The Business of Luxury
Irma Balet is no stranger to great luxury and high stakes business, so turning her skills to a career in a bespoke interior design studio, should come as no surprise.
“Design by Irma started in 2020, during my studies at the British Academy of Interior Design. I had already designed my own home, but studying interior design pushed me to explore the profession more seriously and finally turn a long-standing dream into a business.”
Before setting up her own business, Irma had studied business management and law and had worked in yacht brokerage as well as in the amber trade. This furnished her with a knowledge of good craftsmanship and a head for business. Sometimes previous work experience and education can be of unexpected benefit when dealing with clients and setting up a design studio. Life is full of surprises and often skills can translate in the most unexpected ways.
Interior Design is a creative industry, but it is also a business and needs a certain set of skills to ensure its success. While the Academy teaches these skills, Irma also recognised how her professional life thus far could contribute to her new endeavour.
“Those roles required a lot of precision and trust, as well as a strong ability to understand clients’ expectations - skills that I still use every day in my design work.”
The Designer Within
As with many Interior Design students, Irma was always interested in a career in design but believed that innate artistic talents were an absolute necessity.
“I used to think you had to be a naturally born artist, very good at drawing and extremely creative in a very visual way. I didn’t realise back then that such a big part of interior design is actually about structure - plans, layouts, technical thinking and problem-solving, long before fabrics and decoration come into play.”
When Irma first embarked on her path to design, she knew she needed to arm herself with the tools to do it right! Studying can often feel a little out of reach, especially for those with work and personal responsibilities. It can be hard to face something that at first seems so overwhelming, but like all great journeys, it begins with one single step.
“When I was looking for interior design schools, I was trying to balance location, attendance, and cost. I knew I wanted an in-class course, so central London felt like the right place. It was also important for me to find a school that would allow a real career transition, not just a creative hobby.”
The high standards that the Academy expects will generally push students to go further than they ever thought they could, but it is here, in the sweet spot between what you think you can do and what you are actually capable of, that the true designer will emerge. For Irma, this coupled with immersion into the Interior Design environment, is where she would find her inspiration and her motivation. At first she found the workload challenging but she soon realised that it was in fact very much like working in a professional Interior Design practice.
“The training helped me move from simply 'having an eye for design' to working as a professional interior designer. It gave me structure and confidence and after I completed my studies, the business developed quite organically.”
Watch This Space
Based in the Alps with her family, Irma specialises in residential design for primary or secondary homeowners in Switzerland. She offers consultancy services where she guides clients during renovations particularly with more practical solutions around safety, movement and flow. The natural beauty of the Alps also supports a range of sustainable materials, something Irma holds close to her heart.
“I see myself leading larger-scale, high-end residential and turnkey interior design projects, particularly alpine chalets. I want to be involved from concept through execution, managing complex projects at a higher level.”
Irma’s sustainable and client focussed approach to interior design also has eyes on a bright future. She is looking into the wellbeing aspect of spatial planning through areas like neuroarchitecture as well as a long-term international goal involving bespoke furniture.
After that, well it seems there is no mountain she can’t climb!
Photo’s courtesy of Angharad Elliot @hautexposure
