Meet the Directors Behind Figura and Our Craftsmanship
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Giles set up Figura in 1991, with a vision to create beautiful, individual kitchens and interiors that would elevate the lifestyle of his clients and ensure a timeless and sympathetic future for the period properties he so loved to work within. Passionate about the combination of beauty, practicality and longevity, his ‘local’ business model has become synonymous with craftsmanship, sustainability and quality of service.
Giles honed his design skills and meticulous attention to detail initially in the world of boats, where every element was considered individually and with clear purpose. After working for a leading kitchen company for four years, he followed his passion for period properties, and business, and established Figura, at the age of 28. He is renowned for his creative vision, personal, down-to-earth approach, and desire for cutting edge craftsmanship that will stand the test of time.
‘Work is my passion and crosses the boundaries between work and life. When not designing I am happiest with family at home, working on the house, garden, and fields. I grew up appreciating the value of home and being encouraged to pursue my dreams. We have tried to create the same memories and opportunities for our children, and travel, music and watching Liverpool play will always be a big part of that.’
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Karin’s career began working in London, managing Scandinavian art galleries and antique showrooms, before creating events for urban generation companies, in Camden Lock and Spitalfields. Creative consultancy followed - working with architects, developers, retailers, planners, and communities, to build more economically viable cities and urban spaces, by attracting creative businesses and arts.
Deciding 19 years ago, to join Giles in the business, Karin’s extensive talents have taken the business into new creative realms, along with the introduction of a full-service design consultancy.
Karin is one of the founders of the Surrey Hills Collective and has established a growing directory and network of local quality experts within the luxury property market – including architects, builders, material suppliers, and interior designers. These trusted relationships provide our clients with reassurance that they have access to the best, highly skilled resource.
‘Outside of work I’m happiest at home with Giles, our now grown-up children as they come and go, and our two crazy Dachshund dogs. I’m half Swedish and bi-lingual, having spent all my childhood summers jumping into lakes and roaming forests in Sweden. It’s probably why I love to travel and am so passionate about nature.’
Extended Team
Our Figura team includes project management, interior design, procurement and installation expertise and each member of our team is involved in every client project. When required this skill set expands to include other expertise. For some projects we may be managing large teams and for others we will manage every element in house.
Every expert we work with is local, shares our design ethos, and has a long history of working with us.
Our clients always remark on how well our trades work with each other, how helpful and considerate they are, and how they feel they can trust everyone involved.