Case Study: Rose + George Design
By Victoria Smith
Mar 18, 2022
When Kristen Georghiades and Harriet Tuohy founded Rose + George Design in 2015, they had a clear mission: to make the interior design world feel more welcoming to the uninitiated. They wanted to offer a service that was both approachable and affordable, and for customers to feel both comfortable with - and inspired by - the process.
Fast forward seven years, and it seems the design-savvy duo have well and truly hit their own brief, with a raft of happy customers and outstanding projects in their portfolio, several of which feature Bert & May tiles.
With an aesthetic so closely aligned with our own, and a truly inclusive approach to the interior design process, we thought it was about time we found out a bit more about the team at Rose + George, and the stories behind some of their projects...
Full name: Kristen Georghiades, co-founder, Rose + George Design
Occupation: Interior Designer
Tell us a little about Rose + George…
We started Rose + George with a mission to make the design process approachable and inviting for everyone. Harriet and I started Rose + George back in 2015 after both reaching a crossroads in our careers. I'd worked for design studios in Atlanta and London, had my own design studio in NYC, and we both decided it was time to start something in London. We brought Megan on board in 2020. She brings a new design perspective to the team, as well as being a CAD and visual presentation professional.
We know the design world can be intimidating and exclusive. We want to go to as many places, see as many things, and meet as many people as we can and then come back to share it all with our clients.
What do you aim to provide your clients?
We want clients to feel listened to, taken care of and most importantly, ecstatic to come home every day to a space that feels like a hug when they walk in.
We appreciate the vulnerability of letting someone into your home and my goal is to make our clients feel at ease - we love finishing a project and knowing they have enjoyed the process! Our design approach is very collaborative, and we aim to make our clients feel like they are integral to the evolution of the project.
How did you get started in interior design?
It started at a young age, when I realised how much I loved the smell of sawdust and watching what I called the "puzzle piecing" of partition walls going up to shape what was previously a boring rectangular space.
My dad was in construction and carpentry, eventually starting his own general contracting business, so I grew up going to see the houses he was building or renovating. In addition to this, my mom loved decorating and knew how to make any room feel safe and welcoming, and beautiful to look at.
When my dad eventually studied drafting later in his construction career, he would take me to his classes and allow me to play with his drafting table. I can honestly say my parents were the driving force behind me entering the world of design and I love the memories that come along with that.
I studied Design at University in Atlanta, Georgia, so it’s all I've ever known in my career. Working in Atlanta, then New York City and now beautiful London, it has been amazing to layer all the different style influences that have come along on my design journey.
How would you describe the Rose + George aesthetic?
Rose + George is all about materials. Raw timber, concrete tops, cladding on walls, lime washes, encaustic tiles, beautiful metal finishes, boucles… I could go on forever! We love blending and layering the old with the new, working with a building's period features and creating an interior that is sympathetic to its surroundings.
We're huge believers that more is more, but equally understand when less is more. We think the rules are there to be broken, but most importantly, we try to create eclectic, beautiful spaces that enhance a family's lifestyle. In a nutshell, we aim for approachable, relaxed luxury.
What first led you to use Bert & May?
We love the vivid colours and patterns, as well as the tactile qualities of each product which add a warmth that cannot be replicated with other materials. There is such a wide choice of products, and we know that whichever we use will elevate our projects to the next level. The team is dynamic, friendly and stylish too, so we find Bert & May an overall pleasure to work with.
Tell us about some of the projects you’ve used our products in…
Cotswolds Farmhouse
We worked with Stephen Fletcher Architects on this renovation, remodelling an extension of a Grade II Listed 17th century Cotswolds farmhouse, as well as the design and construction of different curtilage buildings in new stone. The brief was to create spaces which were in keeping with the surroundings, while adding a sense of rustic glamour and relaxed luxury. Bert & May’s tiles added colour and bold patterns into a scheme we otherwise kept quite muted with the Cotswolds stone and timber floors. Their softness and depth worked harmoniously with the tactile elements of the rest of the house and gave the relaxed scheme an edge of excitement, but in an understated way, which is exactly what we wanted to achieve!
TILE SPEC
Master Bathroom: Grey Basco, White Bejmat
Family Bathroom: Green Alalpardo
Shower rooms: Grey Alalpardo
Poolhouse: Sage Sprout (explore our current collection of green ties here)
Ground-floor refurbishment in London
We worked with a busy family on the design and sourcing for their ground floor refurbishment. We used Churriana tiles in the entrance for a bold pattern, but in a toned-down scheme of grey and white. We added earthy pink panelling to the walls which really helped warm-up the scheme, while letting the floor do the talking.
En-suite bathroom
Another busy family in London brought us in to help with the design of their detached home. They were really up for an exciting blend of patterns, materials and colours, so we used a muted forest green encaustic tile on the floors in the master en-suite bathroom and mixed these with Bert & May’s Seville Metro tile in White on the walls. Floor-to-ceiling tiles meticulously laid in a herringbone pattern made for a very smart and polished master bathroom. The movement in texture of these Seville tiles really catches the natural light and adds a softness you don't often get with a standard metro tile.
Family bathroom
We used the Black Vigo tiles in this family bathroom to give maximum impact with a play on the classic chequer pattern. Black grout lines on the wall tiles and the black and white ticking stripe from the blind tie-in to the monochrome scheme used here for a bold, classic result.
What’s coming up for Rose and George in 2022?
Our business model has evolved over the years, and we’ve learnt that stepping further away from the project management side of design means we can work with more clients creatively. We are focusing on more concept design work, sourcing and styling for private clients, as well as suppliers in the industry. We've also always enjoyed the product development side of things when creating bespoke furniture for clients, so there is always the idea of one day tapping into the retail sector. For now, we just hope to find more like-minded clients to collaborate with creatively.
Find out more about Rose + George Design at rosegeorge.co.uk or follow them on Instagram at @rosegeorgedesign