A rather belated Happy New Year from us all here at Amy Nicholas Interiors. Apologies for the lengthy delay – January has seen us in a whirlwind of activity…with some jobs finishing and others at the development stage, we’d barely uncorked the new year fizz before we were back in the Studio!
As always a New Year can bring with it renewed intentions and an optimism that the coming months will be filled with love, laughter and (for us anyway) the opportunity to continue working in this amazing industry and producing stunning and timeless interiors for our clients…Oh, and cake…always cake!!!!!
But it would be remiss of us not to reflect on an outgoing year which has seen a whole host of exciting times for our little company, and to raise our caps and (now dry January is over) a glass of fizz to 2023.
From new branding and a refresh of our website, Amy Nicholas has updated its’ image to reflect the “new us”. Over the last couple of years, we have gone from offering hand drawn illustrations of projects to creating high tech elevations, floor plans and layouts, thanks to the less technophobe members of our team. These are fantastic tools to allow clients to really visualise our plans for their space. 2023 has further seen the arrival of our stunning Amy Nicholas branded Sample Boxes which compliment the “techy” drawings by offering a sensory angle to the process – clients can feel and see the fabrics, wallpapers, hardware finishes etc in their homes before confirming their choices.
2023 has seen us “almost” complete (only one small stage left) our largest hotel project to date. Nestled in the beautiful landscape of the Lake District, we worked hard to create schemes which complemented the stunning scenery. We couldn’t be prouder of what we have achieved, the feedback from guests has been fantastic and the hotel looks contemporary yet cosy and luxurious – surely what you want to return to after a long hike around the Lakes. We’ve certainly learned a great deal on this job - what works in such a high footfall environment, how working with contractors isn’t always straight forward but how important it is to have a good working relationship with both contractors and your clients – learning is everything and makes us better at what we do. We’re currently completing the last small stage and look forward to seeing the whole of our vision realised. Read more about the hotel bedrooms and other projects in one of our latest blog posts.
A lovely highlight of the year came in November 2023 when we were chosen as a finalist in the “Restaurant Design” category of the Northern Design Awards. We were thrilled with our contemporary Mediterranean style restaurant design as we had adored working on this project and were delighted that the judges recognised this accomplishment. Having never entered the Awards before, mainly due to the time involved to complete the entry forms – they tend to require dissertation levels of work (slight exaggeration) – we were delighted to be shortlisted as a Finalist. A slight panic as to what to wear ensued...but I think we all scrubbed up well and attended the rather glamourous Awards Evening in the equally glorious Chester Cathedral. Whilst we didn’t win the grand prize on this occasion, it was an absolute treat to meet up with our contemporaries and appreciate what inspiring designers there are here in the North. From Landscape Architecture (check out BCA Landscape based in Merseyside – winners of the Landscape Design Award – and on our table at the Awards) to Residential Builds, Conversions and Redevelopments, it’s an exciting time to be in the interiors industry. Well done to all the finalists – your work is truly inspirational!
With 2023 behind us, we look to the next 12 months with excitement – we are a growing business with a friendly and collaborative team dedicated to exceeding a clients’ expectations from the outset. We are really passionate about the environment and always look to be as sustainable as possible – it’s not always 100% achievable in this industry, but we are forever on the lookout for companies with an ethical outlook and production. We’ve always loved the look and feel of natural products and strive to use these wherever we can, and this really ties in with our ambition to create schemes that not only look totally gorgeous but can also contribute to improving the well-being of our clients. We know interior design can often be seen as a luxury, but an ill laid out space can create a stressful environment that can impact on the mood of the resident or worker. It’s amazing what good Storage can do, what colour and tone can create and what a transformation a differently configured space can offer. If the last few years have shown us anything it’s to look after yourself and your loved ones and if that starts with a new interior, then happy designing.
So, thanks to 2023 and here’s to 2024 - be challenging, be exciting and be kind!
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