Marisa Giannasi, Co-Founder & Co-Director, Method Studio

The studio was tremendously fortunate to work on a variety of incredible (and often rather unusual) bespoke business-to-business projects in 2018, including some with fellow Walpole members.

As is often the case for us, these commissions required the careful planning and combination of a diverse range of artisan craft skills, storytelling...and some thoroughly inventive design dexterity!

Creatively fulfilling and exciting though it was, it was also pretty draining - and I began to feel increasingly detached. I realised I was losing touch with my love of traditional furniture design, and of working with private clients - with whom my work could make an emotional connection.  As the year drew to a close I knew I needed to re-fill the tank somehow.

To that end, this year - the tenth anniversary of our studio and workshop - we'll be adding to Method's story with bricks and mortar destination retail stores (the first, M74 in Linlithgow, near Edinburgh, opened late in 2018) and have designed a range of handmade-to-order furniture: bringing our experiences in the luxury industry to bear on domestic furniture and the retail environment, and putting some remarkable furniture into family homes.

I genuinely couldn't be more excited about the possibilities, and the people I'll meet!

Like most people, my personal resolution this year is to continue to learn about the mechanical side of my beloved Land Rover Defender (it's fascinating!) and to customise the interior in bridle leather and Scottish hardwoods, before we throw the dog in the back and tour Ireland in the Spring.  I wish I had something more interesting to say...