Interior decorator Kim Hughes has designs on creating a business mini-empire.

The sole operator of Designs for Living said that business was booming — despite the recession.

Ms Hughes, who is celebrating two years of running her own business, said: “I decided I could do this on my own, so I formed the company and it’s been great.”

She added she had struck it big in the first weeks of the firm when she landed a contract to decorate a massive 9,000 square foot home in Tucker’s Town.

Ms Hughes said: “It was basically a year’s work and there have been a lot of spin-offs from that.

“I just hoped from there that, once that finished, I would get other clients. It was a gamble, but it paid off.”

She added that she graduated from a Canadian university with a BA in art and drama — but ended up working in London for top retailer Marks & Spencer developing new food products for the firm.

Ms Hughes said: “I did an interior design course while I was doing that because I really always liked that — but I never thought it would be a job. I just fell into it.

“It’s always been a passion — it wasn’t my main job leaving university, I just sort of gravitated towards it.”

When Ms Hughes returned to Bermuda she landed a job with interior design firm Sash & Trim and spent several years there before moving to Beth Macdonald Interior Decorating, where she spent six years before striking out on her own.

Ms Hughes, who works from an office and studio at her family home in Smith’s, said: “You get a lot of experience on the job and that helped a lot.”

Ms Hughes said the key to success in her business was flexibility — with a mix of small-scale to medium-sized commissions.

She added: “People might want me for an afternoon to discuss furniture placement and I can do bigger jobs which might take months.

“I think the key is flexibility — I like to see the transformation of a room from what it is to what it could be.

“And I’ve been lucky — every client I’ve had since I started my own company has been great to work with.”

She added that — having two grown-up daughters at university in the UK — she had the time to travel to trade shows to keep up-to-date with the latest trends in interiors.

She explained: “I can get a lot from visiting other countries to see what they do and bring it back and pass it on to clients here.”

Ms Hughes said that, although she has done some interior modifications, interior design, which could involve moving walls, was not her speciality.

She added: “I don’t tend to do a lot of that — that tends to be architects.

“I like to just focus on furniture, fabrics and the accessorising side of the business.”

Ms Hughes said that, although she noticed a slowdown in 2013, business appeared to be recovering.

She added: “It does seem things are picking up. I’m busy and I’m a new company.”

Ms Hughes said: “With clients there is a variation between those that more conscious about what they want to spend and those don’t really have a budget.

“I have clients who will have me in then go off and source things themselves, which I understand.”

But she added: “I try to shop locally if possible, but that’s becoming challenging with stores closing, so we do have to import.”

Ms Hughes said colours like navy blue paired with orange were hot this season, with warm golds also a trend, while recycling and repurposing, as well as natural materials like marble, cork, wood, stone and even raw concrete were popular.

She added: “Bright colours are big as well. It really depends the kinds of colours people go for.

“I personally like a room with lots of neutrals, but a lot of fabrics in different textures and a splash of colour — maybe the pillows or the artwork, which can bring in the colour.”

Ms Hughes said: “I often do a design board to share with clients which starts a dialogue with them and technology nowadays is very good for design work.”

She added that an explosion in TV shows aimed at home improvements and remodels had sparked an interest in interior decoration.

She said: “The spin-off from that is that people don’t have the time or don’t know where to go, so they give us a call. That’s probably why I have seen a steady stream of business.

“We have to keep on our toes in that respect, because you have to keep on top of what’s happening out there.”