What started as an interior design studio 20 years ago has grown into a multidimensional business with homes as its focus. “I began with a small team, and now we are an extended company with interior designers, architects, artisans, project managers, and builders,” says Sally Blackshaw, who gives her name to what has become an icon in property design, styling, and redevelopment projects. She soon built a reputation for creative flair and quality, leading to referrals and more work. “Before long, the scope of projects led us to expand the team, and this is where the modern company was born.”

Now Sally manages a multidisciplinary company with diverse skillsets that range from design and project control through execution to final finishing. “People who buy or own homes in Marbella love the idea of walking into a key-ready property where every detail has been considered and lovingly taken care of, from large scale renovation work, furnishing, and landscaping, right down to personalised homeware.” Over time, her interior styling and furnishing projects evolved into larger commissions, and eventually Blackshaw became a business that not only takes care of decoration but renovations and construction projects too.

“If you think of it, interior design is also project management in the sense that you’re coordinating the coming together of many different elements and have to ensure tight control over budgets and timeframes.” Extending that concept into the managing of renovation projects came as a natural evolution, and the successful completion of many older properties transformed into luxurious modern homes led to investors approaching Sally to take on property development projects. “Here we either rebuilt existing homes or built new ones from scratch, using our understanding of style trends, build cost, and management, as well as the service that surrounds the delivery of key-in-hand homes,” says Sally, “but there is of course the added element of working to achieve the ROI objectives of investors.”

It’s an added pressure that Sally and her team have taken in their stride, and this has produced close on-going collaborations with investors who work exclusively with Blackshaw. “Let no one tell you that it isn’t hard work, but bringing such projects to successful conclusion and seeing a beautiful new home take shape from scratch is tremendously fulfilling and makes all the effort worthwhile. Enjoying the confidence of experienced investors also makes us feel very proud, but you’re only as good as your last project, so we work very hard to make sure that the quality of our work and the aesthetic of our designs is of the highest order.”

The Artistry Is In The Detail

Perfection cannot live without creativity, but even artistry shines brighter when every detail has been thought out and lovingly taken care of. “We truly enjoy design and weaving new trends into homes we create to be timeless in their appeal. Don’t get me wrong, interior design and development projects are not always glamorous. There is a lot of hard work and problem-solving involved, but that is what makes a great end result even more satisfying, knowing that you’ve brought it all together and created something that looks and feels amazing. I love giving investors the returns they want, or even exceeding their expectations, but there is still nothing like seeing a family enter a property you’ve transformed for them and sensing the emotions run through them. It’s a very personal experience to share, and one that makes this job like no other.”

Over the years, Sally has acquired a selection of honed contractors, experts working exclusively for the growing Blackshaw Group. These range from architects and builders to carpenters and stone specialists, as well as reputable brands for providers of furniture and textiles to ensure the completion of her tried and tested signature style.

“Taking a project from a concept through the execution stages to final completion and handover is quite an undertaking, involving also obtaining planning permission, sourcing quality materials, producing soft furnishings and even furniture pieces made bespoke, and ensuring every little detail is in order before handover. From lighting and home automation to hanging one-ton chandeliers and making sure the lawn is perfect.”

Transforming Homes

Whether solely decorating or rebuilding an entire property, Blackshaw’s speciality is transforming homes into the best and most beautiful they can be. “For us, an apartment is as exciting a project as a villa, and every part of the property is equally important in terms of design and detailing. That includes outdoor decoration, home offices, and exercising areas, and not just in aesthetic terms alone. Good design is not just about looks, it should match form and function, which is to say that it should harmonise being attractive with being functional, practical, easy to maintain and keep clean.”

These are among the considerations that Sally keeps in mind, along with managing budgets and adhering to strict timelines for the delivery of projects. “We’re all about making our clients’ visions become a reality, and in fact exceeding their expectations whether they are investors or homeowners, or indeed creating a new commercial space, as we also work on projects such as office spaces, hotels, retail outlets, restaurants, and beach clubs. It is this variety that makes our work so diverse and rewarding, and it is in the more commercial projects that we match design skill with our understanding of markets, the building of a brand identity, and what it takes to make a business stand out and be successful.”

So much more than just an interior design studio, Blackshaw is a design consultancy that brings all these elements together, starting with creative concepts and then seeing them through to the final delivery of a transformation that has been thoroughly considered and skilfully put together by teams of experts headed by someone with the eye of a perfectionist and a passion for what she does.

“In the end, it shows when you love what you do.”