The importance of sound in interior design

9 min read

Published 28 Oct 2023

 

The inside of an everyman cinema theatre

When a client considers starting an interior project for their home, they usually begin by thinking about how their spaces should look. They might want to renovate a room by changing the wall colour, updating the wallpaper, or adding new soft furnishings such as cushions or curtains. The reasons for doing this are many and varied, but most clients who come to us want their homes to look good, and they also say they want them to feel good too. When giving us their wishlists, clients usually use words such as warm, cosy and comfortable, and ask us to help them create spaces which are enjoyable and relaxing to be in. 

As you probably know, the way we choose to decorate our homes can really affect our mood and our quality of life, but it doesn’t all come down to the way they look. It’s also about how our homes sound. This may seem strange, but sound, or noise, and the way we experience it in our homes, has a real and quantifiable impact on the way we feel, think, behave, and on the inner workings of our bodies. Sounds and noises affect our heart rate, our hormones (particularly the release of the stress hormone cortisol), our breathing, and even our brain waves, and they can do this in both positive and negative ways. 

The sounds we hear when moving through the world can usually be divided into two categories: welcome and unwelcome, or pleasant and unpleasant. The welcome or pleasant sounds we hear, such as birdsong or the gently lapping waves of the sea, have a positive effect on our bodies and minds; they will usually make us feel calm, and will lower our heart rate. Unwelcome or unpleasant sounds, such as car alarms or unexpected loud bangs, will have a negative effect on us, making us feel stressed and breathe more quickly, with an increased heart rate, as our bodies prepare to flee or fight off a potential predator. 

A kitchen with white walls, white cupboards and grey countertops

This client came to us after her kitchen was freshly installed, wanting help to warm it up and make it feel more homely

The effect sounds have on us can clearly be felt in public spaces such as open plan offices and restaurants, where there are usually lots of people in one space performing different tasks or lots of conversations going on at once. When we hear all this noise it can be difficult to concentrate or relax, and it can easily overwhelm us and disturb our sense of calm. If measures aren’t in place to help reduce the noise levels, we can quickly become stressed, so it’s vitally important that we handle sound correctly in these spaces. Julian Treasure, in his 2009 Ted Talk states that in badly designed open plan offices which have no methods of controlling the sound we create, productivity has been shown to reduce by up to 66%. And of course, we’ve all been to restaurants where the acoustics are poor - we can hear all of the conversations going on around us as well as the noises of the food being prepared in the kitchen. These restaurants sound loud and chaotic, and are unpleasant to be in, with the result that we don’t enjoy ourselves and are unlikely to visit again. 

I recently stayed at a Premier Inn Hub (the ones with the tiny bedrooms) as I needed to visit a trade fair in London and all the nearby hotels were fully booked. I ate in the restaurant one night, and felt very uncomfortable. The space felt too bright and light, but it was also very much like a public, open space and I didn’t feel settled. The bright lighting certainly didn’t help, but it was also the echoey sound which made everyone else's conversation seem so much louder, making it hard to switch off and relax. This is the restaurant space at the hotel I stayed in:

A bar seating area with wooden floors, round tables and large windows

If you look at the photo of the restaurant above, you can see that the room has wood effect tiled floors, tiles on the pillars around the perimeter, a shiny plastic ceiling, lots of windows and glass shelving, and very little in the way of soft furnishings. It’s a very practical space and easy to keep clean, but it isn’t great for the acoustics. Why not? In order to understand, we’ll have a quick look at how sound works.

Sounds are emitted in various ways - from our bodies (our voices), from audio speakers (music or TV), from animals, from machines or technology (phones and car alarms) and from things coming in to contact with each other (dropping a spoon on a worktop). The sounds travel outward from their source, through the air until they reach our ears. On their journey to our ears, these soundwaves will come into contact with things which have an effect on them, such as a wall, a floor or a piece of furniture. If the surface is hard (such as glass) it will reflect or bounce the sound back around the room, creating an echo or reverberation. If the surface is soft (such as a carpet) it will absorb the sound and effectively stop any reverberation from happening. 

If we were in a room full of hard surfaces with no soft ones, the sound would keep bouncing around and there would be a great deal of echo, which is disorientating. If we were in a room where all the surfaces were soft, the sound would be absorbed by all of them, and there would be no echo. The sounds heard in this type of room would be ‘flat’ or ‘dead’, and would sound unnatural to us. Spaces which feel comfortable to be in ideally have a mix of soft and hard, or absorbing and reflective surfaces. This mixture of surfaces will allow some reverberation from the sounds hitting them, and absorb some of the soundwaves to reduce echo and create a good acoustic balance. 

The problem with the restaurant I ate in was that nearly all the surfaces were hard, without enough soft ones to absorb the sounds coming from the other diners. Those sounds were echoed and amplified around the room, which felt intrusive and unsettling. The echoey sounds only added to the feeling of coldness which was created by the sparse decor, so I was never going to feel relaxed there. In contrast, this picture of the loos in The Ivy restaurant in Cardiff shows how the interior design has incorporated sound absorbing materials. The doors are all wood, the walls have wallpaper panels, and the ceiling has been covered in faux roses, all of which will stop the echoes and dampen down any unwanted noises.

a ceiling filled with faux flower roses

To avoid an echoey or cold sounding space in your home, you need to add some softer items and surfaces into your rooms, which will absorb the echoes and create the ideal acoustic mix. Rooms with lots of hard surfaces such as kitchens and bathrooms will suffer more from echoey sound than say, living rooms or bedrooms, which generally have more furniture and soft furnishings to absorb sound. We have come across this problem when working with clients who come to us after they have installed a new kitchen, chosen a practical tiled floor, and added large bifold doors to maximise their views of the garden. They come to us because the space doesn’t feel homely or comfortable, and feels cold. It is, of course, all those hard and shiny surfaces reverberating the sounds around the room, with nothing to absorb them. 

Ideally, the acoustics of the room would have been considered when the space was being planned, but if they weren’t, there are things which can be done afterwards to help. Adding curtains or soft blinds to the windows will absorb a lot of reverberation, adding rugs to the floors will dampen down the sound of shoes on the tiled floor, and adding upholstered pieces of furniture along with cushions will help considerably, as a sofa is a fairly large item and can easily break up the movement of the sound waves across the room. Plants are also surprisingly good at absorbing sound, and can really help in a kitchen, as they will soften it both acoustically and visually. Who doesn’t love a few plants in a kitchen (or bathroom)?

A kitchen with plastered walls and floor to ceiling navy cupboards

Above - A recent client's kitchen before we helped them with the design - cold, hard surfaces and boxy cabinets

A kitchen with patterned curtains, a bench seat with cushions and round dinning table
The same client's kitchen with curtains, blinds, furniture, a tablecloth, and wooden panelling added to help absorb the sounds

In order to avoid this problem from the beginning, if you are in the planning stages of a bathroom or kitchen renovation and budget and space allow, you can consider adding the latest materials to dampen down the echoes. New double glazing units with noise reducing glass are available, and you can even buy acoustic plaster which will absorb sound. This works like an insulation, and not only improves the acoustics of a room inside, but will help prevent noise from outside the room (such as noisy neighbours) from disturbing you. You can also consider using natural materials where possible as they are inherently sound absorbent. Adding a wooden worktop in a kitchen, wooden panelling on the walls or ceiling, or even a cork floor with a 100% wool rug on the top, will all help to make your space more acoustically pleasing and comfortable to be in. 

Wall or ceiling panels are fairly easy to install and can be added to greatly help with the acoustics of a room. They are usually made from some form of fabric or wood on rectangles (but other shapes are available) to help absorb the sound. You can see examples of these in places like theatres and cinemas - here are some coloured ones inside the Everyman cinema in Cardiff.

A wall covered in square sound absorbent panels with lighting

They are pretty and you would be forgiven for thinking that they are just a nice wall treatment, but here they are helping to absorb the sound from the films and to stop it from leaking into the cinema next door. There are many types of these panels available, with a wide range of designs, from fluffy ones which can be attached to glass, to wooden slatted strips on felt backing, which also nail the trend for wooden wall paneling.

A glass wall covered in circular sound absorbent panels

Panels from Office Reality

A room with wooden slated wall paneling and a pink chair

Panels from The Wood Veneer Hub

As with all the elements which make up good interior design, acoustic design should be considered and integrated seamlessly into the design of a space as a whole, with the aim that it is either unnoticeable, or adds to the overall aesthetic. The best designs take a room by room approach, based on the use of each room and the activities we will perform within it, as the right acoustic mix will be different for each room. If we take the time to get it right, it will add to our enjoyment of the spaces we work and live in, and allow those spaces to support us as they should.

Welcome to the design blog, where you'll see posts about anything from the projects we are working on, to the latest fabric and wallpaper collections, and all things interiors related. We love colour, pattern, architecture and old buildings, and we love to share our finds with you.

Happy reading!

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A photo from Little Greene of a room double drenched in yellow and mustard.
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Bathroom accessories from Armac Martin

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A GIF of some of the new bathroom accessories in bathroom settings.
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Modern Florals

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A photo showing a sofa covered in one of the new modern floral fabrics from Kirkby Design.
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Pour by Henry Holland Studio

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A photo of the tiles placed around a cube
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Intelligent paints from Little Greene

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A photo of a kitchen painted with Little Greene paints.
Little Greene have just launched an intelligent paint range - it is a paint colour and primer in one, so you can use one tin to transform any surface, without the need to use a separate primer first. Learn more about the range here.

Treat your senses with paint

28 Apr 2024

A photo of five paint colours in stripes, with paintbrushes underneath the stripes.
A collection of five brand new environmentally friendly paint colours from Earthborn. With names like 'Splashing', 'Balloon Ride' and 'Bunny Hop' they are designed to appeal to all of our five senses, and are almost good enough to eat. Available in all interior finishes, you can see the collection here.

The Great Outdoors

28 Mar 2024

A photo of a parasol made in colourful outdoor fabric in a garden.
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Beata Heuman's Direktors Lampa

28 Feb 2024

A GIF of the Direktors Lampa in different positions.
A new product from one of my favourite designers - the ever so versatile Direktors Lampa from Beata Heuman. It has an articulated joint on the base and a directional shade holder, so you can move this lamp into the perfect position, whether that be for work or play.

Little Greene x National Trust

28 Jan 2024

a pantry room with green cupboards. The walls and ceiling are covered in green floral wallpaper

Little Greene have launched their latest collection of wallpapers in collaboration with the National Trust and they are just gorgeous.

Featuring eight historic wallpaper designs that have been created from original patterns found at several of the National Trust’s historic houses, the collection comprises an array of exotic birds, stylised florals and large-scale tropical murals. You can see the collection here.

All that glistens - antique copper from Soho Lighting

28 Nov 2023

A photo of three copper pans on a shelf with matching copper light switches beneath the shelf.

Add some warmth and interest to your interiors with the Autumnal hues of antique brass, copper and brushed brass light switches and plug sockets from The Soho Lighting Company. Our favourites are the antique copper collection, as they are hand finished to replicate the aged tone of Victorian cookware.

Paint made from olive stones?

28 Oct 2023

A photo of a mustard yellow painted wall with a dressed table in front of it.

Well known paint brand Mylands have created an innovative new paint range made from ground olive stones. Using a waste product and turning it into an eco friendly paint is genius as it has virtually no VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and creates minimal environmental harm. It is available in all their beautiful colours, and will leave the air in your home purer after decorating, meaning you and your loved ones will benefit too.

Recycled yarn given a new life

28 Sep 2023

An image showing the new recycled fabric on a sofa with a yellow background and foreground.

kirkby design's latest range is a happy collection that not only looks good but does good too. Created using 100% recycled cotton yarn from the fashion industry these eco-conscious prints are the perfect way to bring a splash of colour into your home this Autumn.

Shower curtains can be cool too

28 Aug 2023

A photo of the Zsa Zsa shower curtain from Divine Savages.

Who says shower curtains have to be white (or greying with mould)? The fabulously patterned range from Divine Savages is a bold and easy way to add a wall of colour and pattern to your home with no commitment. Very easy to change, and very easy to fall in love with too!

Beautiful outdoor lighting

28 Jul 2023

A photo of one of the new lights from the Soho Lighting outdoor collection
Outdoor lighting is not usually something to get excited about. But this new collection from Soho Lighting is beautiful, and in on trend but timeless brass. Inspired by the Chelsea Flower Show and designed to compliment any style of planting, there are three new lights in this collection. They are all made in Britain and you can take a closer look here.

The perfect combo

28 Jun 2023

A photo showing a light switch which is made up of a combination of toggle and dimmer switches.
We often have lighting combinations in our rooms (such as kitchens) where some lights need to be dimmable, (say over the dining table) and others need to be a functional on or off switch. The clever people at Dowsing & Reynolds have combined these types of switches into one plate, which is not only practical but stylish too. You can see the range of switches and finishes available here.

Rebel Walls x Jack Kinsey

28 May 2023

A photo of Jack Kinsey in front of one of his wallpaper designs from Rebel Walls.
If you are a fan of the BBC's Interior Design Masters, you'll recognise Jack Kinsey, the runner up in the final of this year's show. He was our favourite to win, and is incredibly talented. It's lovely to see him team up with one of our wallpaper suppliers, Rebel Walls, to create a hand painted bespoke mural collection which brings the best of the past into the present. You can see the collab here.

Heritage tiles from House of Hackney

28 Apr 2023

A slideshow photo showing the new tile range from House of Hackney.
One of my favourite maximalist brands, House of Hackney, have released a stunning new collection of heritage tiles based on their most popular floral design, Artemis. They are hand made and traditionally glazed, and come in a rainbow of signature House of Hackney colours. You can buy the tiles here.

Fired Earth x Nina Campbell

28 Mar 2023

A photo of a bathroom room set with the new tiles on the walls and floors, with the designer in the corner of the image.
One of the best known interior designers, Nina Campbell, has collaborated with one of my favourite tile suppliers, Fired Earth, to produce an elegant range of beautifully patterned tiles, and a complementary range of understated plains. They are designed in her signature style, and are very easy to mix and match to create a relaxed look in your home. You can see the collection here.

New National Trust wallpapers

28 Feb 2023

A photo of the Poppy Trial wallpaper in the Masquerade colourway, with yellow paneling and a white sink.
A new collaboration from Little Greene and the National Trust, a collection of wallpapers spanning over 200 years of decoration. The designs have been created from original papers found at three of The National Trust's historic houses, and printed using traditional techniques. The collection includes hand painted birds and stylised florals, and comes in 45 colour ways. You can buy the collection here.

More pattern joy!

28 Jan 2023

A photo of one of the new cushions from Woodchip and Magnolia, in blue with a red fringe.
New from one of my favourite wallpaper suppliers, Woodchip & Magnolia, comes a long awaited collection of 18 bold and beautiful cushions. Inspired by some of their best selling wallpaper designs, they are made in tactile velvet and feature a pattern on one side and a coordinating plain on the other. You can see the collection here.

New colours from Fenwick & Tilbrook

28 Nov 2022

A photo of some shelving showing the five new colours from Fenwick & Tilbrook.
One of my favourite paint suppliers, Fenwick & Tilbrook, have just released 5 new colours. Named lovely things like Tarnished Brass and Spring Puffin, these warm, muted shades have been mixed by eye and are perfect for creating cosy, cosseting homes. You can see all their colours here.

Out of this world lighting

28 Oct 2022

A photo of the new Mars wall light from Mullan Lighting.
It just so happens that I'm excited by newness from Mullan Lighting again this month. They have launched a fabulous colourful series of wall lights, with celestial names like Mars, Neptune and Jupiter, and I just LOVE the use of colour in them. You can see the range here.

Introducing sustainable pendants from Mullan Lighting

28 Sep 2022

A photo of the new rattan pendants from Mullan Lighting.
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Whipping up a storm

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A photo of a neutral coloured stir runner with a red whipped edging.
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A responsibly made lamp

28 Jul 2022

A photo of the new light from HouseOf.
New from lighting brand HouseOf, a responsibly made eco table lamp. Made from recyclable and waste materials, and designed and made in London, they will even take it back within the next ten years in exchange for 20% off another one of their products. You can learn more here.

Corduroy is cool again

28 Jun 2022

A photo of a curved chair covered in orange Sculpt fabric.
A new fabric from Kirkby Design called Sculpt includes these deep pile cotton velvets which look just like large versions of corduroy. The look takes me right back to my childhood, and is very comforting. You can see the collection here.

Colourful, wonderful boucle fabric

28 May 2022

A photo of a sofa upholstered in a blue Linwood Sienna boucle fabric
The trend for super soft Boucle fabric is still going strong, but up until now we've mostly seen it in creams and whites. One of my favourite fabric suppliers, Linwood, has produced a new colourful collection of 48 shades. It's a durable and soft fabric, and works particularly well on sofas and cushions.

We won!

28 Apr 2022

The Cardiff Life Awards 2022 winners badge
This month, we were pleased as punch to receive the Best Homes & Interiors award from the prestigious Cardiff Life Awards. Cardiff Life Magazine are well-known champions of our city, and the annual awards celebrate the best of Cardiff talent, so we are over the moon to be named 2022 winners!

Morris & Co. X Ben Pentreath

28 Mar 2022

A room styled with items for the new collection of fabrics and wallpapers.
The designs of William Morris have made a comeback over recent years, and now they have been given a striking makeover by interior designer Ben Pentreath. The Queen Square Collection has reimagined some of Morris's most famous fabrics and wallpapers in rich tones and vibrant colourways. You can see the collection here.

Matchy Matchy

28 Feb 2022

A photo of Woodchip & Magnolia's wallpaper matching the fabric on the sofa.
One of my favourite design houses, Woodchip & Magnolia, have gone all out for the all over pattern trend and produced wallpapers and fabrics in the same prints, which I love. You can see the whole stunning collection here.

New fabric collection from Prestigious Textiles

28 Jan 2022

A photo of fabrics and cushions from the new collection from Prestigious Textiles.
A new collection of sumptuous fabrics has just been released from Prestigious Textiles, called Monsoon. The collection includes tactile velvets, animal motifs, embroideries and beautiful sheers, so it's versatile enough to use anywhere in your home. If you'd like to know more about these fabrics, please get in touch.

New reeded glass pendants from Mullan Lighitng

28 Nov 2021

A photo of the Nahla glass reeded pendant
Lighting designers and manufacturers Mullan Lighting have a new range of reeded glass pendant lights available. These Mid Century inspired lights come in three shapes and four finishes, but the Nahla (the one pictured above) is my favourite. You can see the range here.

Little Greene and Bert & May join forces

28 Oct 2021

A photo of some green Bert & May tiles from the new collection, in a bathroom painted green.

Little Greene has announced a collaboration with tile brand Bert & May. The collection sees eight gorgeous Little Greene shades translated onto tiles, giving you even more opportunity to add colour, texture, and a mix of materials to every area of your home. I love this bathroom combination above, with the perfectly matched tiles and paint offset with touches of terracotta, mustard and oak. You can see the full collection here.

Dulux colour of the year - Bright Skies

29 Sep 2021

A promotional photo from Dulux showing the paint colour Bright Skies in a room setting.

So, Dulux have announced their colour of the year for next year, and here it is! Bright Skies is described as the 'breath of fresh air' that we all need after being indoors for so long. What do you think? I'm reserving judgement at the moment. It looks a little cold in the picture, but I don't think the beige sofa and the styling are doing it any favours here. Maybe colour drenched (painted on walls, ceilings, trims and doors) and with some warmer burgundies and terracotta, it could be lovely. You can buy the colour here.

A new home collection from Paloma Faith

28 Aug 2021

A photo of the vintage botanical black wallpaper from Paloma Home.
British singer songwriter Paloma Faith has recently launched her first collection for the home. It includes wallpapers, fabrics, cushions and bedding, and she describes the look as 'faded grandeur and retro maximalism'. The prints are everything I love - dramatic, colourful and fun, and you can see more of the collection here.

It's all about soft yellows

28 Jul 2021

A photo for Little Greene with room inspiration for using Carys yellow paint.
I was watching an Instagram live post from The Little Greene Paint Company last week, and they were discussing a comeback for yellow. Now, as you know, I don't think you have to follow the trends but yellow hasn't been fashionable for a long time, so this sunny, uplifting shade is often overlooked. A warm yellow like Little Green's Carys (above) is perfect for cheering us all up, and you can buy it here.

The cushion that gives back

28 Jun 2021

A photo of the green velvet cushion on a chair.
Introducing the cushion that gives back, from homewares company Oka. They have produced this cushion in partnership with The Trussell Trust who support two thirds of the UK's food banks, and 100% of the proceeds from sales of this lovely green velvet cushion will be donated by Oka to The Trussell Trust. It comes in a range of other colours too, and you can buy the cushion here.

A beautiful new tile collection inspired by the National Trust

28 May 2021

A photo of one of the new tiles in a kitchen roomset with pink walls and black bar stools.
Just launched, Ca Pietra a new tile collection in collaboration with the National Trust. Every tile has been inspired by one of the historic properties, gardens or coastlines looked after by the Trust, and a minimum of £10,000 from sales of the tiles will be given to the National Trust to help them continue their important work. You can see the collection here.

Yummy new switch & socket colours

28 Apr 2021

A photo of two of the new light switches from Dowsing & Reynolds
Did you ever think that your light switches were good enough to eat? I'm guessing the answer is no, until now. You can now buy switches and sockets in these gorgeous colours from the new Dowsing & Reynolds Cafe Culture collection. They come in luscious shades like Cinnamon, Caramel Latte and Whipped Cream, so you can tone, coordinate or contrast with your wall colours and make every part of your interior scheme look delicious. You can buy the gorgeousness from here.

A sustainable fabric choice

29 Mar 2021

A photo of the some of the new Eco range of fabrics.
A beautiful new sustainable fabric range from Clarke and Clarke has just been launched. It's made entirely from recycled materials so you can refresh your home with a clear conscience. You can have a look at the fabric here. Get in touch with me if you'd like to buy any of this fabric.

Sought & Styled - Preloved items given new life

28 Feb 2021

The sought and styled logo on a green background
This month I want to highlight a business run by a very talented lady I met a few years ago (remember when we could meet people?) Not only is she a creative interior designer, she also runs an online shop where she reuses and repurposes anything from soft furnishings to larger furniture items. Everything sold is bespoke and unique, and is effortlessly waste conscious because it's being used again. You can visit her shop here.

Do kitchen worktops bore you?

27 Jan 2021

A photo of a Blackpop design on a kitchen worktop.
Thanks to a genius idea from kings of pattern Blackpop, you can now have one of their colourful designs on your kitchen worktop. They will put any of their funky fabric or wallpaper designs onto waterproof MDF to make you a unique worktop, or they can even make a design just for you. Chopping will never look the same again! You can buy the worktops from their website here.

A Fresh Take - Cardiff Life feature

18 Dec 2020

The cover of the December 2020 issue of Cardiff Life magazine.
This month's issue of Cardiff Life Magazine is out today, and features an interiors special, because one thing this past year has made us do is take a new look at our homes and how we'd like to live in them. To see what I and other local interiors experts have to say on the subject, including a round up of the trends for 2021, have a flick through the digital mag here.

An enchanting inaugural wallpaper collection from Tom Baker

26 Nov 2020

A tropical teal wallpaper plasters the wall above a wainscoting panelling and a navy fabric covered bench. The wallpaper is adorned with tropical wildlife and atmospheric jungle scenery including parrots and  jaguars.
This opulent and atmospheric wallpaper from Tom Baker immerses you in a world of tropical flora, fauna and exotic animals. With soft cool tones and hints of pink floral detailing, this is the perfect wallpaper to add a relaxing and exciting edge to your home. Find this enchanting collection here.

A new shady collaboration between Matthew Williamson and Pooky

20 Oct 2020

A picture of designer Matthew Williamson, standing next to a blue dresser with a wide array of candles and candlesticks on the top. Behind him in a ornate floral wallpaper with a sunburst mirror
The humble lampshade is often overlooked, but with the new collaboration between Pooky and Matthew Williamson they won't be for much longer! Matthew Williamson has applied his talent to design a new range of Pooky lampshades. Whatever your taste, colour scheme or budget you will find the perfect lampshade for your home in this new collection which is now available. This spectacular new collection can be found here.

Felt covered curtain poles

17 Sep 2020

Walcot House felt cover curtain poles

Now you can add some texture to your window dressing with these Walcot House felt covered poles. The pure wool coverings come with a option for bronze or steel fittings and wide spans up to six metres. The curtain track is cleverly hidden within the wooden curtain pole and there's a choice of nearly 50 colours and textures. You can find out more here.

Please vote for my blog

11 Aug 2020

A picture of the Amara Blog Awards vote for me sticker.
I'm really thrilled to have been nominated for an Amara Interiors Blog Award this year! If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to vote for me, I'm nominated in the Best Interior Designer Blog category, and you can vote for me here.

Upcoming interiors trends from Love Rugs

10 Jul 2020

A photo of the Love Rugs website featuring the article.
Love Rugs, the people who know about all things rugs have just published a feature on the upcoming interiors trends for 2020. They asked six of the UK's top interior designers (including me!) to tell them what the upcoming trends are, and in particular the changes we will be making to their homes. The article can be read here, and if you'd like to have a look at the huge range of rugs they offer, click here.

A new fabric collection from Linwood Fabrics

15 Jun 2020

A photo of the new Kami collection from Linwood fabrics.
I love Linwood fabrics - they have a fab way of mixing colour and pattern into something really special, producing fabrics and wallpapers that make me want to coo. This new collection, available at the end of June, is just as gorgeous. It's called Kami, with the pattern inspired by a 19th Century document. The collection is a range of printed velvets, so perfect for upholstery and accessories like cushions.

An easy way to update your kitchen

16 Apr 2020

A photo of the new birch handles from Superfront.
If you are looking to update your existing Ikea kitchen rather than replace it, Stockholm based company Superfront are here to help. They sell a range of fronts, handles, legs and tops to fit not just the Faktum kitchen range but also the Besta, Metod and Pax ranges - so you can customise anything from your sideboard to your wardrobe. These super cute round handles are part of their new birch collection, and the whole range can be found here

Move over boring taps - colour is the new black

13 Mar 2020

A photo of the new coloured taps from the Dowsing & Reynolds Miami colour pop collection.
Colour has been taking over our kitchens and bathrooms for a while now (yay!), and has slowly been creeping into sanitaryware and fittings. These perfectly coloured mint green and pastel pink taps from the new Miami Colour Pop Collection from amazing homeware brand Dowsing & Reynolds are spot on and would look gorgeous in any kitchen or bathroom to add a shot of colour without overwhelming with sugary sweetness. You can learn more about this new collection here.

Who knew a door stop could look this good?

19 Feb 2020

a photo  of the new doorstop from Buster and Punch, with their logo and branding.
Door stops are one of those little annoying things that we all need, but are not the prettiest to look at. Now London based Buster & Punch have turned their attention to the problem and transformed the humble door stop into something cool and covetable. They might cost more than your average one from a DIY store, but as you're going to see it every day, why not look at something beautiful? here.

Wallpaper made of cork?

29 Oct 2019

A photo of the wallpaper made from cork, By Monkey Puzzle Tree
Sustainability and concern for our environment are key in the interiors world right now (as they should be). So when I saw that Monkey Puzzle Tree (a brand I admire for their sense of style and creativity) had produced this wallpaper made of cork, I was blown away. Cork is great for so many reasons - it can be harvested every nine years without harming the tree, is grown without the need for pesticides or fertilisers, has excellent sound and heat insulation properties, and is naturally antimicrobial and antifungal. This wallpaper has an A+ rating for emissions so it creates a healthy environment wherever it is hung. Add to this that the design was produced in collaboration with the talented Drew Millward who lives in my home county of West Yorkshire, and that it's called 'Hit The North', I was bound to fall in love with it. You can buy the wallpaper here.

I'm in Cardiff Life magazine - again!

17 Sep 2019

The front cover of Cardiff Life Magazine issue no.208, Autumn 2019

Now that the summer is officially over and our thoughts turn to cosying up our homes for winter, I'm here to help. If you're in need of some inspiration, you can read all about the interiors trends for Autumn and how to work them into your home in this month's Cardiff Life magazine. Hear what I and other interiors experts have to say on pages 18-22. You can read the digital version of the magazine here.

I've been nominated for an Amara Interiors blog award!

6 Sep 2019

The Amara interiors blog awards voting banner 2019.
Exciting news! My little blog (Design Insider) has been nominated for an Amara Interiors Blog award! I'm so chuffed to be included at all, and not expecting to win, but if you enjoy reading my blog posts then please vote for me. I'm nominated for the Best Interior Designer blog category. Voting is open until the 11th of September and you can vote for me here.

My kitchen project featured on the Artifact Lighting blog!

1 Aug 2019

A view if the contemporary copper kitchen featuring the copper pendant lights from Artifact Lighting.

When I designed the contemporary copper kitchen, I wanted to use some copper elements to add warmth and also to tone in with the pink walls and pale grey units. I found these pendant lights from a company called Artifact Lighting, and they are perfect because they add to the 'warm glow' I wanted to acheive. They also have a vintage look which contrasts nicely with the sleek look of the kitchen units. When the kitchen was finished I sent some pictures to Artifact Lighting, and they liked the kitchen so much they featured it on the blog page of their website.

You can read the blog page here

House of Hackney's first outdoor fabric

26 Jun 2019

A photo of the new House of Hackney Palmeral print for outdoor use.

One of my favourite interiors brands, House of Hackney, who are known for their daring and quirky prints, have just released a new fabric which is suitable for our door use. They took one of their designs, Palmeral, and reimagined it in a fresh colour palette of off white and green. This colour fast and water resistant fabric can be used for anything from outdoor cushions to furnishing yachts (if you are lucky enough to have one!)

My thoughts on the colour Living Coral in Cardiff Life Magazine

31 May 2019

A photo which accompanies the Cardiff Life article about Living Coral
Hear what I and my fellow designers have got to say about Pantone's colour of the year, Living Coral, and how to use it, in this month's Cardiff Life magazine. The article is on pages 84-86, and you can read it here. Do you think you could use it in your home?

Sustainability in furniture design

7 May 2019

A photo of the new Componibili Bio.
Sustainability is something that is becoming more and more important in interior design - not just where we buy items from and how far they've travelled to get to us, but also the materials that they are made from. Kartell, one of Italy's best known design brands, have just released the world's first piece of furniture made from a bioplastic called Bio-On. It's a fully sustainable version of one of their best selling items - the Componibili modular unit, and it comes in four delicious pastel shades. They may be 100% sustainable, but they are also super cute and bang on trend with this seasons colours. You can buy them here

The latest trend in shutters

24 Feb 2019

A photo of California Shutters new range in ash wood.

Forget painted shutters - the new style direction for window shutters is bare wood. These full height shutters made from sustainably sourced ash are the newest product from California Shutters, and are set to be big this year.

californiashutters.co.uk

My new favourite tile!

7 Feb 2019

A picture of the Lampas Marint pattern tile from Topps Tiles

I was searching for some tiles for a client's splashback recently and came across these beauties from Topps Tiles. There's long been a trend for patterned tiles, with lots of geometric shapes and bold colours going on, but I've begun to see more and more tiles with a pattern in the surface of the tile itself. These ones are a lovely example, and the deep blue colour is just stunning. To get a closer look at them, follow the link below.

Lampas Pattern Marine tile

Pantone announce their colour of the year 2019

11 Dec 2018

a shot of a coral reef with the description Color of the Year 2019

Leading colour experts Pantone have annouced the shade which they think will be the colour of the year for next year - Coral pink. It might look very bright and scary, but it's actually quite easy to use. I wouldn't suggest painting a whole room in it, as that might be a bit overwhelming, but I would use it in small doses, such as on cushions or in artwork, to liven up a shceme. Pantone say that the colour is meant to 'embrace us with warmth and nourishment and provide comfort and bouyancy in our continually shifting envirnoment', which basically means it's a happy, uplifting colour, and might just cheer us all up!

My work featured on Homify

8 Oct 2018

a view of the dressed bed, pink walls and blackout lined curtainsMy work has been featured in an article on Homify - one of the leading online ideas platforms for all things interiors. My project is in an article on how to avoid common mistakes when designing a bedroom. The article mentions how important it is to block out light for a good nights sleep - something I addressed by adding blackout lining to the curtains and adding an extra layer of window dressing with the wooden Venetian blinds. To see the article, please use the link below.

Homfy article - Are you guilty of these 8 bedroom design mistakes?