Renovations are often seen as a “out with the old, in with the new” process, but one eco-conscious interior designer from Fife is on a mission to change our mindsets.
Alicia Storie, from Cupar, believes sustainability should be central in the design process.
With her business AdesignStorie, the interior designer aims to make spaces look brand new with old furniture.
When taking on a new project Alicia starts by looking at what she can reuse in her design.
She says: “The client might initially want a completely new interior design, but that’s not really how I like to approach it.
“I see what we have, what can be upcycled, repurposed or stay exactly as is.
“For the elements that need changing, we can find the right furniture secondhand or reupholster the existing one.
“It’s really about stopping products going into landfill and maximising the lifespan of furniture and decor.”
AdesignStorie across Scotland
Since starting out in March 2020, the Duncan of Jordanstone graduate has taken on projects across Scotland.
Her projects so far include a tiny house in the Cairngorms, a flat in Glasgow and several bed and breakfasts throughout Scotland.
Digital tools proved vital as the pandemic stopped her from doing site visits.
Any project starts with a conversation before Alicia makes a mood board and builds the space in 3D on her computer.
“As long as I get all the right dimensions I can create a really accurate representation of what they will get,” she says.
“I can see exactly what the space looks like, overlay some suggestions from the mood board and create images of how it will look.”
The interior designer then finds secondhand or sustainably sources materials and furniture to fulfil her vision.
Any materials left over she takes to specialist stores so they can resell them, possibly to another renovation project.
Closing the loop and saving materials from landfill is AdesignStorie’s main goal.
“I try to focus on reducing items that go to landfill and think about waste management,” says Alicia.
“We look at the whole lifespan of the design so it can be very research heavy.
“But I wouldn’t have any other way. I really enjoy mixing my values and my work.”
Tackling the climate crisis through design
The Fife entrepreneur discovered how important these values were to her when working her first graduate job in London.
She loved the creative side of working for an architecture studio, but struggled to accept the impact their designs had on the environment.
Alicia left her job to travel and research sustainable architecture, building houses from soil, sand and straw.
“It really opened up my eyes to the opportunities of mixing sustainability and contemporary interior design together,” she says.
“When I travelled, I could see the impacts of climate change on the physical environment and the communities I was in.
“I realised we’re in a climate crisis. We’ve only got a very short period of time to turn things around.”
AdesignStorie is developing a niche in bed and breakfasts, as Alicia believes she can have more of an impact in spaces used by different people.
Along with her boyfriend Hasse Simonsen – who she travelled with – she has just opened an eco-B&B in Cupar.
While she did the full interior design and renovations, Hasse focusses on the day to day so Alicia can develop her business.
She says: “I want to continue working with clients around Fife and Dundee, specifically businesses bed and breakfast.
“My aim is to make sustainable interior design approachable and affordable, because it shouldn’t have to be a difficult decision.”
