LIVE A LIFE OF ADVENTURE
– Katharine Pooley

“Craftsmanship, hand finishing and personalization are the pillars of true luxury.”
Katharine Pooley, a renowned UK interior designer

Adventurer, as stated in Cambridge Dictionary, refers to a person who enjoys and looks for dangerous and exciting experiences. The word says it all about Katharine Pooley, one of the most sought-after interior designers in the United Kingdom. She loves travelling, exploring and infusing her design with all those experiences in creation of landmark commercial and residential properties around the globe.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. You never know what each step will bring you. Admittedly a shrewd businesswoman in the finance industry, it comes as a big surprise to Katharine that she becomes one of the interior design influentials while being consistently featured in the Andrew Martin Top 100 international interior designers. So, what actually drives her to make the first step onto this adventurous journey as an interior designer?

Cachet Boutique Zhejiang Racetrack Circuit Hotel is one of her recent yet largest projects in China.

“I have a passion for collecting beautiful objects, even from a very young age.
The eye for design then stays with me through the years and I always love to put so much thoughts in my homes. My friends have once said that ‘This creative gift you have is wasted in finance!’ I barely listen until after many years working for Morgan Stanley and Barclays,
I decide to open a small boutique in London’s Knightsbridge, selling my one-and-only collections such as exquisite accessories, luxurious bespoke furniture and unique artworks found in my trips. Amazingly, word of mouth spreads thus this little boutique incredibly quickly grows to be one of the largest Design Studios in Europe, now possessing a team of 47 interior designers and architects. Surely when I look back at what has been achieved, I feel proud and blessed,” says Katharine, upon depicting her courage to cross the threshold of interior design industry.

That being said, Katharine is not only an interior designer but also a genuine adventurer, given that she has already travelled to more than 250 countries. If the world was a book, Katharine would almost be reading the last page.

The overall design concept is “masculine” but Katharine includes soft lighting and tactile fabrics, especially in the spa and bedroom suite areas, as a touch of femininity to strike a balance.

“I travel a lot and always return brimming with new ideas for interior design. For example, I create a cascading chandelier of thousands of porcelain gold edged leaves with inspiration from the abstract beauty of autumnal leaves in the wind I see so much of on a trip to North America. More literally, on a recent trip to Russia, a detail on the ceiling of the Sumer Palace of Peter the Great catches my eye and I later incorporate aspects of it into a new cornice design for a client’s villa,” Katharine vividly describes some of the memorable moments in travelling.

The true luxurious interior design is unique and unmatched. When you learn more about Katharine, you will realize that her design concepts in worldwide projects, which
are not limited to private homes in Moscow, luxury chalets in Italy as well as properties in France, Monaco and Mumbai, are never repetitive. She is also good at combining diversifying elements of an interior design that represents an exquisite, timeless British elegance. Feel monotonous about her design concepts? In no way!

Katharine continues, “when there is a new project, I love taking time to consider the architectural style and location as these have to work with the interior design not against it.

Along with insights into my client’s brief, personal values, taste and even the way in which they and their family live their lives are pivotal for me to piece together their ‘dream home or property’, then set to work with my team in realizing this dream for them.”

The Pearl Villa

Katharine’s recent highlight lies on China’s Cachet Boutique Zhejiang Racetrack Circuit Hotel, which is also her largest project in the country. Influenced by the racetrack location
of the hotel, precision engineering and the client’s passion for luxury car design, Katharine creates an interior that reflects the prestigious world of motorsport and luxe supercar finishes to mirror the hotel concept. The materials encompass high-quality embossed leathers, a range of sleek engineered metals reminiscent of luxury cars, exquisite slab marble, metal resins and sumptuous textiles. The design brings together contemporary indulgence with the comfort and atmosphere of an elegant European hotel.

“The overall feeling is ‘masculine’ but I include soft lighting and tactile fabrics, especially in the spa and bedroom suite areas, as a touch of femininity to strike a balance,” Katharine explains on the design concept of Cachet Boutique Zhejiang Racetrack Circuit Hotel.

The Clarence at St James House

Being awarded for many international interior designs, Katharine believes that “craftmanship, hand finishing and personalization” is yet the future pillars of true luxury.

The “Adventure World” of Katharine is full of wow factors. Every factor she incorporates in her designs creates talking points, incredible chandeliers, impressive light installations, beautiful smelling flowers – you name it. This is why there is a loyal international fan base for her journey as an interior designer.