Business Details
38 Years
experience
Luxury Interior Design & Branding Experts
DLSM Studio, formerly DLSM Studio, is a strategically-led creative agency with 37 years of expertise in luxury and lifestyle interior design. Founded in 1988 by Steve La Bouchardiere and Simon McCarthy, we specialise in crafting bespoke spaces for hospitality, leisure, and senior living sectors. Our approach combines strategic insight with creative innovation to deliver commercially successful, brand-aligned environments. With teams in the UK, Dubai, and Europe, we serve global clients while maintaining our Brighton headquarters. Our portfolio spans award-winning hotels, restaurants, and lifestyle spaces across the UK, Asia, UAE, USA, Europe, and Africa. We prioritise understanding each client's unique vision to create distinctive designs that reflect brand identity and enhance guest experiences.Our services encompass strategy workshops, branding, interior design, and technical implementation, supported by a network of trusted international suppliers. Recognised by prestigious awards and industry leaders, we maintain a commitment to excellence, evidenced by long-term client relationships and testimonials from renowned chefs and hospitality professionals. Our culture fosters creativity and collaboration, attracting talented designers who share a passion for innovative, detail-driven solutions. This legacy of excellence continues under co-owners Holly Hallam and Rachel Pratt, who lead the studio into a new era of strategic design.
Services
Strategy Workshops
Brand Identity
Interior Design
Concept Development
Commercial Analysis
Details
- Year established: 1988
Highlights and features
- 37 years of strategic design experience across six continents
- Award-winning portfolio with international recognition
- Client-centric approach creating brand-aligned bespoke designs
- Proven track record with hospitality industry leaders
- Global network of trusted suppliers and craftsmen
What people say
Second to none
High-standard of work
On time and on budget
Creative flair
Exemplary project management
Services
Strategy Workshops
We conduct immersive strategy workshops to understand client visions and market requirements. Our sessions combine demographic insights, competitor analysis, and trend reporting to develop robust commercial strategies. This foundational approach ensures all design decisions align with business objectives and brand identity.
Brand Identity
Our brand identity services create cohesive visual and conceptual frameworks for hospitality concepts. From naming and copywriting to visualisation and environmental design, we develop distinctive brand languages that resonate with target audiences while maintaining consistency across all touchpoints.
Interior Design
We specialise in crafting bespoke interior environments for luxury hospitality sectors. Our designs balance aesthetic appeal with operational efficiency, creating memorable guest experiences through strategic spatial planning and material selection tailored to each location's unique character.
Concept Development
Our concept development process transforms strategic insights into tangible design proposals. We create detailed visualisations and master plans that maintain brand integrity while addressing specific site requirements and local cultural contexts across international projects.
Commercial Analysis
We integrate commercial analysis throughout the design process to ensure financial viability. Our approach considers operational workflows, cost management, and revenue-generating opportunities while maintaining design excellence and brand authenticity in hospitality environments.
People
Holly Hallam
Co-Owner
Co-Owner of DLSM Studio with extensive experience in strategic interior design. Leads the studio's evolution while maintaining its legacy of award-winning hospitality projects across global markets.
Rachel Pratt
Co-Owner
Co-Owner driving DLSM Studio's strategic approach to luxury design. Brings expertise in creating commercially successful spaces that maintain strong brand identities across international hospitality projects.
Questions
What sectors does DLSM Studio specialise in?
We focus on luxury hospitality, leisure, and senior living sectors, creating bespoke interior environments that combine strategic insight with creative innovation.
How long has the studio been operating?
With 37 years of experience since our founding in 1988, we've delivered award-winning projects across six continents while maintaining our Brighton headquarters.
Do you work internationally?
Yes, our teams operate in the UK, Dubai, and Europe, with projects completed across Asia, USA, Africa and the Middle East through our global network.
What makes your approach unique?
We avoid a signature style, instead creating brand-aligned designs that reflect each client's unique vision while maintaining commercial viability and operational effectiveness.
How do you ensure project success?
Through strategic workshops, detailed analysis, and close collaboration with clients, supported by our international network of trusted suppliers and craftsmen.
Reviews (3)
Langue Misere
Jun 13, 2022
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Critical: Professionalism, Punctuality, Quality We found them poor at their jobs. Very dissatisfied with the final result as were our colleagues. A couple of nice people but obviously out of their depths when it came to planning.
Christa Paffgen
Apr 09, 2022
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Critical: Professionalism, Quality, Value Not sure how this company remains operating as their ideas, planning, execution, communication and keeping to deadlines were utterly execrable. Deal with them at your peril. Services: Space planning, Room planning
Nitrous McBread
Oct 07, 2021
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Critical: Responsiveness Very shoddy company to deal with on just about every level. My own experience was extremely poor. They were unresponsive and didn't deliver on their promises.
