CR: You've spent over a decade across some of the industry's most respected studios and now lead your own. What's changed in the way you approach the work — and in how you decide what to take on?

SB: I’ve been fortunate to spend this time working alongside some incredibly talented people, and one of the greatest lessons has been to absorb as much as possible from everyone around you. Not just in terms of design, but in how people build relationships, communicate with clients, collaborate with craftspeople and suppliers, lead teams, solve problems and conduct themselves professionally.

Over time, those experiences naturally shape your own approach, giving you a clearer understanding of your design language, your process and the values that underpin the way you work. As much as design is about creativity, it’s equally about trust, communication, and delivering on what you promise.

More than anything, experience has given me confidence in the process. I spend more time listening, asking questions and understanding what sits beneath the brief before thinking about the solution. The work has become less about making a statement and more about creating something that feels inevitable - spaces that are quietly resolved and deeply personal.

CR: Running your own studio means the design itself is only one part of the work. For designers who have spent years inside established studios and are beginning to imagine a practice of their own, what is worth understanding before they make that move?

SB: Alongside designing, you also have to learn how to run a business, and I think that's a transition many people can relate to. The reality is that design is only one part of it - you're suddenly managing a lot more items and decisions that sit outside the creative process.

It's not easy in the beginning, but over time things do start to click. I think one of the biggest misconceptions is expecting everything to make sense immediately. In reality, it's far more helpful to accept that things may feel clunky for a while. That's not a sign you're doing something wrong; it's simply a reflection of starting something new.

Most designers are naturally drawn to the creative side of the industry, and rightly so, but learning how to run a business is just as important, and it's a skill that often develops alongside your design career rather than before it. That's completely normal, and in many ways it's part of the journey towards creating something authentic.

CR: The Réalisation Par store on Mount Street is one of the most compelling retail interiors London has seen in recent years — atmospheric, distinctive, and completely in service of the brand. For designers moving into retail or hospitality, what does a project like that require them to understand before they start designing?

SB: Thank you so much. It’s a project I’m incredibly proud of. When designing for a retail space -or any brand, really - the most important thing is to immerse yourself in its identity. You need to understand what the brand stands for, how it wants people to feel, and how its values, products, and aesthetic come together to create a complete experience.

With Réalisation Par, the brand is rooted in confidence, femininity, and romance. Their pieces are designed to make women feel beautiful, empowered, and effortlessly themselves. There’s a sense of individuality and emotion in everything they create, and it was important that the interior reflected that same spirit. The concept became a dreamlike apartment-inspired space -warm, intimate, and richly layered - where every detail feels considered and personal. We wanted the environment to evoke the same feeling as slipping into one of their dresses: special, confident, and romantic.

Ultimately, it was about creating a space that brings people together and allows visitors to leave feeling amazing.

CR: With three generations of British furniture makers in your family, you grew up close to the craft behind a finished room. How has that shaped the way you build relationships with makers, suppliers and craftspeople in your own work?

SB: I think it has given me a much deeper appreciation for craftsmanship, skill, and the time that goes into creating something truly well made. Seeing the process first hand is incredibly inspiring; there are so many layers of complexity behind each piece that often aren't immediately visible.

Having an understanding of how things are actually made has fundamentally influenced the way I design, allowing me to think ahead, anticipate challenges, and create with greater consideration for the end result. I also believe that finding suppliers and craftspeople you genuinely trust is invaluable. The strongest collaborations are built on honesty and mutual respect. Having partners who can tell you when something may not translate from concept to reality as intended, or suggest an alternative approach that could achieve a better outcome, ultimately leads to stronger design. Those conversations become an important part of the creative process.

Beyond the practical benefits, these relationships add depth and meaning to a project. Every piece has a story behind it, and I love being able to celebrate the makers, artisans, and specialists who help bring an idea to life. That sense of collaboration and shared expertise is something I value enormously

CR: Clients now often arrive with their own references — mood boards, image libraries, increasingly AI-generated imagery. How do you weigh that input against your own instinct, and decide what's worth carrying forward?

SB: I think it’s such a positive thing when clients come with references. Whether it's a Pinterest board, a collection of images they've saved over time, or even AI generated imagery, it gives you a valuable insight into what they're drawn to and how they want a space to feel, which is so important.

Often, clients aren't responding to a specific chair, colour, or room, but to an atmosphere or emotion that the image evokes. The key is understanding the intention behind the reference and developing that into something real, that works for them.

Part of our role as designers is to interpret and refine those ideas, identifying the common threads and translating them into something authentic to the client, the architecture, and the way they live or operate whilst bringing our expertise and style to create something special.

CR: You've designed projects across continents, in cities and buildings far from home. How do you approach a place you don't know intimately — and how much does the location itself shape the brief?

SB:I’ve been really lucky to spend time in new cities before diving into a project. It gives you the opportunity to understand the culture, the architecture, and the way people live and interact with a place.

I think that’s so important when designing a space, because ultimately you want it to feel connected to its surroundings - as though it has always been there - rather than feeling disconnected or imposed on its environment. For me, creating something authentic comes from taking the time to get to know a place properly. It’s also about finding and working with local makers, craftspeople and suppliers. They often have a much deeper understanding of the area than you do and can bring invaluable knowledge to the process.

I love when those relationships become part of the story of a project, celebrating the people and craftsmanship behind it and creating something that feels genuinely rooted in its location.