IN CONVERSATION WITH: PROCUREMENT MANAGER, SABRINA MEHRA_
AT HOME WITH A.LONDON September 2021
As we walk into a new season, we say hello to new interior trends. This gave us the perfect opportunity to sit down with our Procurement Manager, Sabrina Mehra to discuss the emerging trends for 2022 and catch up on how she is settling into her new life in Dubai.
You’ve recently moved to Dubai how has your typical day as a Procurement Manager for A.LONDON changed?
I have been very fortunate enough to be able to work internationally from my new home in Dubai. I have moved recently and currently, I’m in a bit of a trial-and-error stage to ensure everything works as smoothly as always. The biggest changes have to be the time difference as I’m 3 hours ahead and my working week has changed from Sunday to Thursday. My typical day can vary although my week is quite structured with regular team meetings to gain an understanding of our pipeline so we can forecast ordering stock. I keep in daily contact with suppliers, and I have the fortunate opportunity to visit showrooms and attend interior design shows nationally and internationally. The thing I love the most about my role is never knowing what to expect day to day which I find is such a rewarding challenge.
“…as a company are working towards becoming more inclusive within this industry and we really want to make some real changes.”
– Sabrina Mehra
Procurement Manager.
What interior trends can we expect to see over 2022?
This year, you will see the continuation of bringing more nature into your home. Introduce greenery through indoor plants is an easy way to achieve this! Sustainability is undoubtedly at the top of people’s minds; everyone is more aware of where their products come from and what they are made of.
An interior trend I am loving at the moment is less is more. Keep your furniture minimal with forms and tones. Moving into the colder months, bring in some warmth using tones of olive greens, rust, browns through your soft furnishings and accessories. Last but no means least, if there is one thing we have learnt this year, it is to have a dedicated working from home space. As we all know this has been the norm over the last two years due to COVID-19 and will continue to be the norm. Take the time to ensure you have all you need to give yourself that ‘work-life balance’ in your home environment. Read our designers top tips on how to set up your home office, here.
Which A.LONDON project would you most want in your home and why?
This has to be The W1 Townhouse! I absolutely love this scheme and the reasons why I would want this in my home is because it’s light, clean and the black feature wall in the bedroom is so daring but works perfectly. Our team really pulled out all the stops on this project and you can learn more about the design, here.
Can you tell us more about the importance of working with trusted UK suppliers?
Working with trusted UK suppliers is so important to us as a company. The main benefit to working with UK based suppliers is that we can keep a close eye on every detail in the manufacturing process, so we know we’re only offering high-quality furniture that will last a lifetime. As well as the experienced craftsmanship, it’s also a great opportunity for us to reduce our carbon footprint.
As part of Accouter Group of Companies, how is A.LONDON working towards a more inclusive interior design company?
There’s so much we’re doing internally because it’s extremely important to us to become a more inclusive interior design company. In association with Accouter, I’m leading our ‘Belonging Committee’ as Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI). There’s been some really exciting progress. We’re actively working on our delivering on our pledge which we are continuing to develop throughout the year, and we are also now an Apprenticeship Partner with United in Design and will be hosting our first apprentice in April, we can’t wait to welcome them to the team!
If you would like to learn more about our luxury interior design services, please contact a member of our team to book an appointment with the studio.