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Leivars Client Spotlight

LEIVARS Client Spotlight

 3 - 5 minute read time

 

Some interior designers have a signature style that is instantly recognisable and Rebecca Leivars is one of them. Known for her confident use of colour, Rebecca weaves individuality into every project, creating spaces that are not only beautiful, but deeply personal to each client. As the founder of her multi award-winning high end design studio, LEIVARS, Rebecca creates interiors that are intelligent, memorable and diverse all with the utmost attention to detail.

 

Rebecca's work is a testament to the power of colour, whether it’s striking jewel-toned accents or a perfectly layered palette, every shade is chosen with intention, to enhance the way a space is experienced. We had the pleasure of speaking with Rebecca about her design philosophy, her love of challenging projects, and the thoughtful details that make LEIVARS truly exceptional. 

Images by Nick Smith Photography

Q: How would you describe LEIVARS aesthetic? 

 Oh my goodness, a tricky one to start with as we don't have an in house style as such.  We love colour and seem to attract clients with bags of personality so regardless of our aesthetics, we design for our clients which generally result in a contemporary eclectic and bold colour scheme.  If you ask me personally, given I am doused in colour and pattern all day long, 7 days a week. It always surprises people when they learn my own home is always a very clean, contemporary monochrome scheme of black and white.  I find the mix keeps me calm and relaxed, allowing me to then fully enjoy the schemes I design for our clientele. 

 

Q: Part of LEIVARS philosophy is creating interiors which are intelligent and diverse. How do you go about this? 

We really immerse ourselves in our clients lives from the offset, the only way we can design for them is to understand everything about how they choose to live and what their triggers are both good and bad.  This level of profiling allows us to create a home that is fully tailored and personal to them. But at the same time incorporating technology, sustainability and homes that both perform efficiently and visually, yet are easy to maintain. It requires many plates spinning at all times. 

Q: LEIVARS is not afraid of colour in any sense. What is your approach to designing with colour and what would be your advice for a ‘colour lover’ afraid to take the leap? 

Yes, we have no fear when it comes to the use of colour.  A lot of readers will be surprised to learn that we often start off with very subtle schemes which we gradually build upon and introduce colour as we go.  It's important that our clients feel comfortable on the design journey with us and never feel railroaded into a direction they don't like. I always ask clients to sit with the scheme for a little while until they feel comfortable with the colours and patterns that we have presented, then only when I feel that they are, I enhance the colours that little bit more until I feel we have landed on the right sweet note for them.  It can take time and each client is very different and that's the joy of what we do, giving our clients the confidence through our eyes and experience. 

"Any advice to anyone using or trying to introduce colour is either paint a large piece up on lining paper and leave it up and keep walking past it until the impact of seeing the colour normalises with familiarity or buy some inexpensive accessories and start layering the scheme until you feel more confident. It's surprises a lot of people how quickly you can become used to the change with time."

Your head adapts more quickly than you think, and the feeling that colour evokes is life changing as dramatic as that sounds.  If using fabric, get a larger returnable sample and lay it out before committing from a small swatch. 

Q: Can you share what the studio is currently working on and what excites you most about these projects? 

We are currently working on a beautiful 6,000 sq ft family home in Nottingham, with a lot of bespoke furniture being made by your fabulous team. A beautiful mix of jewel tones and brass notes with some super pretty schemes for the young daughters or our little VIP's as we like to call our younger clients. We are near completion of a stunning private leisure complex of a golf simulator, gym and pottery studio with stunning Sussex countryside views and the scheme is a calming mix of limewash paints and with a slight industrial concrete twist. The main barn we have designed has a textured rust tone wine room haven, so very deep and moody tones which catch the light beautifully.

 

We have a super contemporary primary colour palette Grade II listed Victorian 5 Storey Townhouse in Chelsea, which will be striking once completed.  Then, an eclectic 1970's Californian vibe design for our beautiful Riverside project in Derbyshire, and we have already completed the two upper floors which may surprise our followers. We have used incredibly calm neutral schemes with a high mix of wood veneer bespoke joinery and panelling and striking use of marble throughout, yet the ground floor will come alive with colour to balance the vast waterway and countryside views.  So the studio sample tables and scheme trays are very high energy right now! 

Q: Bespoke pieces play a big role in adding an extra edge to a space but also offer an opportunity to truly try something bold and new. What has been your most daring bespoke commission to date? Tell us about the piece.

Oh I have many of these, my team always look at me as if to say not again. "I have an idea" is generally how I start.  We have one client who owns a well known Scottish beer company based in Aberdeen and it was a very quick turnaround project. To this day I don't know why I suggested that he have a semi circular curved velvet sofa... not least the complexity in CAD work to get the correct gradient balance for the room, but the sheer scale of the item, almost 10 metres and a logistical headache getting it up to Aberdeen from the initial idea, drawings, production, sign off, delivery and install within 6 weeks was and remains a miracle it ever happened! 

 

Anyone working in Scotland, particularly the North of Scotland will know that not all companies deliver or deliver regularly to the area so the whole process was a headache. It looks superb but a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into that and the best bit, the client to this day just thinks it was effortless and the little design fairies made it happen! 

Q: As the design landscape continues to evolve, how is LEIVARS adapting to emerging trends and client needs? Have you noticed a shift in what luxury means to today’s clientele? 

"As designers we have an obligation to ensure we are not designing 'the fad of the moment' ideas that date quickly and therefore tire or become landfill.  We design with quality and longevity in mind at all times, that is really important to us as humans and as a business."

Naturally from a technology point of view we are having to constantly evolve and never a time more so than now from an AI perspective and trying to keep and maintain that 'personal' touch.  For us, luxury for any of our clients is time and space.  Certainly, less is more, and creating a beautiful sanctuary, no matter the landscape, allows our clients to walk into their home and feel a true sense of belonging. Whether it’s personal space or time spent with friends and family, creating a place they cherish is so important to us.

 

Q: What have you enjoyed most about your trade account? 

The trust and relationships we have with trade team and confidence in the end pieces which allows us to confidently design bespoke pieces for our clients.