Behind the Scenes of a Grand Design Welcome
Workday: 09/05/2025
Friday finally arrived, the much-anticipated day when the Clews family, whom I’ve been working with online for months, set foot in the Château. There was a heightened sense of excitement and urgency in the air as we prepared to welcome the key figures involved in the ongoing design projects. The morning was dedicated to swiftly repurposing and tidying materials scattered across the estate to ensure the Château looked its absolute best.
It was a team effort fuelled by agility, communication and shared purpose. I took charge of preparing the office and kitchen spaces, making sure they felt clean, curated and inviting. A particularly satisfying moment was seeing the volcanic rocks originally intended for the Lover’s Garden repurposed beautifully throughout the wider garden, blending sustainability with design.
When the president arrived, she was immediately immersed in a series of carefully organised design meetings that I had been planning and preparing over the past few months. The most important of these was the kitchen countertop selection, a choice that required narrowing down from sixteen different samples, ranging from engineered quartz to various ceramics. Thanks to my clear communication with the French Office and the materials company, everything was laid out clearly, allowing for an efficient and well-informed decision-making process. It was a rewarding moment to see how my preparation helped turn a potentially overwhelming choice into something streamlined and satisfying.
Later in the day, we turned our attention to another major project I’ve been managing: selecting chairs for the kitchen and the villa. Because I had made it a priority over the past weeks to organise and source appropriate samples, we were able to review everything together with ease. This once again highlighted the importance of time management, collaboration and forward planning in design. Every choice we made felt thoughtful and cohesive, and the process underscored just how much can be accomplished when clear communication and efficiency align.
Although the day was undeniably exhausting and at times a bit overwhelming, it was also incredibly productive. I left feeling a deep sense of accomplishment, not only because of the tangible progress made, but also because my contributions were recognised. The director of the French Office expressed appreciation for the responsibility, initiative and care I brought to each task.