Skip to content
Left arrow
FOUR Magazine logo
Search icon

Modern Perspective

Luxury Lifestyle
|
25 Apr 2023
|
5 min read

Tara Bernerd is the belle of Britain’s interior design scene, working with some of the world’s top names in hospitality, art and architecture. Based in London, her firm Tara Bernerd & Partners create timeless designs rooted in authenticity, individuality and beauty.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE INTERIOR DESIGN INDUSTRY?

I think interior design got into me before I was aware of it. As a teenager my focus was in the arts, and I was fortunate enough to be blessed with an unconventional resumé, which was predominately based around an essential amount of work experience and apprenticeships. A pivotal point for me was certainly at 20 years old, when I embarked upon organising and building my first loft space on my own, which was undoubtedly a catalyst to what I am doing today. This led me into a period of working in both property and design, and then ultimately with Philippe Starck. I founded my company in 2002 with a view of establishing a design business that would specialise in both hospitality interiors and commercial residential projects. Today we work globally, with an enviable client list both in the hotel industry and the commercial residential arena.

 

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR DESIGNS?

My philosophy is very simple. For me, the most important aspect of design is seeking components that are authentic and will stand true in time. This is at the heart of every project we undertake.

I don’t tend to follow trends, and instead strive to create spaces that are indigenous to their surroundings. However, there is a definite thread that runs through our work that links them all on an aesthetic level. Perhaps it’s a slightly more handsome feel, or the fact that we tend to incorporate more raw, architectural materials within our work.

WHERE DO YOU GET INSPIRATION FROM?

I tend to find inspiration in all manner of things, but I’ve always been drawn to architecture, and this often translates in the use of raw materials and exterior finishes that I incorporate within our work. I often layer different types

and clear simplicity, so I find that as a combination works well. That said, it really depends on the DNA of a building as to what works best. The local environment, as well as the people that will use the space, are key when thinking about finishes and fabrics, so we tend not to be prescriptive in our approach.

Personally, I tend to avoid trends and instead I focus on creating spaces that possess a timeless quality. That said, I have often sought inspiration from modern architecture, and many of our projects include materials traditionally used for a building’s exterior. The use of industrial elements such as exposed brickwork or structural ironmongery with softer, warmer tones and textures is a great way to add attitude and character to a space, which I think we’ll see more of as people continue to experiment more with unusual design finishes.

 

DO YOU HAVE A SIGNATURE STYLE OR FAVOURITE DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS?

Art is certainly something that plays a key role within our work. I believe that art is to a designer what punctuation is to an author. When we designed SIXTY SoHo in New York, we commissioned a set of limited-edition pieces by one of my favourite artists, Harland Miller. The pieces add an edge to the guestrooms and enhance the residential feeling we aimed to create.

I also tend to focus on creating a space that is both indigenous to its surroundings and timeless in design. Drawing upon the local culture, the history, the climate and the atmosphere of a place, we seek to create a design DNA that embraces the character and identity of the space in which it is set. So, with that said, materials are sourced from all manner of places depending on the individual project. We are currently working on a resort in Mexico and we have sourced all the furniture items locally, which is something quite special. Everything from the lamps to the headboards have their own story, which adds another dimension to our design. Another example of this is an eight-bedroom mountain chalet we recently completed in Switzerland. For the entranceway, we combined locally quarried quartzite with timber panelling, embracing the local flavour and materials of the building’s setting from a contemporary perspective.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE PROJECT?

Each project is as unique as the next, as are the clients that we work on them with. That said, it was always a dream to work with Four Seasons, so it was a proud moment when they approached us to design the Four Seasons Private Residences Fort Lauderdale. The brand was keen to appeal to a younger clientele, and we have relished the challenge. We have sought to look back to a heyday era in Fort Lauderdale, a time of Chris-Craft Boats and Capri pants, reminiscent of the European Riviera, with a more relaxed elegance using Mid- Century Modern furniture and beautiful travertine floors.

 

WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU?

We are incredibly fortunate to have so many exciting projects in the pipeline. We were appointed by a prestigious hotel group in Japan to create the design DNA for a new hotel brand, with the first one having opened in Osaka 2020. It is such a privilege working in Japan, and indeed on such an exciting project. As well as this, we are continuing our work on a 200-room hotel in Hollywood, and I am also delighted to be working again with the Harilela Group on its new hotel development, The Hari Hong Kong, in the city’s lively Wan Chai District. In addition to our work with Four Seasons in Fort Lauderdale, we are also working with them once again at the Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown.

 

www.tarabernerd.com

World’s best winner 2014 | World’s best luxury lifestyle media brand 2022

About

|

Editions

|

Contact

|

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 Four magazine

|

All Rights Reserved

About

|

Contact

|

Editions

|

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 Four magazine

|

All Rights Reserved

four-magazine.com use cookies to deliver an optimised experience. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of all cookies used.
Cookie settingsaccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.

CookieDurationDescription
__cfduid1 monthThe cookie is used by cdn services like CloudFare to identify individual clients behind a shared IP address and apply security settings on a per-client basis. It does not correspond to any user ID in the web application and does not store any personally identifiable information.
_abck1 yearThis cookie is used to detect and defend when a client attempt to replay a cookie.This cookie manages the interaction with online bots and takes the appropriate actions.
bm_sz4 hoursThis cookie is set by the provider Akamai Bot Manager. This cookie is used to manage the interaction with the online bots. It also helps in fraud preventions
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement1 yearThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Advertisement".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
ts3 yearsThis cookie is provided by the PayPal. It is used to support payment service in a website.
ts_c3 yearsThis cookie is provided by PayPal when a website is in association with PayPal payment function. This cookie is used to make safe payment through PayPal.
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

Functional

Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.

CookieDurationDescription
akavpau_ppsdsessionThis cookie is provided by Paypal. The cookie is used in context with transactions on the website.
nsidThis cookie is set by the provider PayPal. This cookie is used to enable the PayPal payment service in the website.
tsrce3 daysThis cookie is set by the provider PayPal. This cookie is used to enable the PayPal payment service in the website.
x-pp-ssessionThis cookie is set by the provider PayPal. This cookie is used to process payments from the site.

Performance

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

CookieDurationDescription
YSCsessionThis cookies is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos.

Analytics

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

CookieDurationDescription
_ga2 yearsThis cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, campaign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookies store information anonymously and assign a randomly generated number to identify unique visitors.
_gid1 dayThis cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the website is doing. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages visted in an anonymous form.

Advertisement

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.

CookieDurationDescription
_fbp3 monthsThis cookie is set by Facebook to deliver advertisement when they are on Facebook or a digital platform powered by Facebook advertising after visiting this website.
fr3 monthsThe cookie is set by Facebook to show relevant advertisments to the users and measure and improve the advertisements. The cookie also tracks the behavior of the user across the web on sites that have Facebook pixel or Facebook social plugin.
IDE1 year 24 daysUsed by Google DoubleClick and stores information about how the user uses the website and any other advertisement before visiting the website. This is used to present users with ads that are relevant to them according to the user profile.
test_cookie15 minutesThis cookie is set by doubleclick.net. The purpose of the cookie is to determine if the user's browser supports cookies.
VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE5 months 27 daysThis cookie is set by Youtube. Used to track the information of the embedded YouTube videos on a website.

Others

Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.

CookieDurationDescription
_gat_gtag_UA_120081375_11 minuteThis cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, campaign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookies store information anonymously and assign a randomly generated number to identify unique visitors.
_gat_gtag_UA_83740222_11 minuteThis cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, campaign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookies store information anonymously and assign a randomly generated number to identify unique visitors.
_mcid1 yearNo description
ak_bmsc2 hoursNo description
CONSENT16 years 9 months 2 days 6 hoursNo description
ec_store_chameleon_fontsessionThis cookie is provided by Ecwid and it is used to save the font utilised in the website's online store.
enforce_policy1 yearNo description
l7_az30 minutesNo description
LANG9 hoursNo description
x-cdnThis cookie is provided by Paypal and is used in context with shopping transactions on the website's store.