Meet the… team, Sophie Girling

What do you do at Kelling Designs?

Well, my official title is Head of Retail so, in a nutshell, I run the product side of the business – Kelling Loves. My aim was to create a brand and product line for Kelling Designs that highlights and incorporates the Kelling ethos of working cleverly with colour and pattern. We have tried to produce products that can transform and lift a room to give customers a feeling of the impact that Kelling Designs has on a space without having to go the whole way with a full interior design service.

How long have you worked there?

It’s been four years – how time flies!

What did you do before joining the company?

Freelance brand development, working with companies to help them progress. And I was also having babies!

What is your design style in three words?

Make it work.

Do you have a favourite design movement or era?

No, I know what I like and what works in my home. I have collected bits and bobs over the years and have, I hope, made it all work together in a way that I think is lovely and easy to live with. I am always rearranging rooms and puffing cushions and placing lamps about. I love seeing how our house is evolving and getting better all the time as I make little adjustments and additions.

What is the most valuable tool in an interior designer's toolbox (ie. colour, lighting, a measuring tape, even!)?

I think an eye for detail. Probably quite an obvious one, but hey!

Any favourite Kelling Designs projects?

I think they are all gorgeous.

What is your most prized piece from Kelling Home?

Tricky to say. I do love all the gathered lampshades and I think our colourful ceramic lamps are also very lovely.

Tell me a favourite anecdote from working at Kelling Designs…

Just last week, we had an event to launch our two newest collections and we were meant to be having drinks and nibbles in the showroom. Tara and Polly were in charge of the canapes and all the journalists had arrived. There was a very strong smell of burning but Tara and Polly assured us all was fine and rushed upstairs to the kitchen to organise all the canapes to bring downstairs to the event. After a while, I started to wonder where they were so I nipped upstairs to the kitchen to find that they were locked in! I opened the door and there were two hot and panicked gals surrounded by burnt canapes. It was so funny! We all just got the giggles. Polly in her delirium started to make toast and snip it with scissors again assuring us that these snipped-up bits of toast would be perfect finger food for all the hungry journalists downstairs. We abandoned the idea of nibbles and cracked on with bubbles; no one was any wiser!

What are you known for in the studio?

I work mainly in the Norfolk office so I’m known for constantly ringing the London office…. they probably say, “it’s Sophie on the phone,” about a squillion times a day!