BRYAN O'SULLIVAN

The designer tells our editor Pip Rich how to filter a sense of sunlight into rooms that can’t helo but put a smile on your face

Interior designer Bryan O'Sullivan is celebrating 10 years of his eponymous studio, and is particularly well known for his work at hotels like Claridge's and The Berkeley. His schemes have an elegance to them that is always balanced-pleasingly with a mix of modern shapes and shades.

PIP RICH So Bryan, all of the spaces of yours that I've been in- or even just seen pictures of - make me happy. There is a joy to their upscale-yet-relaxed glamour. Is that emotion by the people who experience your work something you factor into the design process?

BRYAN O'SULLIVAN Definitely! Our goal is to make a space feel uplifting, happy and joyful. If a room is functioning correctly, as, say, the best TV room it can be, or the most serene dining room, then it should also be able to make you happy.

PR So few designers talked about emotional reactions when I first started doing this all those years ago. It was all about aesthetics - shabby chic, modern eclectic or whatever - but never about emotional connection. What do you think has changed over time?