A day in the life of… Marian Dorrington

What would you say a day in your life consists of?

My day is fairly structured as I work mostly by appointment. A normal day would include one or two consultations in a clients’ home or in my studio where I have all the fabrics, colour swatches, paint samples etc. A quotation to the client would follow and, on acceptance, I would then order fabrics, furniture, or whatever our design scheme required. Often my days consist of installation at clients’ homes which I pride myself on attending personally as I always like to see the finished product but, more importantly, to be there in case of mishap – we are all human after all!

What is the best thing about the work that you do?

The people I meet. So many of my clients over the years have become personal friends. This profession entails dealing with people of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds and I really enjoy the challenge of understanding the clients desires and making them a reality – of course sometimes you have to advise the client that the picture in their head is just not do-able and then you need to come up with a suitable alternative – its all very rewarding. Obviously being able to indulge my love of design and all things spatial and tactile is the absolute best thing about the work I do.

And the worst?

Working with subcontractors can be challenging as they don’t always deliver when they say they will. This means that I have to let my client down and I don’t enjoy doing that. Fortunately, my years of experience in the Helderberg have resulted in the establishment of a reliable team of subcontractors from seamstresses to tilers; carpenters to wallpaper hangers and painters so its not a dilemma I have to face very often.

What makes you passionate about your work and projects?

Seeing a project finalised is always an immense pleasure but, most of all, re-visiting a home or business establishment I worked on years before and still being satisfied that the design concept and décor has retained its appeal - I am a great believer in classicism as this style provides the basis of good design - individuals can then add their choice of accessories to suit their lifestyle and personality.

Who inspires you?

My goodness – so many – Da Vinci, Frank Lloyd Wright, my countryman Rennie Mackintosh, lots of artists and fabulous fabric designers who make it easy to conceptualise but I have to say my clients probably inspire me the most. Each new design or décor scheme has me searching inside myself for new ideas and new applications to suit the clients requirements.

Do you have any advice for someone who wants to be involved in your line of work?

Firstly it’s a lot of hard work involving many hours – I sometimes think the profession is romanticised and young aspiring designers get the wrong idea - visualising is one thing, making it concrete is something else again! I would say that potential designers, after getting a recognised qualification, should get involved with a company of architects or a large design company where they can learn the practical side from those with more experience. I didn’t do this – after I qualified I started my own business immediately. I often regret this but it was the right thing to do at that time in my life.