12 Apr Focus on Interiors

In the first of our “Focus on….” Series, we are speaking with Ishwant Sandhu, the Creative Director for Landmark Group on her work with Interiors. Ish has been with Landmark Group since its inception in 1997 and has the ability to transform even the smallest of areas into a workable living space. Her passion for interiors and flair for designing beautiful spaces are evident throughout all of the Landmark homes, none more so than with the award winning development at Fulmer Drive. The accompanying time lapse video shows how the interiors for this room were put together piece by piece and some of the inspiration behind how it was created.

Ish, what was the brief when designing this particular room?

We had recently completed the interiors for our show home for Fulmer Drive- “Plot 4”, and the response had been overwhelmingly positive. I was looking to create a space that reflected the Landmark Brand, but was also different from the show home. I wanted to showcase the individuality of each home rather than mirror another. I always aim to create spaces that are immediately inviting, warm and habitable so potential buyers can see themselves living there as soon as they walk in. As with any Landmark property, the aim was to ultimately create a space that was elegant, simple and striking whilst remaining functional.

Where do you start when pulling a scheme together?

This can vary from project to project, but typically I will start with curtain fabrics. Many moons ago, I learned how to make soft furnishings; how they best frame the window and what works with different spaces. I then work my way outwards from these onto other key pieces and the scheme slowly falls into place. For this room, I chose to go with a bold colour and print on the curtains, then found sofas to complement the room.

What do you look for when choosing accessories?

This is a difficult one as accessories can really make or break a scheme so you do need to tread carefully. Too many accessories can make the room feel cluttered, and not enough (or not the right ones) can make it difficult to envisage where certain items (in this case sofas/tables etc) could go to make the room a proper living space.
I have always been fascinated by textures and how these can add personality to a room. In the case of this room, the sofas were velvet and were absolutely beautiful to the touch. I countered the softness of this texture with the hard edged mirrored coffee tables. I feel that the mixture of different textures and fabrics give this room a beautiful polished edge.
Theres a common mis-conception that texture can only be added with fabrics of soft furnishing ie sofas, cushions and curtains, however I was able to add different textures through the art work, specifically the 3D piece above the fireplace. It’s visually arresting and immediately draws the eye in. The fact that is almost level with the stunning chandelier (made of “sharp-edged” rectangular pieces of glass, but curved in a circular shape to create softness) makes it even more of a show piece for this room.
As with all of the Landmark homes I wanted to ensure that the room had personality and the accessories in this room reflected the character I was looking to portray. There are neutral colour elements to the room- of course, but a splash of colour with the flowers and the paintings in the corner really helped to bring the room alive.

Finally, where do you get your inspiration?

That’s a good question- creating beautiful interiors has long been a passion of mine. I gather inspiration from all over. I follow Kelly Hoppen and Pedro Peña and have been a long-time admirer of their work and how they create such amazing spaces. I also travel a lot and have found that im very much inspired by different cultures. I love finding new colours/textures/artists through travel and every time I come home am inspired to create more. I have been fascinated by the Far East for some time, I was born in Singapore and although I left when I was 14 I have always been pulled back in that direction. The calming beauty of Thailand and China have long inspired me and I try to use elements of these and my own home country where I can. Ultimately, I am inspired by each new home that we create at Landmark- each one has its own character, and I try to reflect this in my work.

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