Emily Fotheringham on successfully styling luxury interiors

We take on interior design projects up and down the UK, working in the high-end residential sector for developers and private clients, although we would consider commercial in the future.

We have a team of four, including admin staff.​

What is the typical project for your firm? It can be a real mixture of sizes and tasks. We have worked on custom new-builds from the ground up, which means we can be involved for three to four years.

We also work on refurbishments where it will just be internal work. If there are changes to the floorplan we liaise with the architect from the beginning to achieve the best outcome.

Finishing touches can add identity, but I sometimes think that people don’t realise how useful an interior designer is from the bare bones, influencing the functionality and aesthetics of the space from the start.

How did you get started?After qualifying [with a degree in interior design], I opened a small shop in Milngavie to get the word out – at that time social media wasn’t as big, so I used that as a starting point for the interior design business.

The retail side was popular – we opened a second shop – but more importantly it allowed me to build up design projects, as people got to know us.

By 2017, we had a strong portfolio of work with plenty of referrals, and the projects were getting bigger, so we moved to a studio in Claremont Gardens in Glasgow and left retail altogether, which was always the plan.

How do you promote the business? These days, a lot of inquiries come through social media. We have a very active Instagram, which allows clients from all over the UK to see our work. And it means that we can be asked to work on projects down south, as well as Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Where do you find your suppliers? In the beginning the retail background helped, but we find that new projects always bring new requirements, so we have to go out and source the right suppliers, manufacturers and craftspeople for each.

It is great to have a library of tried-and-tested sources –finding new ones particular to the brief is a major part of the job.

How many projects do you work on at a time? We usually have a selection of larger builds, which we work on over several years, and once we have confirmed them we fill up the diary with smaller projects.

What is the Alva Street project? We have worked with the client, Sovo Apartments, before, and we are currently working on another of their properties. The company converts properties, often from commercial use, and in this case it was a hairdressing premises [in Edinburgh] which has been transformed into a luxury short-let with a budget of £500,000, including the purchase price.

We have been involved from the start, advising on layout, including recommending custom doors throughout. It was stripped right back to the bare stone and totally refitted.

There is a high demand for these types of property in the centre of Edinburgh, so to stand out from the market it needs to be special.

The client prefers a more contemporary look, so we were using darker tones and harder finishes, with custom lighting throughout, and I’d describe the design as moody, dramatic and sumptuous.

How do you work out the costs involved? It is all about the amount of work and so you have to give an accurate estimate of how much of your time each project will take.

Some projects will involve me liaising with project managers, builders, and architects. Others might have aspects such as custom cabinetry which we will design.

Furnishings and accessories are paid for separately by the client, but we are involved right down to the last flower being placed in a vase.

​Do you have a signature style? I can see similarities in my projects even though we have adapted it to each, depending on the client’s brief. But people come to us because they like our particular look – which is definitely sumptuous luxury, rather than anything minimalist.

For anyone looking to employ an interior designer the most important thing is to see their portfolio and make sure you like what they do.

​Born and raised in the West End of Glasgow.

Education I have a degree in interior design.

First job I started my business straight from university. I knew that I wanted to work for myself, rather than working my way up on another company, and so decided to try it out.

Family My mother, Liz Roy-Fotheringham, is our office manager and handles much of the day-to-day logistics of the business. My partner and I have a nearly one-year-old boy, Lucas.

Where do you live In a traditional house in the West End. We have just completed phase one of the renovations. I wanted a big project, but we definitely need a rest before phase two.

For more details on the Alva Street apartment, go to www.instagram.com/sovoapartments