There is a question we hear often from families outside the UK: we love what you do, but we are not in London. How would this work for us?
It is a fair question. The answer is simpler than most people expect.
Over the years we have built our entire process around making international projects feel seamless, wherever in the world the family is. From Abu Dhabi to Zurich, Dubai to New York, the homes are different, the climates are different, the families are different. The process itself remains remarkably consistent: thoughtful planning, close collaboration, and an attention to detail that does not relax at any stage.
Every project begins with a conversation
Whether a client visits our Chelsea boutique, discovers us through Harrods, or finds us from another country entirely, every project starts the same way. For international clients, this takes place over Zoom through what we call our Nursery Vision Session, a complimentary consultation designed to understand the family, the property, the lifestyle, and the atmosphere they want the nursery to have. There is no obligation at this stage. It is simply the beginning of understanding what you need.
If the family decides to proceed, a second more detailed consultation follows. This is where the project becomes deeply personal. We talk about routines, children already in the home, the architectural character of the property, timelines, and the feeling the room should have when everything is complete.
We come to you
Measurements are one of the biggest concerns for international clients, particularly when purchasing abroad or preparing a home not yet moved into. Where we have a trusted partner in the client's country, we ask them to visit and take measurements on our behalf. Where we do not, or where the project warrants it, we travel ourselves.
There have been occasions where we have flown to a property before the family has even arrived in the country. The property is there, the nursery needs to begin, and we go anyway. Exceptional nursery design starts with understanding the space precisely. That level of involvement is what allows the finished room to feel effortless.
The design process
Once measurements and the design brief are in place, we develop layouts and mood boards that reflect the direction discussed with the family. These are not presented as rigid final concepts but as an evolving point of view. The first question is always simple: does this feel like your home?
When the direction feels right, we do something many studios do not. We send physical samples directly to the client, wherever they are. Fabric swatches, finish samples, wood tones, wallpapers, trims. We want families to experience these materials in the actual light of their home rather than relying on photographs or screens.
This matters more than it might seem. Light in Abu Dhabi behaves differently from light in Zurich. Natural sunlight in the Gulf carries a warmth and intensity that changes how colours read throughout the day. Fabrics that appear soft ivory in London can feel warmer elsewhere. We design with these nuances in mind because the details are what make a room come together properly.
While samples are being reviewed, our team develops the 3D renders. Once final finishes and materials are confirmed, production begins.
What we take into account
Designing internationally involves more than shipping furniture overseas.
Climate matters. The materials specified for a nursery in the Gulf are not necessarily the same as those we would recommend for a home in Switzerland. Upholstery, finishes, and fabrics all respond differently depending on heat, humidity, and sun exposure. We account for this from the outset.
Culture matters. Every family lives differently and every project begins with listening carefully. In some homes, certain motifs or design elements may not feel appropriate. In others, heritage and tradition shape the room significantly. We never impose assumptions or a signature look. Our role is to understand the family properly before we begin.
For families with homes in more than one country, we also design identical nurseries across multiple properties. The same palette, the same furniture, the same atmosphere. Children respond well to familiarity. Waking up in a room that still feels like theirs, regardless of which country they are in, creates a sense of continuity that many parents find deeply valuable.
How we handle logistics
Rather than shipping pieces individually as they become ready, every item for the project arrives first at our UK facility. Furniture, lighting, accessories, décor, upholstery. Everything is gathered and held until the order is complete. Only then is the project shipped as one consignment.
This means families receive one clear shipping figure rather than a stream of separate invoices. It also means the nursery arrives as a complete room rather than appearing gradually in disconnected stages over several months.
Installation
The level of involvement at installation is shaped entirely around the family's preferences. Some families have staff who handle it. Some prefer to manage it themselves. Others want us there, in which case we either travel to oversee installation directly or our partners in the country handle it on our behalf.
For specialist work, particularly luxury wallcoverings such as Fromental and de Gournay, we do not leave the outcome to chance. Our own team travels to install the elements requiring the highest level of precision. The work that matters most, we handle ourselves.
A project we are particularly proud of
One project that captures this process well was for a family in Abu Dhabi. We were asked to design a nursery and a bedroom for two young children, two complete rooms in a family home. Initial consultation, measurements taken at the property, mood board developed, physical samples sent to Abu Dhabi for review in their own light, 3D renders produced and approved, production begun, installation managed through our partners on the ground with our own team handling the specialist elements. The rooms were completed and delivered as the family needed them.
From the outside, projects like this often appear simple. That is intentional. The process behind them has been built carefully enough to make them feel that way.
Beginning the conversation
If you are outside the UK and wondering whether we can work with you, the answer is yes. The first step is a Nursery Vision Session, our complimentary consultation about your project, your home, and your family.
Book a session on our website or contact our design team directly at [email protected]. We will take it from there.
The Baby Cot Shop is at 408 King's Road, Chelsea, with a permanent concession at Harrods and an official nursery interiors partnership with the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital.