We sent Danielle Mullen to catch up with Simon Evans, Founder and Director of trail-blazing interior designer practice, Design by UBER.

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As the practice responsible for creating exceptional interiors across Europe, Africa and the US, covering everything from residential to commercial projects, new build residencies, period renovations, penthouse apartments and luxury yachts, it is fair to say that Cheshire based interior designers, Design by Uber, are rather a big deal. Known for their ability to perfectly balance the classic and contemporary while flawlessly fusing styles to create utterly unique spaces, I was intrigued to find out more.

As I settled into the luxurious surroundings of their retail showroom near Knutsford, I was keen to discover Simon’s design philosophy. He steers away from being pigeonholed explaining that clients need not expect UBER to provide an “off the peg” design solution. “There is no UBER ‘signature’ look, as every brief and project requirement is unique. We work with clients to amplify and enhance not only their own style but also to ensure that the schemes are sympathetic to the property and its surroundings. Lifestyle is a huge part of what we do too, we take the time to really understand how our clients live to create schemes that will help enable an incredible lifestyle.” says Simon. Speaking to him it also became refreshingly clear that he does not view world class design as the exclusive domain of the elite, he is driven by the desire to deliver the same standard of excellence to all.

So the secret of his success? “Well” explained Simon “Creativity and innovation are the cornerstones of great design, but there are so many other elements that are critical to ensure the smooth running of a project from concept to completion. I am proud of the team that I have around me, and I think one of our great strengths is the diversity of skills which we have under one roof. We can offer the technical proficiency to work seamlessly with architects and other industry professionals, while our designers always show meticulous attention to detail enhancing every element of a project. We are also pretty unique in that we create 3D photo-realistic renders of each project which enable our clients to view the schemes for their homes even before construction.”

The formidable team Simon has amassed around him work on a diverse range of projects, locally, nationally and internationally. Design by Uber has the size and scope to be able to work on an average of 30 different projects at any given time. To date, they have completed over 325 projects worldwide, and their approach is definitely reaping the rewards. In the decade since their inception, Design by UBER has a plethora of national and international design awards under their belt.

Which are Simon’s favourite projects, I was keen to know? “I am not sure that I have a favourite, each one is so unique that they all have special memories for me. I suppose one that I am especially proud of is the ‘man cave’ - a subterranean space which we transformed into what is best described as the ultimate boy’s toys trophy cabinet – complete with a revolving turntable for displaying a McLaren 650S! The reason why I am so proud of this project was that the space planning and technological complexity of this venture was groundbreaking and had to be meticulously planned. It was only due to the technical skills of my team that it was possible at all. At the other end of the scale, I also enjoy seeing beautifully designed spaces - a classic case in point was the turnkey design for an apartment within a beautiful Victorian building. I am a huge advocate of bringing contrasts to design as they add flavour and excitement, and this apartment was a masterclass in creating elegant and timeless spaces with the use of contrasting textures and accent colours.”

Under Simon’s guidance, The Design by UBER brand has been going from strength to strength, but he has no intention of resting on his laurels. Not surprisingly, with design so squarely in his DNA, Simon expanded his brand and created an UBER go-to interiors inspiration website, uber-interiors.com, featuring a veritable cornucopia of beautiful products handpicked by the Design by UBER team, from furniture and lighting to accessories and gifts. He is already lining up his next series of endeavours and, as our meeting draws to a close, he explains that he is now on his way to the airport. He is heading to Munich where he is in the throes of managing another mammoth project, a refurbishment of an iconic historic building into a world-class bar and grill.

www.designbyuber.com | www.uber-interiors.com