Aire continues its interview with Emilie Migault. Here's the second part of her interview. Let's discover where her creativity comes from and how she manages a department.
What are your sources of creativity?
As I said before, it's the trade shows that fuel imagination and creativity. We're inspired by what others are doing. You have to be on the lookout for Instagram, Pinterest, magazines, etc. There are many sources of inspiration; you go to someone's house and you just see a small object that makes you think of something else. It's always about keeping your mind open. I store up a wealth of ideas, most of which will probably never be used, but one idea always leads to another, and that's what's interesting. I may not have the construction site for it yet, but I note it down in a corner of my head. Ideas and inspirations abound in nature, in any house, at the sight of a construction. I've said it before, you have to have an eye on everything.
Do you have a specific creative process and way of working, or does it really depend on the project you have in front of you?
So this may seem strange, but ideas often come to me at night. When I meet clients and they explain their desires or needs to me, lots of ideas come to me, but they need to mature. I usually have a little notebook on my bedside table at night and I jot down ideas. The first 2/3 nights after visiting a construction site, I don't sleep much. Ideas flow without respecting the clock, so I jot things down. In the morning, you have to sort things out. That's when little things fall into place.
It starts like this. Then, you have to find what I've imagined. I then go in search of certain types of lighting, furniture, and styles to create a mood board. This is how I work with my clients. I suggest they first create a preliminary project. It's a large file where I'll propose styles, possibly 3D plans and layout ideas. I'll list all the materials, fabrics, and ideas and establish a cost estimate for the project. It's very precise and detailed. I'll make sketches. The plans will be part of the second project monitoring process.
I sell this file first. It is developed over time, after several meetings with clients. I will offer them many samples and, over time, we will refine the choices to truly match their needs and tastes.
Once the project is determined, I bring in contractors to estimate the work.
From there, I offer to monitor the construction site and I draw up plans for them. I select the companies again based on the quotes and then we begin the work. I am very present on the construction sites. For a project to move forward quickly, there is no secret, you have to be on the lookout. I am very particular about respecting the rules of the art in terms of renovation and the finishes. The teams I work with know this.
Do you think you have a particular style?
I don't know *laughs*. Obviously I think I have a style, but I really try to stick to my clients' wishes. It can be small things, I can adapt to requests for very modern environments with extremely linear and graphic layouts and libraries, for example. But I also design much more "busy" projects; it really depends on the client's wishes.
I sincerely believe that we are not here to create a beautiful setting, we are here to create a nest for the people who call us so that they feel good there. We design what they hoped for but never imagined. We must create their universe and not impose our own, it is important for customers to feel good there.
For example, a number of years ago, I spoke with a decorator friend who had been called by clients. They wanted to redo a very recent decoration. She didn't understand; their interior was magnificent. While talking with the owners, she realized that the clients were actually in a showroom. They didn't feel comfortable there; they couldn't make the place their own. In my opinion, it's a failed decoration! If it's just to create a magazine decoration, it's not very interesting. There has to be a soul.
I do think there is a soul in my projects. Well, I hope so! I have a client, this is the fourth project she has entrusted to me, for example. I did her house, her husband's offices, a chalet in the mountains and a second house after she sold the first. After 4 projects, I really realized that my work satisfied her and that she adhered to my world. It's very pleasant and rewarding to be called back by clients with whom you have already worked.
Do you have any favorite projects or do you like any project?
I like things that are a bit technical, so it's true that I find kitchen and bathroom projects very interesting. Creating living rooms or bedrooms is less technical but more personal. Each project has its own interest. Professional projects like premises and offices interest me a little less. But, they are often technical challenges and puzzles in terms of ergonomics. I designed a medical office from scratch, it was exciting because it is extremely technical and very specific. But, from a creativity point of view, we are a little more limited due to technical or regulatory constraints.
And then I love the construction site because that's where you learn, no two projects are the same. I've learned a lot from all the people I've worked with. You acquire a lot of skills by following the "worker ants." It's thanks to them that a construction site moves forward, that it's pretty and well finished. We can have all the great ideas in the world, but if we don't have the competent people to implement them, companies that are committed to doing a good job, the result won't be beautiful. It's in the details that you feel the quality of a project.
Feel free to take a look at our latest article: The Ammo Studio
Interview by Clara Didier
Formatted by Coralie Mottu
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