9th March As I’m sure everyone is aware at the moment there is a lot of information going around about coronavirus and steps that can be taken to delay the spread of it here in the UK. With this in mind and the health of our staff at the forefront of our minds, we are […]
Our Latest Brief and Scope: Family Fun Whilst the majority of our projects are London based, we do, on occasion, branch out either overseas or buying the M25. Our newest client has just purchased a large family home in Surrey and plans to turn it into a cosy haven for her twin boys and their […]
Kia Designs is preparing to open an office in Dubai. The expanding and exciting hub is a perfect place for us to reach new and existing clients, as well as access the myriad of suppliers and manufacturers available in the gulf states. In the modern age there is nothing that competes with the design juggernaut […]
Here at Kia Designs we like to carbon offset our yearly contributions and invest in environmental projects in the UK. We try to keep as paperless an office as possible, and keep our printing output low. Interior Design isn’t the cleanest industry, we use lots of cotton (particularly in carpets and curtains) which is one of […]
One of our current projects has a very exciting feature – a kitchen that blends seamlessly into the lounge. The client loved the large open space, but didn’t want to feel like they were sitting in or relaxing next to the kitchen. The first thing to do when integrating or disguising any object is to […]
We’re often asked how we start a design. It’s a hard thing to answer as it’s really an intangible concept. After we’ve decided on the new layout, we start by asking the client a lot of questions, and getting a firm idea of what they don’t like and what they gravitate towards, as well as […]
We often get asked to provide before and after photos on our website. We’d love to do so, but it’s problematic. On the one hand, without showing how we have transformed a space, we can’t get full credit for it. For all you know, looking at the finished picture, we might have just put up […]
We’ve recently shot our latest project with a super talented interiors photographer Anna Stathaki. One of the most satisfying parts of finishing a project is getting it professionally photographed and sending out the glossy snaps to the press and public. The lovely comments start rolling in and you forget about all the dust and hours […]
What do you need to take in consideration when you are applying or (happily) moving to London for an international internship? London is an amazing city, not only for living but as well for working here. All creative people adore it due to number of events and design stuff that are happening in the city […]
We often get asked by prospective clients if we will just do ‘space planning’. The answer is always no. It’s a service that architects offer, and many designers will do a space planning consultation for a small fee. It’s usually requested when doing an extension or conversion, to see if you can fit everything you […]
One of the most satisfying parts of our job is finishing a project and then looking back over the initial brief and inspiration to see if we’ve achieved what we set out to. When we are pitching to a client, we create mood boards, based on all the inspiration and ideas they have given us, […]
Finding the perfect Interior Design Intern Finding new Interior Design interns can always be a challenge. Bringing new members in to our tight knit and dynamic team is extremely important as our staff provides an integral part of our service. Everything that we do from blog posts about designs through to how fabrics are labelled […]
Every week we receive emails from prospective interior design interns. They are usually from students looking for experience in their holidays, or recent graduates looking for intern programs that will translate into permanent positions. Occasionally we get applicants who want to completely change career, or who have experience in a similar field and want to gain […]
Bathrooms can be one of the trickiest areas to design and it’s where professional designers really save you time and money. Designs can be limited by technical specifications, legal requirements, structural and drainage limitations. Having said that, they can often be the most exciting space to design. In small projects with budget limitations, bathrooms tend to be […]
The last week on any project is usually the busiest, most stressful and most rewarding. Because there is a logical order to the last few days on site, any interference can topple your carefully orchestrated schedule like dominos. However well prepared you are, there are always things beyond your control and you need to be prepared […]