23
Feb
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In conversation with – Sarah Wakefield
It was amazing to chat about the perfect project with the Ex-Soho House, Senior Interior Designer, Sarah Wakefield. Sarah delivered award winning projects, including The Ned in Doha and Soho House in Manchester whilst establishing the first Soho Works in UK and being part of the team to establish the concept in the US. Now the Creative Director for the interior design studio, JOLIE, Sarah landed Design Practice of the year 2022 within her first year.
Interior design, sustainability, and career path.
Sarah Wakefield’s career path includes working an an interior designer at Black Sheep and Soho House, as well as setting up her own practice in the UK and the USA. Sarah and Guy Stanley discuss the importance of considering a space’s emotional impact on users, as well as the role of sustainability in interior design.
Designing workspaces with purpose and emotion.
Sarah has extensive experience in interior design, working on various projects across the UK and globally, including bars, restaurants and member clubs. She has been recognised for her work, including the Design Practice of the Year at Mixology, and has been able to leverage her experience to help set the creative direction for Jolie Studio, a business she co-founded. Sarah and her team focus on understanding the purpose and demographics of the target audience before designing a workspace. They conduct research on the local area, amenities and gaps in the market to create a fully sensory project. Guy asks about the purpose of the project and Sarah explains that it’s important to understand the emotive feeling clients want to create in their workplace.
Workspace design and purpose with a focus on sustainability and user experience.
Sarah emphasizes the importance of considering the future when designing workspaces, not just focusing on current needs. Guy agrees, highlighting the need to go beyond the surface-level goals like bringing people back to the office and instead delve deeper into the ” Why” and “How” of workspace design. Sarah: New workforce wants stability, perks and a comfortable work environment leading to a blend of commercial and hospitality spaces.
Designing space with sensory considerations.
Sarah highlights the importance of designing spaces with sensory considerations, such as materiality, colour and lighting to create comfortable and memorable experiences. She provides examples of how these considerations can be applied in different settings, such as airports and workspaces to affect the users emotional stat and well-being. Sarah and Guy discuss the use of colour theory in design, highlighting the importance of considering the emotions and associations of different colours in space.
Sarah: Lighting transitions from day to night, and material selection considers bright sunlight and atmospheric dimming. Guy: Natural resources and fragrance can embrace the sensory experience in a space, and lighting plays a key role in mood boots adaptability. Sarah explains how Jolie scent diffuses scent in commercial spaces to create a seamless experience, using properties like bergamot, sandalwood and jasmine to evoke emotions and memories. Also stating how Jolie transition between different scents in different spaces , selecting scents with underlying notes that carry through each area to create a cohesive atmosphere.
Sound design in interior design projects.
Sarah and Guy discuss the importance of sound in interior design, highlighting its impact on the overall experience and their use of Spotify to create bespoke soundtracks for projects. They also mention that sound preferences can vary greatly, and that the soundtrack must align with the project’s brief and intended atmosphere.
Design workspace with a focus an taste and sensory experience.
Sarah: Workspaces can incorporate taste to create a welcoming environment : e.g.: serving flavoured waters or organic coffee. Guy: Retail spaces have been ahead of the curve in using scent, soundtracks and taste to enhance the customer experience. Sarah: discusses the design of a life science building in Oxford, focusing on the slow approach to the building though the landscape and architecture. The design includes a reception desk as a blocker to slow down the users’ line of sight and path through the building, taking them past the library, coffee area and eventually the lift lobbies.
Office design and sustainability.
Sarah emphasizes the importance of creating a welcoming and comfortable environment for employees, including amenities such as break room and social spaces. Guy agrees, noting the the journey to work can also impact an employee’s experience, and that providing a consistent experience for all travelers is important. Sarah’s aim for Jolie Studio is to be the most sustainable design practice in the UK, currently working towards B Corp certification. Guy: Innovation can come from large corporates and smaller, independent individuals, but certification can be a challenge.
Guy and Sarah discuss the challenge of balancing sustainability with accreditations and certifications in the design industry. Sarah shares an example of a local textile designer who creates sustainable fabrics but lacks accreditations, highlighting the need to find a balance between creativity and sustainability. Both discuss the importance of storytelling in interior design, using innovative materials and techniques to create unique and engaging and visitors.
