Itʼs all in the name: Walnut Grey Design – a name that conjures up the warmth and comfort of natural wood, particularly American black walnut and the calming effect of neutral grey. A Walnut Grey-designed room sounds like a haven, an oasis, a retreat.
Walnut Greyʼs interior designer, Belfast-born Gerard McGuickan, thinks that when it comes to kitting out our homes, we need to “press the pause button and stop. We need to thinkʻwhat is it I want?ʼ” As a former psychologist, Gerard believes that our interior spaces – our homes and workplaces – have a strong effect on how we feel. His design ethos is to get his clients to think about how they feel emotionally about a space and how they will interact with it, not just what furniture they need and what colour to paint the walls.
“A lot of people have a bit of a mixed-up relationship with interiors and design. People donʼt spend enough time thinking about their home space where they are going to spend a lot of time,” he says. Before designing any interior space, Gerard wants to know what his clients perception is of their space and how they live in it. “In todayʼs fast-paced and changing world, interior design can focus the mind and provide a positive grounding,” he says.
When we are kitting out our homes, Gerard wants us to think about the whole space and how it is going to work. He is not a fan of interior design trends. “I want to have pieces that I love and have a relationship with.” He believes it is worth spending money on good pieces “that you will have forever.”
Influenced by Scandinavian design, Gerard likes simple, clean lines and uncluttered spaces but that doesnʼt make him a cold minimalist. He believes it is important to have an emotional connection with the space you live and/or work in and the furniture within it and personality is a very important part of the design process.
He is also a fan of modern British design and cites Young and Norgate and Matthew Hilton among his favourite British designers for their “beautiful” furniture. Gerard is keen to expand his design ideas beyond the home and into the workplace. “I would be really interested in working with start ups who are looking to have a workspace that is vibrant and a stimulating place to spend time in.”
