There are many companies offering interior design and so, to stand out, you have to do something different. Husband and wife team Gary Richmond and Elaine Walker have now been running Walk Interior Design for about eight years but they came from complementary backgrounds.
Elaine originally trained in graphic design at the Southampton Art College. Leaving in the early 80’s, she continued to work in a number of design studios as a graphic designer, specialising in illustration and calligraphy and handling her own accounts. Deciding in the mid 90’s to focus her skills more hands-on in decorative paint effects for interiors, she quickly became established as an interior artist. From there she started her own design business with commissions from both private clients and commercial agencies where she was employed as a design stylist for photo shoots. In 1995, she began working with the BBC as a lead designer on the daytime interiors show Real Rooms. The following year this progressed to
co-presenting various other television shows for both ITV and Channel 4. This led to appearances at The Good Homes Show plus design related interviews on Radio 4 and local radio. All while building her design business in Southampton.
Gary too trained in graphic design and worked in a number of design and advertising agencies for over 20 years. His position and skills evolved to become a studio/project manager and print buyer, so more than used to dealing with teams of people, budgets and deadlines. His last job was working for Publicis in Baker Street as a project manager, working on some major UK accounts. During this time Elaine and he successfully designed and renovated several houses of their own, gaining even more experience, before moving on to their next house. As the interior design business grew and the London commute lost its appeal, he joined Elaine in 2003, taking on the management side with some creative and technical input. We’ve now got quite a few years and completed projects to our credit!
Gary starts by saying, “We offer bespoke designs for anything from the redecoration of a 2-bedroom flat up to the complete rebuild of a
5-bedroom mansion in the country. What we do depends entirely upon the client spend and requirements but we do not set out to be quirky or fashionable when it does not suit. Sometimes we get asked to look at both the inside and the outside and whereas the builder might simply go for the cheapest standard and unimaginative solution, we will look at everything, including the rendering, the style of the front door etc.”
Elaine adds, “From a geographic view, we basically work within the borders of Hampshire. This means that we can fully manage the project although we can design for projects further afield and, indeed, we have done so. We start by listening and discussing a customer’s needs so that we can provide designs that do more than simply look good! There is no ‘signature’ style as each project is unique. By using our combined professional experience and creativity we visualise our interior concepts to our clients a clear understanding of all the ideas, practical solutions and layout improvements, ensuring every detail is considered with the utmost taste and confidence.”
For further information please telephone 023 8022 0002 or visit www.walkid.co.uk.
