Interior Design Consultation Shropshire

Back In January 2019 I was contacted by a client in Shropshire who needed some interior design help with her extension and pulling all the ideas that she had into a cohesive scheme.

Below are a couple of pictures of the space before the builders got to work. They wanted to open out this kitchen/diner space and create a brighter open plan living area that their whole family could sit in and enjoy.

The extension added so much light and much needed space to the house.

The clients worked with a local Shropshire Kitchen design company to create the kitchen, they wanted something clean, modern and with a large island that the whole family could sit at.

The space was designed so that the whole family could enjoy being together and also for entertaining friends and family.

The utility was was designed for pure practicality and the client wanted to maximise the storage in the space so the surfaces remained uncluttered. The light cabinets and worktops keep everything feeling fresh and airy.

In the downstairs WC, just off the utility room, we wanted to go for something a bit more fun. We decided upon this Art Deco style wallpaper from Divine Savages and lights from Fritz Fryer

If you would like any help with your own project then get in touch and lets see how I can help

Basement Kitchen design and Dining Room, Wales

Back in January 2019 we were commissioned by a client to help with the interior design and project manage a new kitchen design and move plus remodel her Grade 2 listed property in Wales.

The original kitchen was situated on the ground floor of the property but the client wanted to change the use of this space to make it a dining room with a pull out sofa bed for a place for Friends and Family to stay over when visiting. The client wanted to repurpose her basement that was currently just being used as a dumping ground and move the kitchen into this space. The basement by its very nature had some limitations, namely:

• the ceiling height was only 1.8 metres high to the bottom of the beams

• the floor was made of large original flagstones that were very un even

• Not one wall was straight

• It was only a small room and needed to fit in a Belfast sink, washing machine, new hob, double oven and fridge freezer!

• It was grade 2 listed

• It had a solid shelf/wall that took up space in the room

• It had random copper water pipes running along the walls and ceilings which would need to be re run and hidden in the walls

As you can see from the images I took from my first site meeting the space is very small and dark and it needed a good imagination and foresight to see how this room could go on to look.

We went through a couple of different design options and managed to find a layout that made the most of the space and enabled the client to have more storage than previously and extra workspace. All win win.

Kitchen Design

We decided to go with the Lochanna Clarkwell range, which is a traditional 5 piece shaker style kitchen, in the Atlantic blue colour on the base and light grey on the wall cabinet. By having the two tone we were hoping to ground the kitchen with the darker base units and make the space feel airier and more spacious by painting the walls and ceilings the same colour as the wall units.

The cabinets were finished off with a white quartz that had a polished finish which helps to bounce the light around the room.

The lighting scheme was also crucial to help create a workable and safe space in this dark room that only had natural daylight through the small window by the sink. We had to go with recessed spotlights as the low ceiling meant that a pendant was out of the question. To create a bit more interest In the room and to provide some task lighting we added in some adjustable wall spotlights that sit over the new shelving and the quartz clad wall shelf.

The one issue we had on site was the lack of space, the Welsh weather didn’t help either as it rained for most of the fit so the fitter couldn’t work outside and being 1.8 metres in height meant his head was also touching the ceiling. The plinths also had to be scribed due to the uneven nature of the original flagstones and we added in a plinth heater to take the chill off the cold floor. The addition of the Persian style rug helps warm up the space and provides an extra injection of colour.

Upstairs in the space where the kitchen used to be the client wanted to create more storage and have a room where she could entertain family and friends and also provide a space for them to stay over.

Luckily this room was blessed with original features such as floorboards which were in great condition, casement sash windows, beams and an unusually shaped space where the fireplace used to be. We didn’t want to detract too much from these features but enhance them so we opted with a neutral colour of shadow white on the walls and ceiling from Farrow and Ball and designed some floor to ceiling bespoke units to provide much needed storage in the space. All the woodwork was painted a couple of shades darker in Drop Cloth from Farrow and Ball to provide a slight contrast and add in a extra bit of interest to the room.

The client was keen on an industrial style look for this space so we had to find furniture and fittings that fitted with that aesthetic as well as in this more traditional environment. We sourced the lights, table and chairs all from independent suppliers off Etsy.

We were quite restricted on the sofa we could go with due to the 3 tight corners we had to navigate before getting it into the space and we needed it to be comfortable, look good but also not take up too much space in the room. We chose this style from MADE as it fitted the brief perfectly and provided a pop of colour in the room without being too overwhelming.

Made.Com Sofa

Interior design North Wales

The roman blind was made in a neutral and textured linen from Ada & Ina called Greta(!) and it suits the space and feel of the room perfectly.

The space now feels clean, airy and uncluttered and is a great space for entertaining.

Do you have your own project that you need help with then get in contact below to see how I can help

How to design a living room.

Back in 2020 I was asked to give my two pence worth on how to design a living room in the age of Covid when the living room probably became one of the most used rooms in the house! Here is the interview I gave to Real Homes Magazine and my thoughts on how to design a living room:

Do you think the living room is the new heart of the home?

Absolutely, people are more open to knocking down walls in their house and creating those open plan space they see online or on TV so that everyone can enjoy the same space at the same time

Do you think the shape/layout of our living rooms has changed in the last 5-10 years?

Where people have enough space in their house I am regularly being asked for 1 grown up room and for it to not have a TV and then creating a cosy snug where the family can go and watch TV all together.

The living room for a lot of people has also become part of an open plan space, which is becoming increasingly popular, with the kitchen and dining area combined so everyone can be in the same room at the same time.

Creating a Snug Room

When designing a living room in a family home, what do you look to include? Eg a corner sofa in easy-clean fabric? Have we moved away from practical leather sofas?

It used to be that if you had kids a luxury material such as linen or velvet was a complete no-no but many high street brands are offering stain resistant lux fabrics such as these as standard so you don’t have to worry if your kid spills its drink/food which is a bit of a god send. The days of saving that special sofa for best is over. A good size sofa is also key, big enough to have the whole family on plus lots of layered lighting. I think layering up the lighting through the use of floor lamps, table lamps and dimmable lights helps create a warm and welcoming space that creates the right atmosphere in which to watch TV. I also think having some sort of fire, whether that be open fire or log or gas /electric fire in the living room is essential; there is something so comforting about a fire, especially when its raining outside and your all huddled up cosy on the sofa watching box sets.

Do you think we are becoming braver in style when it comes to living rooms? Why?

Yes, with everyone watching house renovation programmes and with the advent of Pinterest and Instagram the world of possibilities with regards design has opened up for everyone, people aren’t happy to settle anymore. Homeware bands such as MADE, Ikea etc have also helped democratise interior design meaning that everyone can make their home look Instagram worthy if thats what they want. Pinerest and Instagram have also made people braver in terms of colour and their product choices and they are keen to steer away from the safety of magnolia walls that used to dominate our home

Zoning in a Living Space

Do you think the living room is the room we are likely to express our style in, show off our personality? If so why? 

We’re entertaining more at home – what’s the role of the living room in this? What do you look to include to suggest that entertaining space? Plenty of accent chairs and side tables on which to place your drink! A bar cart is also a retro item of furniture that is being frequently being requested.

Are you getting more requests for home-working spaces in our living rooms? What’s your tips for making one work? 

If you’re creating a home-working space in the living room storage is key as you want to be able to hide your laptop and any papers away at the end of the day; the last thing you want is a gentle reminder of your emails/bits for work that needs finishing whilst you are trying to relax and spend quality time with your family. 

Any tips for creating a flexible living room space? Zoning, lighting, rugs? 

Zoning is key when it comes to a flexible living space, this can be achieved through lighting etc for e.g.  a statement chair for someone who wants to read whilst everyone else is watching TV in darkness can do so with a carefully placed table/floor light. You also need to work out how much space all your chairs and sofas need and make sure you buy a rug that sits fully under all the furniture in this space, the only exception to this is if you decide to have a cowhide. You can also zone areas by using different flooring, tiles in the kitchen for example and then wood flooring throughout the rest of the space to help differentiate areas. If you are completely renovating the space, kitchen included, then an island is a good way of keeping the kitchen separate whilst in the same room and positioning bar stools on the opposite side of the island looking into the kitchen helps Zone the space. 

Minimalist Textured Living Space from Coco Lapine

What about tech?

Our living rooms are home to an increasing amount, so how can you make it look good? TV’s are undoubtedly getting bigger, I’ve just recently tried to find a 28” TV and the options were severely limited! 32” and above is now the norm and as unattractive as they are on the wall this has to be factored into the design process. One way to disguise it is to  treat it like art and mix it in amongst art frames and shelving so it disappears slightly. You can also build some bespoke cabinets and have the TV hidden behind a sliding screen. Painting the walls in a dark colour also helps the TV blend into the background and is cost effective way of disguising it.What’s your favourite winning colour scheme/look for a living space? If I’m designing a snug it has to be dark and cosy so you feel cocooned so I like to opt for dark greens, greys and blues and I make sure to paint the skirting walls and ceiling in the same colour to really help make it feel like you are in a cinema.What about furniture – any must-have trends or pieces? Everyone I speak to wants the big squishy sofa that you can loaf on and spend hours watching Netflix. I think the way we are consuming TV, such as binge watching entire series in one sitting, has a part to play in this. What’s your own living space like?  I have a snug in which I have an open fire and painted the skirting, walls and ceiling the same dark colour. I have used lots of textures in the room to try and appeal to the senses and it makes for a really great room in the winter when you want to hunker down out of the cold. I also have an open plan kitchen, dining and living area which is the space we use on a daily basis. I have zoned it through the use of lighting and rugs. Over the dining table I have a low hanging pendant and then the TV area is arranged with the main sofa placed with the back to the rest of the room, this helps create the feeling of separateness from the rest of the space and is a handy way of ignoring the dishes in the kitchen!

Rental Bathroom Makeover, Cheshire.

Back in April 2019 I was tasked by the owners of a rental property in Cheshire to help them update the bathroom of their rental property. They felt that it was looking a bit tired and dull plus there were leaks around the shower from a previous bodge job. As it was a rental property we were on quite a strict budget but it had to be of a good quality in order to appeal to the required tenant.

The client wanted something fresh, practical and with lots of storage and we also believed that a relatively neutral scheme would have the broadest appeal.

To provide plenty of storage we opted to go down the route of fitted units so that all clutter could be hidden. These particular units were from a company called Calypso who I had used many times before and decided on the Chiltern range with its traditional shaker design in the Dusk grey finished off with a marble effect worktop. To create interest in the room we opted to go for patterned floor tiles from Laura Ashley called Wicker in the Dove Beige colour.

I’ll think you will agree the finished room is far brighter, cleaner and fresher looking than before and most importantly the clients were pleased with the finished result!

If you live in the Cheshire area and would like help with your rental property and achieving the best ROI then get in touch to see how I can help.

Daily Telegraph Homebuilding and Renovating Awards 2019

Ah so here it is we are officially in the Homebuilding and Renovating Magazine as the Readers Choice Winner.

We are still so excited to see this project that we worked so hard on featured and being recognised and to read some of the comments from the judges it was also great to see our landing appear in another feature in the magazine, even the cat approved!

The full article featuring more pictures of the house is due out this year and i will be excited to share even more with you all.