by Carmen Álvarez.
She was in Montevideo some time ago for the first time. A friend of mine brought her over to my place in summer and she seemed astounded with Uruguayan heritage and Montevideo old city.
Elizabeth Franks is a British girl living in London who at first chose photography as a career and some time ago turned to interior design.
She has a wide experience in both her careers but above all it seemed to me that she is always looking for balance and inspiration.
Her IG page shows us her work and her favourite projects as well as some architectural tendencies both in U.K. and abroad.
Beauty, coziness, style and details are her thing. I enthusiastically invite you to follow her and read this interview to enter into her particular and fascinating world.
– What is it like to live in such a big and cosmopolitan city as London in order to develop your career ?
London has so much to offer and is a great place to be as a designer. I feel we have a great selection of new and innovative design companies that are carving new paths in the way we live, especially in terms of sustainability. There are some really cool start ups, one of my favourites is Weez and Merl who use molten plastic bags to make marble-esque table tops. I’ve seen them in a few restaurants and they really are great. I also love the work that EcoLogic Studio are creating using algae.They are really pushing the boundaries of how to design healthy living spaces, that clean the air using the algae in bioreactors as essentially walls. Algae really is a wonderful and exciting product.
– How does going abroad and travel contribute to your work?
Travelling abroad is a necessity for the work I do. I am always inspired by architecture in other countries, and my trip to Montevideo ticked all the boxes. I particularly love documenting apartment entrances and hallways when I travel- they are the heart of the building and can be full of so much character. We don’t have too many of these in London- our apartments tend to be converted houses or deathly modern monstrosities.
– Why did you make that change in your career from being a professional photographer to an interior designer ?
My change in career wasn’t necessarily a chop and change but more of a natural progression. I was given an opportunity to develop some properties with my husband, and it started from there. It started to envelope my life, and I really enjoyed it, learning as much as I could and trying new things. I then enrolled in a course at the Inchbald school in Sloane Square which really cememnted everything for me.
– What were your impressions of your recent trips to Montevideo and Argentina ?
Montevideo was pure joy! Not only was I made to feel so welcome by both Erich and Carmen (who pulled out all the stops to show me around), but I was really inspired by the architectural delights in the city and along the coastline. My particular favourite was the Panamericano building, along with the wonderful deserted palace tour Erich took me on. So many hidden gems that need to be protected. We have the opposite problem in the UK where many buildings are listed (protected) but this opens the door to much red tape hindering and sort of realistic restoration, therefore many buildings sit unoccupied, and in uninhabitable states all over the country.
IG : elizabethfranks.studio
Women in Move Magazine Virtual / Editora Carmen Álvarez.
