Having your very own interior designer can be seen to be a tad extravagant, but here with the mission to make interior design more accessible is Michelle Chasey, founder of the Design Fairy.
‘Using an interior designer is perceived as being expensive and so many people shy away from it,’ says Michelle. ‘The Design Fairy provides a remote design service which is affordable but also provides great designs.’
Based in Fulham and launched just last year, the Design Fairy brings a relatively new concept to the design table: the remote interior designer. ‘Clients send me their floor plans and photos of the room(s) which they wish to design and I put together an easy-to-follow concept’ says Michelle. From then on the client can choose to implement the design themselves, saving on both time and cost, or they can commission the Design Fairy to carry out their vision and do all the dirty work. This concept allows for much flexibility and is fantastic for those who already know the difference between gloss and matt and simply require a little professional direction.
Although relatively new to the interior design profession, Michelle says she has always felt passionate about home design, spending much of her spare time devouring magazines and blogs and scouring furniture and accessory shops for inspiration. Developing that passion into a career seemed like a natural progression and so after leaving University she enlisted on a course at Inchbald School of Design.
To date, Michelle has worked on many beautiful homes, her most favourite was an apartment in Chelsea ‘it was so bright and I just love working with light. It really lets you play with colour and texture’. But the real perk of the job, says Michelle, is the amount of variation involved. ‘Towards the end of last year I put together a concept for a villa in Dubai and this week I’m starting work on a holiday home just close to Mumbai in India – I think that will definitely be a favourite when it comes to completion. I’m excited about it already.’
Despite being commissioned to design some beautiful interiors, Michelle admits there are some spaces that she wished she created, ‘I’d have loved to have been involved in the interior design of Beach Blanket Babylon in Notting Hill. The mix of French Country with the Baroque and Boho Chic, amongst the other styles, is quirky and unique.’
Michelle cites travelling, reading and day-to-day living as her biggest design inspirations. ‘Whenever I see something I like I snap a picture – you never know when it may come in handy’ she says. Neutral designs with natural materials and bright soft furnishings is Michelle’s go-to look, however, she prefers her signature style not to be ‘pigeon-holed’ into one category as her taste tends to change, ‘It depends on the space because whilst I love feminine styles derived from the French and shabby chic styles, I’ve also become a big fan of the more masculine loft style as of late.’
One of the most novel services that the Design Fairy offers is house staging. ‘If you’re trying to sell a home then presentation can make all the difference’ says Michelle. ‘Despite always hearing that “location” is the key; if you walk into a messy home you’re likely to miss out on the positive aspects of the space because you’re focusing on the clutter.’ Michelle suggests that just a few simple changes, using ‘props’ such as a new piece of artwork or using candles and coffee books to decorate a table for example, can make all the difference.
