Blank Slate Studio: Crafting Timeless Spaces with History
people • DESIGNERS
Based in West London, Blank Slate works globally on private residences and boutique commercial properties. With a thoughtful and considered approach, they recognise that each client is unique, with different tastes and visions, and that no two spaces are alike, each with its own personality, proportions, and natural light. Drawing upon historical influences and art, they blend old and new elements, layering rich, characterful details with a focus on texture, materials, and light to create balance and harmony. At Blank Slate, Bari and her team work on a select number of interior projects at a time, currently handling projects across the UK, Europe, and the US. Their projects typically involve designing the entire property from initial concept to final completion.
WEBSITE: blankslatestudio.co.uk INSTAGRAM: @blankslatestudio
Words: designeers
DECMEBER 2024
DESIGNEERS
Describe your style in 3 words
BARI JERAULD
Preservation of history, materiality, balanced and harmonious.
DESIGNEERS
What’s your first memory of designing a place?
BARI JERAULD
One of the first projects I took on when I started Blank Slate was a penthouse apartment in downtown Manhattan. The brief was mostly focused on a furniture plan to fit within a glass box with incredible city views. Establishing and setting out the general arrangement of furnishings without obstructing any of the views was the challenge, particularly where to put the client’s large TV. We opted for a very minimalistic approach with organic shapes that were lower profile in nature, earthier creamy tones to create a calm flow, and positioned pieces within each of the rooms to optimise the views. The project was successfully completed, and the client then returned to have me design her beach house in New Jersey.
DESIGNEERS
The most important project you’ve designed to date?
BARI JERAULD
The most important project I’ve designed to date is difficult to determine as I become passionate about each one we take on board. However, one that stands out is a historic house in Somerset built in the 1500s. Parts of the house date back to the Tudor era. The restoration has been a labour of love, taking nearly 3 years to maintain historical integrity. We’ve carefully selected materials to align with the house's history, working with suppliers for reclaimed-feel wood flooring, limewash paints, and limestone that seamlessly transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces. Currently, we’re beginning the FF&E stage, which will complete this special project.
DESIGNEERS
What do you wish clients knew before engaging an interior designer?
BARI JERAULD
I wish clients understood the costs involved to achieve the end result they expect from us. Often, clients have workable budgets but overlook construction costs, which strains the interior budget. We need to adhere to a price-per-square-foot formula to maintain our standards and deliver quality results that meet clients’ expectations.
“Not following trends, doing the research, understanding the property and the client, and establishing a unique vision for the project.”
BARI JERAULD
DESIGNEERS
What constitutes great design?
BARI JERAULD
Not following trends, doing the research, understanding the property and the client, and establishing a unique vision for the project.
DESIGNEERS
Favourite material to work with:
BARI JERAULD
Oak and marble; I love pairing the two as they work in beautiful harmony together.
DESIGNEERS
Top 3 suppliers you love working with:
BARI JERAULD
Trunk (wood flooring), Porter (marble sourcing & fabrication) and Piere Frey (fabrics; they have the best mohair on the market)
DESIGNEERS
On your coffee table right now:
BARI JERAULD
Pierre Yovanovitch, Golden Light by Nicky Kehoe, and Bill Willis – I’ve developed a slight obsession with Willis, known for his work on YSL and Pierre Berge’s villa in Marrakech. His life was as captivating as his art. I love drawing inspiration from designers who push boundaries and take risks.
DESIGNEERS
Favourite hotel in the world:
BARI JERAULD
This is a hard question as I love different places for different reasons. I’m quite sentimental. My happy place, where I have some of my best memories, is a little hotel in Provence called Crillon le Brave. It’s tucked away and surrounded by vineyards and olive groves in a 17th-century village, recently refreshed by Charles Zana.
