Truth is, leading the design of multiple projects at the same time whilst also managing and operating the business, and being pulled in a million directions all day every day, I got used to operating at an extremely fast pace, leaving little room for contemplation or real reflection.

Rolling with the punches, holding myself and my work to higher standards than anyone else did trying to exceed everyone's expectations and grow the business as fast as possible, I almost overlooked all the silent nos that came with every time I said yes to things which didn't align.

Early on in my career I knew I wanted to launch my own design studio and do things differently - create designs which are so uniquely tailored to each client and space and context as though their lives were a movie and I was the set designer. I wanted to take my time to thoroughly develop these concepts to bring my background in set design into the world of architecture.

Beyond that I believe that things carry energy, high quality materials, authenticity and craftmanship are what make spaces feel right and truly tell a story. I love working with artisans who take pride in their craft where you can feel their passion and the heritage of the brand in the products they make. I don't believe in rushed, 'streamlined' designs at the cost of long supply chains which trace back to mass factories in East Asia, nor do I believe in copied designs and poor materials.

And whilst I am sitting on a small island in the North Sea just having come back from a site visit of a very exciting project which perfectly aligns with my design values as I am writing this, I do realise it's only a select group of clients with whom I can work this way.

Truth is, our industry is deeply flawed, inefficient and getting exploited by greedy middle-men who take more than they give.

It's a privilige to have gotten to a point where I can be selective with the clients I work with and the projects I take on but it doesn't solve the issues we are facing as an industry.

And not only as a designer but also as a citizen who cares about where we are headed, how we treat our planet and our creatives, I believe it's time we change for the better..