Case Study - Easy Living

You don’t get more of a blank canvas than a house that is not yet built.

- Caitlin Clements

 This stand-out living room belongs to a brand new home on the south side of Edinburgh, and its designer, Ian Smith, was involved from the start. “The client bought the plot with planning permission and then commissioned Allan Murray Architects and us at to come up with the detailed plan,” says the director of Ian Smith Design. “I always think the best projects are those where we come in at the same time as the architect. If neither of us is too precious, the working relationship and the end result can be superb.” Involvement from the beginning offers freedom, but it also means that every element is yet to be worked out, from the shape of the rooms all the way through to the soft furnishings. “We detailed the interiors, the door heights and architraves, the lighting and electrics, the flooring, cabinetry and the layout of the furniture,” says the designer. It’s no