Interview by Shereen Lurie
Sean Cochrane is a self-taught architectural interior designer. His leading design practice specialises in exclusive properties. Based in London, Sean has worked on over 100 homes. Some of his celebrity clients include Dame Helen Mirren, Steve Kutner, Simon Mirren, and Taylor Hackford, among many others. Most recently Sean’s company, Cochrane Design, won the International Design & Architecture Award for “Best Residential Development – £5M ” 2011. SA Home Owner had the opportunity to speak to Sean on his recent visit to South Africa.
Tell us a bit about yourself…
I lived in South Africa for two years and was really blown away by how South African architects allow the flow of uninterrupted light to fill architecture and the home – coming from the UK where our treasured historical architecture actually avoids the flow of natural light. While being a big advocate of conservation in London and the UK, including the protection of period building facades, when it comes to the internal architecture I love to play with the integration of contemporary and traditional styles. While we may remove whole or part levels, we always aim to be sympathetic to the building’s heritage.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
I think South African architecture has had a strong influence on world architecture over the last couple of decades and is still rated highly on the world stage. The stunning landscapes of South Africa are an inspiration to any designer. I think the climate has a lot to do with the creative possibilities, as well as a difference in building restrictions that can sometimes stifle the design of residential developments in the UK.
What is your design philosophy?
At Cochrane Design we start with the design of the interior architecture wherever possible. If one is able to create the layout and floor plan of an interior, then you’re winning from the offset. Signature pieces can add a fantastic feature, but it’s all in the details for us.
We also start with a mood board, which is largely dependent on the light direction and shape of the room. I still like feature walls to gear the overall theme of a room throughout a project. We always try to keep certain constants as we work from a base theme – this may just be the ceiling colour throughout, backed up by the continuity of the same colour in the hallways. I like to use darker tones and accents in the main bedrooms and I often try to add more vibrant colours in the children’s bedrooms.
For me it’s always about incorporating the personality of the client into the design – I enjoy the collaborative process. When designing for developments, I always envisage the developers’ target audience and aim to exceed their expectations. The spaces will have an uninterrupted flow and a main theme throughout that gives the interior a personal touch. If it has my name on it, then I have a responsibility to create a home that is spatially efficient and inspirational.
Every space is a challenge. I started making the best use of tiny apartments and now I pride myself on allowing my clients to live in as much of their often very large property as possible. Our philosophy is if you have the luxury of being able to afford a large property you should be able to comfortably live in all of it.
CONTACT:
Cochrane Design, www.cochranedesign.com, sean@cochranedesign.com
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