Ivy Designer Spotlight | Briony Reyne, Reyne Design
Based in Wokingham, Berkshire, Briony Reyne is the Design Director of Reyne Design. Briony has over 18 years of architectural and interior design experience across a large variety of projects throughout Europe.
How did you get started in design?
I did my degree in Interior Design so the decision was made for this career path when I was still at school. I spent my 3rd year of university in industry working for a firm that designed health and fitness clubs predominantly. That sealed it for me.
What types of projects do you most enjoy working on?
I love projects where we make a huge difference to our clients; show them things they probably would never think of themselves that make a huge difference to the way they work and live in their homes.
I like nothing better than looking at the plan of a house and reconfiguring it to make it work better.
Two projects immediately spring to mind. The first a client approached us to help with a potential extension. They admitted they had a sizable house but just couldn’t work out how to make the most of the space and felt they needed more. We showed them how to reconfigure the plan and discover that space without the need to extend.
The second is a really modest 1930s semi detached property that our client extended. The plan was well on its way, but for us there were too many compromises being made on the way the family would use the space. We helped them to replan the interior space into this incredible, sociable family area with the kitchen at the heart. They never dreamt they could have such a great kitchen in their home.
What is most challenging in your work?
The hardest challenge is the preconceived views of interior designers and their role. I think the message that we are not just about cushions and curtains is slowly getting out there but it isn’t helped by the fact that the term is used to cover such a broad breadth of services from furniture retailers to decorators and homeowners who have been complimented on their newly decorated home.
As qualified and experienced interior designers we have extensive knowledge of all aspects of the build process from services and structural restrictions to building regulations and how to maximise budgets without compromising the overall design.
If our clients want something we would never dream to have in our homes — that’s great.
What sets your firm apart?
All of our projects are individual and client focused. Every designer I employ has come from a commercial background with experience working with retailers with well established brands. We couldn’t propose to them they change their brands in line with our likes or trends and we don’t do that for our clients either.
If our clients want something we would never dream to have in our homes — that’s great. We don’t have to live there but our clients do and we want them to love it way beyond the time we have left.
Ivy allows us to spend more time on the parts of the job we love — being creative.
Why did you choose Ivy for your business management needs?
As our projects get bigger we have been spending more and more time creating spreadsheets and other ways of communicating our ideas and services to our clients. We are designers not spreadsheet experts. It’s a part of the job I hate.
Ivy allows us to input the information once and it is then translated into all the different documents we need allowing us to spend more time on the parts of the job we love — being creative.
How has Ivy transformed your design business?
Ivy has allowed us to free up our time for the creative work we are employed for. It keeps everything tidy and in one place.
What are your favorite Ivy features?
So far the best thing about Ivy is definitely the community. Being a member of the Facebook groups is invaluable. Having access to all the wonderful advice and support of other professional designers is priceless. I love the feeling of community, not competition.
Do you want to be featured in an Ivy designer spotlight? Contact us at sarah.drill@ivy.co.