5 pieces I'm loving this month

I spend a lot of time trawling the internet for interesting pieces for my clients and every now and again there are items that stand out for all the right reasons, be that price, design, versatility or uniqueness and I wanted to be able to share them with you so you can incorporate them into your own schemes.

Below are the 5 Items at various price points I am particularly loving this month:

Mr Davies Mid Century Modern Wall Clock £75

This Mid Century Modern clock from Newgate would make a fantastic and stylish addition to lots of interior schemes.

Ezra Cotton Throw from Soho Home in Oatmeal & Black £145

This oatmeal pompom throw is the perfect size for the end of a bed and will add a graphic bit of monochrome interest to your scheme without being too in your face.

H&M Pleated Shade Pendant, £79.99

I love the milky hue of this pendant light and at this price its an absolute steal.

Zara Home Ombre Vase £29.99

Zara’s Mid Century Ombre Vase would create a beautiful feature on a simple styled sideboard.

Formworks abstract Giclee print, Monochrome 02, available in different sizes from £150.

Formworks studio does a great line in limited edition abstract prints in various colours. I particularly like this monochrome version.

Benefits of hiring an Interior Designer

I believe that everyone deserves a beautiful space for themselves and their family to live in, a space that truly reflects who they are, their lifestyle whilst also serving as a functioning space that works for you.

Many people may feel intimidated by hiring an interior designer as they believe that we will impose what we want onto you, we are out of your price range or not really sure what the benefits are of working with an interior designer. Below I have tried to help by letting you know what the benefits of working with an Interior Designer actually are and believe me we aren’t a scary bunch so if you have any queries about how I can help you with your own project then get in touch to see how I can help

Benefits of hiring an interior designer # 1

- We will Save you money

Yes really! Many people think that its really expensive to hire an interior designer but in fact we can help save you money. We know how to stick to a budget and the best places to go within that budget. Interior Designers also help you reduce unnecessary spending and making costly mistakes buying things that don’t fit, the wrong colour or just doesn’t go with anything else in the scheme.

Many of us also pass on a percentage of the trade discount we get onto our clients. It is this and the ability to ‘source for less’ or at origin that will help cover a proportion of our fee.

Living Room Design

Benefits of hiring an interior designer # 2

-We will save you time

Managing a full time job, family and other life commitments can be all consuming. Interior Designers can save your valuable time and lesson the burden on you as we have industry knowledge, contacts and suppliers who can help us source the right pieces at the right price point for you. Just think of the time you can spend procrastinating over a colour, going back and forth to the builders merchants buying samples.

Open Plan Living

Benefits of hiring an interior designer # 3
-We will come at the project with a fresh pair of eyes

Interior Designers can give you a professional and objective viewpoint on your project and having this fresh pair of eyes can help you see things you may not have noticed or we will be able to suggest designs and options that you would never have thought about.

Bedroom Design

Benefits of hiring an interior designer # 4

-We can give you the wow factor

Interior Designers are creative people and we can visualise the overall look of the interior space and understand what it needs and where best the money should be spent. We are able to think outside the box and suggest ideas and designs to you that you would never have considered. Designers are also trained to design rooms that are highly functional and fit for purpose as well as looking unique and professionally put together. We also help bring everything together so it flows and works in unison and if you are unsure how to do this it can result in costly errors

Hallway Design

Benefits of hiring an interior designer # 5
Access to a large network of suppliers

We work across the whole industry so know exactly where to go for that perfect light that you need or who to contact to find the exact rug to fit that awkward space and if I don’t know then my colleagues over at the Interior Design Collective (the IDC is an invite only group of Independent Interior Designers) will certainly have an idea. We also are able to source product from trade only suppliers and spend an unseemly amount of time on the internet researching new product as well as visiting trade shows to discover new and exciting product from new and established brands.

I hope this article goes someway to demystify what the benefits of hiring an interior designer are and shows you how much of a benefit it could be to your project.

Further Reading:

Daily Telegraph Homebuilding & Renovating Awards 2019

Basement Kitchen Design

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!

Mood Board Inspiration

Navy and Burnt orange always makes for a bold colour scheme. They are complimentary colours and sit opposite each other on the colour wheel and as such lend themselves to dramatic scheme. A complementary scheme such as this is believed to provide the ideal balance in a room as it includes both a warm and cool hue. Although it would be a great starting point to any interior scheme these colours lend themselves very well to a mid century style scheme.