We sat down with Interior Designer Debbie Abercrombie to ask her a few questions about her career, her advice for working with a designer and her current favourite colours!
Tell us about how you came to be an award winning interior designer?
Passion. Honesty. Reliability. I’m always looking to improve and looking to have a point of difference. I bring clarity to my projects, identify hurdles and determine elements that bring longevity and life to the end result.
How would you describe your interior design style?
My style reflects my goal - to make your space look better, feel better and work better. The client should feel I have added value to their project.. It is your space not mine!
What is inspiring you right now?
My clients! Also the ability to take an exciting new product or design from its inception to making a statement in the right home. New designs, new products, new ways of doing things, embracing our architects and other designers and moulding these elements into new builds and new concepts.
In addition to your interior design achievements, you are well known for teaching popular Colour Courses across the country. How did you get into teaching the dynamics of colour selection and what do you enjoy about it?
I was invited by a colleague to take her course into the future. I embraced it with all my energy using my connection with colour and gave it some revitalization to keep it current. The course gives a student a new way of approaching colour, a new understanding and a new confidence when working with colour. I love it when they realise how much they can grow when they have the skills!
Do you have any advice for homeowners who are thinking about working with an interior designer for the first time?
Most people are afraid that a designer will tell them what to do. A good designer must be a good listener and the end result should be a home they love and they can live in. They must be clear on their brief and clear on their budget so the designer prepare and work to their expectations.
What can homeowners expect from the process?
They should expect to feel that you are achieving the outcome they want. They should feel they are professionally guided to make knowledgeable decisions. They should not feel overwhelmed as a designer is there to recognise any needed changes and to eliminate unneeded elements. A designers role is to help them think outside their standard expectations and have confidence that their decisions will have longevity.
Do you have any tips for people who may be nervous to embrace colour in their homes?
My best advice is to identify the colours you love. The key is then determining how much you use...a very small element of your favourite colour can be a more effective if used well and in the right way! In todays world we now have many tools available to be able to visualise the outcome all of which can help!
As the recipient of a Resene Lifetime Achievement Award this might be like asking you to choose a favourite child…but what are your top 4 favourite Resene colours this year and where would you use them?
Correct...the more I experience colour the more I find value in every colour. Colour is always firstly subjective, however we can use it in an objective way. My personal favourites reflect the colours I wear...and that can change with how I feel and with the seasons! Let’s try it this way with a little insight into how I see and work with colour as explained by my grandchildren:
You’re invited to attend Debbie Abercrombie’s free seminar ‘Designing Your Interior’ on Wednesday 28th September at Home Ideas Auckland. This seminar is for anyone looking to make changes to their home, to gain confidence making interior design decisions, or anyone who wishes to learn from an award winning designer! Debbie will be available for questions before and after the seminar.
Photography: Abigail Doughtery for Homed
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