the years and always strive to achieve interiors that are contemporary and timeless.

I never try to impose designs on clients, although I do feel the best working relationships between designer and client are those where the client is willing to trust the designer's judgement. I describe my style as pared-down, modern and open to innovation.

I believe in sustainable, long lasting design and try to be as eco-friendly as possible. I like natural materials such as wood and some stones, but I'm also very open to using new materials and finishes in my work, where appropriate. I think it's important to be open to change and to embrace the fact that styles evolve.

If there is one thing I'm a stickler for, it is good lighting and I always stress to clients its importance in interior design. Bad lighting ruins homes. You need to layer your lighting and be able to dim it. Single bulbs hanging from the ceiling covered by paper shades, supplemented by a cheap lamp in the corner of a room, are the stuff of the Dark Ages, in my opinion.