The Art Of Collaboration

Blending a seamless sense of style, mother and daughter duo, Sarah and Rosie Ward, have found that working together is a winning formula. By Julia Millen

What prompted you to form Ward & Co.?

We made the decision to rebrand from ‘Interiors by Sarah Ward’ to ‘Ward & Co’ last year. Rosie had been with the business for eight years at that point, and we decided it was time we properly recognised her immense contribution to the studio. She had successfully run a diverse enough range of projects working closely with clients, so it was important to give her an equal footing and reflect this in the brand name. In terms of our portfolio and range of opportunities, we have been incredibly lucky and our knowledge and skill sat Ward & Co are developing all the time.

As a mother and daughter duo, how do you work together?

Our relationship is certainly an advantage when it comes to creative collaboration. We always say two heads are better than one and although we have quite different perspectives and ways of thinking, it means clients benefit from our joint expertise, insight and imagination. In our day-to-day roles, I have become more operations focused, whereas Rosie is more hands-on with the design side; she is the one on site with clients, dealing with suppliers and organising the technical installation of our projects.

How do you approach town versus country commissions?

Our approach to a new project is centred around the client’s brief, their wishes and desired result. Logistically, there are of course different considerations with rural and urban projects, but creatively, our process is the same regardless of where in the world it is. With all our designs we often take inspiration from the surroundings - for example with a recent project in Covent Garden, we incorporated nods to the neighbouring Piazza and the area’s 400-year old history by installing a bespoke, 400-book shelving unit. Similarly, in a more rural project in Suffolk, the beautiful sprawling wisteria on the exterior of the property set the tone for the playful colour palette we used within.

What sets Ward & Co. apart?

As a family business, we offer a unique proposition; my close relationship with Rosie means we have the ability to collaborate in a way traditional studio cannot. Our studio offers an authentic, highly personalised approach to interior design; we have a deep respect for culture and context but always considered through a contemporary lens. We have a real passion for creating perfectly balanced, unique spaces that will stand the test of time - we don’t believe in fad, throw-away trends, but instead focus on bold use of colour and classical clean lines, which gives our projects longevity, in terms of both quality and style.

What factors do you consider when creating a mindful interior?

We are first and foremost conscious of the brief when it comes to delivering a usable, long-lasting space. Within this, we take the time to fully understand how the client lives and how they will use the space. We consider family and staffing arrangements, whether they work from home and if they need spaces to be adaptable in any way also, if the property is their main residence or second home, and how much time they will spend there. The interior for a home that’s only used several weeks a year will differ hugely from a full-time family residence, for example. Culture, passions and lifestyle are also incredibly important and always feed into our designs; one client might require a spice kitchen, another a prayer room, whilst the next might need dedicated space for private artworks or a supercar collection. If you don’t understand the life of your client and what makes them tick, then it’s impossible to deliver a truly mindful interior.

How do you go about personalising a holiday home overseas so it feels familiar?

Often clients want their holiday home to have a different aesthetic from their main residence, but to retain some sort of familiarity to their everyday life. This could mean using the same kitchen appliances or smart home technology, so that when they step off a plane, there’s that instant sense of being ‘at home’. A recent client of ours requested that the same wallpaper from their child’s bedroom in London be used in their corresponding holiday property, to help them feel relaxed and at ease miles from home. Separately, we always look to incorporate lots of personal items and references to our clients’ life and family - typically photographs, favourite board games and books work well to achieve this.

www.wardandco.com