A Touch of Swiss Design with Sibylle Clerey Interiors
We spoke to Luxe Magazine Design. You can see the full article here or read it below.
Sibylle Clerey is an expert in the art of injecting unique personality into interior spaces. Moving from Switzerland to Newcastle 12 years ago, she is influenced by the notions of culture and environment. She creates unique spaces by joining you on life’s journey.
Luxe checks in…
What can you tell us about yourself and your journey to Sibylle Clerey Interiors?
I moved to Newcastle from Switzerland 12 years ago to study marketing. I worked in that industry for five or six years and I found that I was always drawn to the creative side of marketing.
Seven years ago, I bought my first house and I flipped it. I absolutely loved project managing the whole thing and working on the interior design was a total escape for me. It allowed me to be creative in a completely different way and it just felt right.
On the back of that, I started studying again (part-time at KLC School of Design) and working on other projects including friends’ homes. From there, everything clicked into place and I started my own company as an interior designer.
I think it was a talent that was always in me, I just had to go through a little bit of life first before I found my passion.
Where is your business based?
My studio is in Ouseburn, which is amazing because it’s such a cool and creative place to be. I love it here – I share the studio with a photographer, so we can bounce ideas off each other and lean on each other in our respective creative worlds.
The site is made up of loads of little studios in a container-style building, so there are artists, photographers, makeup artists, filmmakers, jewellery makers – all within the same space. We all work on similar principles; we love to work and grow our businesses, but we also value our social and family lives.
What makes you different as an interior designer?
Our mission is to transform spaces into captivating reflections of a person or a business personality. We’re all about creating a space that works for the individuals living or working in it.
Sometimes they know exactly what they want – other times, I can help them by getting to know them and their wants and needs. It’s as much about function as it is about style – it’s really important to combine both.
There’s no point in having a beautiful space that isn’t at all practical to your life. There’s so much we have to take into consideration when designing a home or business space, and the best way of doing that is getting to know the client as much as possible – and most importantly, their life journey and how they go about their daily lives.
What can you tell us about your personal interior style?
Personally, I have a soft spot for industrial and biophilic design, but I am always led by the client and their personality, so I don’t have a ‘style’ as such. I love to mix textures, colours and patterns, but it depends on the project.
For me, it is key to feel ‘well’ in your own space, and that’s what I’m here to help clients achieve.
How do you feel about following design trends and creating Pinterest-worthy spaces?
For me, it’s more about making a space beautiful, liveable and functional. So, that very much depends on the client and what their wants and needs are. It’s not about my taste or what is selling well in the shops.
For example, an amazing art deco house might not be what I’d choose for myself, but I can appreciate how that might work for somebody else and I love stepping into another world, it’s so different and exciting.
I’m always learning about different styles and finding interesting suppliers that feed into different niches.
What kind of projects do you work on?
I tend to work with business owners, people in their thirties who are settling in their forever homes, or people in their 60s who may be retiring or downsizing.
I started with residential interior design, but now I also do commercial design. I’ve just finished a physiotherapy clinic. I’ve been working with a tea shop in Sunderland, and I’m currently working on a cafe in Great Park. It’s great because there’s so much variety.
Can you tell us about the wider team of suppliers you work with to help bring projects to life?
I try to use local suppliers as much as possible. So, I use Fern Antiques in Jesmond, for flooring I usually use Instinctive Flooring in Whitley Bay and CP Lighting & Interiors in Team Valley for lights.
I also use Delcor in Seaton Delaval – they are amazing. I find it so interesting to manage projects from conception to completion and work alongside talented tradespeople.
What do you do when you’re not working?
I live in Gosforth with my husband Hugo and two children. Oscar has just turned 6 and Billie is 2, so they very much keep us busy at home. Spending quality time with my kids is really important to me. Because I work for myself, I am lucky enough to be able to manage my diary. So, some days I can collect them from school and spend quality time with them.
My social life is as important as my professional life, but because I love what I do I often spend hours working before I even realise it’s work. For downtime, I like to play tennis and discover new places in the region. I love being busy – it makes me more productive!