In conversation with Stefanie Fletcher

“I love to champion other women, especially in business...”

- Stefanie Fletcher 

Image: Stefanie Fletcher

Stefanie Fletcher is the founder of Indie Interiors. Indie Interiors is an interior design company born from a passion for not just exquisite interiors, but also for property and enhancing it. Stefanie began her career in interior design by first working within a property company that she and her partner set up. Initially created to acquire property for the rental market, Stefanie quickly became interested in how the properties could be made more appealing to the target market, what finishes needed to be there to achieve top yields and how the property could be staged to ensure time to rent was minimal.

During this time Stefanie started a family, leaving behind her previous role within a medical sales company and began to think seriously about how she could start designing for others. Throughout her previous role in the medical industry, she learned to sew by watching YouTube videos, nourishing her passion for fabrics and soft furnishings which has carried through into her business where she offers bespoke cushions for all design and non-design clients. Fast forward to now and she has completed a diploma in interior design, a lighting design course and studied the relevant software to ensure she can communicate designs to clients effortlessly, offering a complete service to them and ensuring their visions become a reality. 

What project are you working on now?

I am working on a number of projects around the UK, from single room designs through to full home designs and new builds. I am also working on a large house renovation within our property company, to bring it up to the standard it should be for the area its situated in. It’s a great challenge juggling lots of clients, but the variety of my work at the moment is exciting and a real privilege. 

What does an average working day look like?

An average day is usually a real mix of designing, sourcing samples to put sample boards together, mocking up invoices and communicating with suppliers. I think before I started I was quite naive at how many hats a designer has to wear in order to make their business successful. You are probably only designing for 25% of the time, with the rest a big mix of admin, accountancy and client liaison. It can be tough at times but the end result is always a beautiful home and hopefully a pleased client!

How did you take Indie Interiors from an idea to a reality?

I had always played with the idea of jumping into interior design but I think it is quite an intimidating industry. I would often see designers who were well into their careers gaining excellent projects, showcasing their work and clients on Instagram and to be honest, it felt unachievable. Most designers hold their cards close to their chest, and quite rightly so. They spend years building up their contacts, refining their design process and it is a competitive industry, so why share how you attract clients? I did however get some fantastic advice for a couple of designers, especially Dan from XInteriors Ltd but I ultimately decided I needed to do the leg work myself and I probably wasn’t going to get the answers I needed from other designers. Although I felt I had a natural talent for design, I wasn’t sure how to implement my ideas so I studied a diploma in interior design to ensure I understood the theory behind design and that I would actually enjoy working within it! After this I completed a course in the software which I was using at the time, using my own home and relatives homes to create 3D models and communicate to them how I would re-design it. But ultimately the ‘reality’ of Indie Interiors didn’t start until I just bit the bullet and launched. I made sure I charged my customers fees that were relevant to my experience and jumped in feet first. So far so good, but I am constantly learning and getting better for my clients. 

Where do you look for inspiration?

There are a large number of designers on Instagram and Pinterest and it’s hard not to say you don’t scroll their pages swooning over their designs, but quite often they work with budgets which are at the top end of the design world. It’s also insanely important not to plagiarise someone’s work so I try not to look around Instagram or Pinterest for inspiration until I am having a bit of trouble deciding on a fabric or finish for something, rather than the whole design. I primarily enjoy taking inspiration from hotels but more often than not I have a vague idea of what direction a room will go in once I’ve taken the client’s brief. From there it’s just refining the design and I will quite often come back to the design multiple times before I present to the client. 

What differentiates you from other interior designers?

I like to think I am quite an approachable designer who solves problems and creates designs based around my client’s budget. I will always be honest with a client if we can’t achieve the desired look based on budget, but I will always try and do what I can to get us from A to B without compromising on the look. I do think all designers ultimately look to do this, but I do like to think I go the extra mile for my clients, finding ways to surpass their expectations rather than just saying ‘no it won’t happen!’

What are your favourite design trends currently?

I do try to shy away from trends as they come and go on Instagram regularly. Good design will last a long time and following the latest trend won’t always result in that. I am personally not a fan of ‘fast interiors’ when it comes to large pieces such as furniture and I think investing well in either bespoke or carefully considered pieces will always be friendlier on the purse in the long-term. Buying on a whim is never a good idea, which is often where a designer comes in most handy for a client but we are all guilty of it at some stage, myself included! It’s never a good idea breaking it to your other half that the 12-month-old chair is being switched out for a better model…

What would be your dream commission?

My dream commission would probably be a renovation where we have some original features to work with. I love a challenge and I love the combination of classic design with a more contemporary finish whether that be through the furnishings or joinery. I wouldn’t say no to an overseas project, I’d quite like to spend my evenings in the sunshine but I don’t think I’m anywhere close to that unfortunately. One can dream!

How is the work-life balance?

It’s not too bad but I currently work from home and I don’t think I differentiate well between what is ‘work’ time and what is ‘home’ time. I think most people with their own business don’t balance this very well but I still have my children at home for four days of the week and I try to work around them, doing activities with them and then working in the afternoon whilst they watch Disney Plus (parenting win!). I do feel however it is important to switch off at some point in the week. I always make time for exercise, my children and my partner and recently began using a diary called ‘The High Performance Planner’ which encourages a better balance. Overall I think this helps you to perform better within your business and actually enjoy it!

What would be your advice to anyone making a career transition?

Life is too short! Go for it, believe in yourself and get better as you go. Read some books on entrepreneurship, business or whatever your chosen field is, listen to podcasts to help motivate you and surround yourself with people who believe in you. I think the biggest worry is the lack of salary when you first start out and if you have other income streams to help support you during this time, then it’s a huge help.

It’s also the fear of failure and this is what held me back for a long time. Would I ever be as good as those I idolise within the industry? Would people really take me seriously and I even felt silly telling some family members I was going to launch a design business. I have a degree in biomedical science and have worked for medical companies for years where my expertise was how to stop blood loss in cardiac surgery, not designing someone’s home! But everyone has to start somewhere and you could be that person in ten years too with lots of determination and self belief.

What would be your advice to anyone considering starting their own interior design business?

Spend some time learning, undertake a course and try to find out what areas of your knowledge need work to ensure you can design comfortably for others. Begin building your ‘black book’ of contacts and suppliers, familiarise yourself with what things cost to make and design and also decide for yourself what area of design you’d like to work in, who your clients would ideally be and what style you might put across. I think if you have a vision and some goals aligned to that, you can then work towards that rather than fumble in the dark (even though I feel like I do that most weeks!)

Where would you like to see Indie Interiors in five years’ time?

I’d like to have my own studio, with a minimum of two full-time employees. I would like to offer a more rounded package to clients and therefore include architectural services within our offerings, either linking with an architect or employing one in-house. I’d also quite like to have an established design e-commerce business. I feel quite passionately about providing one-off pieces or products to clients who don’t instruct me to undertake whole design services. I constantly see people on Instagram asking where they can buy X, Y and Z from and I aim to be that place: where you can buy select pieces from my schemes at the click of a button, still accessing our expertise on fabrics etc. if required!

What does International Women’s Day mean to you?

International Women’s Day means a great deal to me. Women are machines and I feel it’s a great day to recognise the achievements of all women across different industries and specialities. I feel very fortunate to live within a country which is progressive in its views towards women, allowing people like myself to excel in our chosen industries. However I feel passionately about highlighting the plights of other women around the world where this isn’t possible. I love to champion other women, especially in business and it’s important we all collectively raise awareness where possible which can help forge equality. 

Website: indieinteriors.co.uk

Instagram:@indie.interiors