As a design consultant, I believe we need a bit of beauty and practicality in our homes and in our lives to add individual style and convey our personalities and lifestyles. It would be rather boring if everything was conventional and practical, straight-edged and monochromatic.
Constant improvement in design has resulted in the innovative use of raw materials. We have become more ecologically sensitive and improvements have been made in practicality and design resilience.
Currently, we’re seeing a lot of glass, crystal and metal which give a rooms a touch of opulence. Fabrics such as linen have been screened using silver and copper paint effects and wallpaper is now very much in vogue adding a dramatic finish to interiors.
While recently discussing a bedroom scheme with a client, she very carefully unravelled a coveted piece of Florence Broadhurst wallpaper which has a gold background with a turquoise screen. It was an offcut she’d bought from a craftsman who was rebuilding a delicate Asian screen. She thought this piece of wallpaper a thing of beauty and planned to use it as a piece of art on her bedroom wall.
As an experienced home stager I’ve always found that the easiest way of making a home stage more welcoming and realistic is by adding a few well-chosen items that will enhance the client’s existing décor. Enhancements can be as elaborate or simple as you like – from a mohair throw and a co-ordinating collection of cushions, to an arrangement of candles that set the scene for a fabulous winter’s evening – items that are both practical and beautiful.
I recently worked with a young local family who wanted to refurbish their family room. With young children present, food and drink spills were inevitable and with the ease of wiping leather clean, a leather lounge suite seemed the most practical solution.
Leather is not only affordable and practical, but it has a look of luxury too. We supplied a two-seater sofa with a return chaise, along with an ottoman that could be pulled forward for extra seating, or with a tray placed on top, could act as a functional coffee table.
The ottoman was upholstered in Angkor Wat, a Mokum fabric. Cushions in a refreshing aqua shade, from Unique Fabrics, were added to the scheme with the colour chosen to work with a Nicky Gormley painting seen as you enter the room. Alternatively the ottoman can be pushed against the wall to give more floor area when required.
A large, black, textural rug has been placed on the tiles to add interest and soften the area, allowing the children to sit on the floor in comfort. The family have just installed a wall-mounted flat-screen TV and sound system to ensure a comfortable area for relaxing, playing games, and watching DVDs.
A touch of whimsy was added with soft polar-fleece toy cushions and a polar-fleece throw rug ensuring a soft and cosy place to relax during the winter months.
As a designer, I believe it’s important to focus on the way clients live so that the design is a reflection of them and makes living in their home fun.
There should be a balance in the practicality and beauty of décor items and I believe both can be achieved if you focus on those things you treasure and hold dear. Marry those to function, form and design and the result is a balance of both.
