Designing my own home sounds like the ultimate advantage – no client constraints, no approvals, complete creative freedom. In reality, it has turned out to be one of the most challenging projects I’ve ever taken on as an interior designer.
When I work with clients, there’s always a clear framework: a brief to anchor the direction, a defined budget, a timeline, and, perhaps most importantly, a healthy layer of emotional distance. Decisions are considered, but not personal. With my own home, that distance disappears. Everything feels more loaded, more instinctive, and at times unexpectedly difficult. The sheer volume of choice can become overwhelming, and there’s a strange, self-imposed pressure for the space to somehow represent the 'ultimate' version of my design thinking – as if this one project has to summarise everything I’ve ever learned.
