An early ‘90s home renovation in the UK prompted Barbara Bromley to formalise her interior design training and she enrolled herself in the School of Interior Design, Chelsea.
After eight years Barbara left London for Sydney, Australia, and once settled into her new lifestyle, she continued to pursue her passion. “I knew I wanted to continue with interior design and decided I would like to work out of a showroom,” says Barbara. “I found a furniture store for sale, realised the potential of the business given its location and product, so I purchased the business in 1996. It was a natural progression to branch out and in 2003 Bromley & Tate Interiors was born.” Sharing her passion and offering an exploration of ideas that make a house feel like a home, Barbara has always aimed to create true and timeless beauty. She finds satisfaction in making her clients smile and brings an interiorspecific knowledge to every project, stemming from many years working in the industry. “So much of what we feel or sense constitutes comfort and the notion of home is rooted in our primal instincts,” says Barbara. “I have seen styles come and go and with each new trend I relish the challenge of interpreting the latest look that best suits my clients’ needs and taste,” says Barbara. “I pride myself on a discipline of practicality, functionality and colours that work within the situation that clients may not have thought of.”
A self-confessed magazine junkie, Barbara finds inspiration and trend alerts by flicking through the pages of design, fashion and gossip magazines. However, when it comes to colour, her sources of inspiration are much more personal, her major influences stemming from nature, cars, fashion and her surroundings. “The more I use colour in my designs, the better I get at discovering the changes in them depending on the surroundings, the light, and the textures of the surfaces.” At Bromley & Tate, Barbara offers myriad design services and begins every project with a consultation in the client’s home, sifting through ideas and questions before moving forward with a design plan and estimated costs. “I submit a portfolio with everything specified, such as furniture, lighting, flooring, wall coverings, artworks and colours,” explains Barbara. “At this stage my clients can see firsthand the direction of the project and of course make informed changes. It’s a storybook approach and I like my clients to be there at every turn of the page.” Barbara relates one of her most memorable experiences as an interior designer: “I had three weeks to gut the interior of a five-bedroom cottage, put in a new kitchen, two new bathrooms, built-in wardrobes in each of the bedrooms, and have the interior of the home completely painted all before the clients returned from holiday. It was exciting, nerve-racking and crazy — they loved the result.”
Currently working on a major renovation in China, Barbara and her interior design business continue to grow. When asked what luxury means to her, she replies, “Unlimited dollars to design my dream home — coastal, that is!”
For more information visit www.barbarasathome.net
