OUR CREATIVE DIRECTORS
We are Robert and Tamsin Allen, Fawn's creative directors.
We started our studio in 2014, based upon our love of elegant, modern and practical interior design. We came to this rather naturally from our professional backgrounds. Robert was a successful professional photographer with a keen eye for beauty and composition. As a former art director and designer in London, Tamsin’s passion is to arrange things beautifully, whether on a page or in a room.
In 2014 we packed up our life in London and moved to the countryside.
The move was designed to slow life down a bit and it hasn't disappointed us - watching the weather, sunrises and sunsets, deer frolicking in nearby fields, and spotting too many birds to count has been amazing. Moving to a thatched cottage also gave us first-hand experience of the many challenges and quirks of working with a country house.
Our new life in the country, and the surrounding nature, inspired us to start Fawn, a name that came to us quite naturally with all the playful deer around. This nature also forms the basis of our designs, colours, and textures, all with a luxurious edge...a style we call Natural Luxe.
As partners, our combined strengths, and unwavering attention to detail, complement each other to create truly distinctive and highly-finished spaces.
Robert and Tamsin work together to design the overall interior concept: we believe each house has its own character and personality and this, along with each owner's individual story, is what shapes our designs.
WHO WE ARE
We are a collection of designers and skilled craftsmen who take pride in our work and in our craft. As a team we love and are influenced by country living and the nature that surrounds us. We are committed to bringing modernised solutions to classic and country homes whilst maintaining the style of the home and the tastes of our clients.
We are passionate about our work and consider ourselves artisans with an understanding of how important our spaces are to us. Our design style is characterised by excellence, timelessness, and the creativity of blending traditional homes and styles together with modern techniques and contemporary needs. Each component of our interior design, from texture, colour, fittings,
and furniture to the use of light, works together in harmony to transform a space into something truly remarkable.
Our interior architecture side encompasses space planning and overall flow, as well as joinery design, AV systems, floor finishes, and lighting design. The interior design arm includes kitchen and bathroom design, colour concepts, art procurement and curation, and sourcing from a wide range of fabric, wallpaper, ironmongery, and furniture companies. We then work with a range of specialists including structural engineers, architects, and tradesmen, to bring our concepts to life.
When working with a client, our approach is to listen and really understand your needs and the things that matter in your life. Your daily life and how you use the space is important to the overall design and solution. We love working with
people using our own industry knowledge to help them realise their own dreams for their homes.
WHAT WE DO
We deliver your bespoke project from concept to completion, offering:
Interior Design & Interior Architecture
- concept mood boards
- architectural design (space planning)
- lighting design and sourcing
- kitchen and bathroom design
- joinery design
- furniture design
- bespoke AV systems
- wall and floor finishes
- furniture and soft furnishings sourcing
- art procurement and curation
High-end Refurbishment
- project management
- Grade 2 listed and period properties
- brickwork and steelwork
- carpentry and joinery
- lime (and normal) plastering
- chimneys and fireplaces
- flooring - wood and tiles
Bespoke Joinery
- kitchens
- wall panelling
- wardrobes and dressing rooms
- furniture
- home offices
- room dividers
OUR DESIGN PROCESS
INITIAL MEETING & THE BRIEF
Our initial meeting is to understand your brief, including budgets, time scale and specific requirements. We also look at any potential structural improvements to your home to see if these could increase your enjoyment of the space.
APPOINTMENT
We then prepare a letter of appointment which, along with our terms & conditions, forms our contract with you.
INITIAL DESIGN PROPOSALS
Once the signed letter of appointment has been returned and a deposit paid, we send you a client questionnaire to fill out. This is your opportunity to consider how you want to live in the space and how your life is incorporated into the project. Then, initial design concepts are developed - we prepare 2 inspirational mood boards covering the entire project, for you to choose from.
DESIGN OF HOUSE - FLOW AND USABILITY
We look at the existing floor plans and design a home that not only works for you but also adds value to the property. We take a detailed look at how the house flows, making the best use of each room to gain the most usage from the whole house. The work involved at this stage also includes meetings with structural engineers and architects where necessary and conducting feasibility studies (an idea of costs can be included at this stage).
DEVELOPMENT OF DESIGN PROPOSALS
Based on the concept mood board that you choose, we progress to a detailed board for each room which starts to look at all sourcing for colours, fixtures, furniture, light fittings and fabrics. This includes kitchen and bathroom design, joinery design, and electrical planning.
PLANNING
We can handle all aspects of the Planning application and submission process.
TENDERING & PROJECT MANAGEMENT
We prepare tender packs, construction drawings and full project specifications. We have a small team of trades (builders, carpenters and joiners) on our books and, for bigger projects, we also source specialist contractors and trades, manage everyone throughout the renovation, and liaise with Building Control, Historic England and local conservation teams on listed buildings.
FURNITURE, FIXTURES & EQUIPMENT (FF&E)
We order furniture and arrange delivery, coordinating delivery times with the project completion date.
FINISHING & INTERIOR STYLING
When everything is complete, we arrange a deep clean of your home and style it for you. It is at this point that we also photograph the project for our portfolio.
TRUSTMARK ACCREDITATION
The renovations side of Fawn is accredited by Trustmark. TrustMark is the Government Endorsed Quality Scheme covering work a consumer chooses to have carried out in or around their home. When a consumer uses a TrustMark Registered Business, they know they are engaging an organisation that has been thoroughly vetted to meet required standards, and has made a considerable commitment to good customer service, technical competence and trading practices.
By ensuring all Registered Business adhere to and maintain these standards through an expert network of Scheme Providers, TrustMark gives consumers increased confidence and choice.
SBID ACCREDITATION
The interior design side of Fawn is accredited by the SBID, the Society of British & International Interior Designers, which is the professional body registered in the UK to accredit professionals in interior design. They regulate and promote the interior design profession for their members; maintain the highest educational and professional shared standards; protect clients and consumers via a strict international code of ethics and conduct and provide impartial advice and guidance for their accredited professionals.
2020/21 Winner for Interior Designer of the Year, South West England (Surrey)
