Isabelle is also very interested in the "wow" factor in every project - and believes achieving this does not have to be costly or over the top as simple things like colored paint can completely change a space's atmosphere.

She starts with the client's color choices and then examines the space's layout and finds the 'eye catching' walls that will be most important to the overall design.

The chosen colors must also fit the furniture and blend with the curtains and fabrics and Isabelle says, "I make no quick decisions as accuracy is crucial - there can be so many tone differences in even one color, it really becomes a trial-and-error process to make sure the paint color fits a room and its accessories."

This entails painting a wall with different version of a color or tint and then seeing how it looks in different conditions and light. She also stays personally involved in the mixing process and does not leave this task to her staff.

Isabelle uses high-quality paints and pigments, is careful not to paint all the walls in a house and tries to stay away from too many dark tones in her Samui designs. She says, "I'm careful to not transfer a European atmosphere to the island. Where classy aubergine and chocolate work well there - on Samui it's going to make a room look gloomy and smaller. Here I want rooms to be bright, airy and spacious with a bit of contrast here and there. I'm currently partial to colors like laguna blue, lime green, warm grey and tennis white to achieve this."