Before you do anything, take a long, inquisitive look at your house, taking the time to understand its architectural context and history. This will help inform what the house can take in terms of decoration as you build your schemes. Identify its best qualities and its worst and then focus on how to amplify the former and encourage the latter to recede into the background.
As every project unfolds, there are always frustrations and bumps in the road. But remember you are making a home, a place for you and your family to live your lives, so do all you can to embrace and enjoy that process.
Before you reach for the paint charts, get the furniture layout for each room down on paper. Everything from lighting to fabrics will flow from it and if it isn’t right there is a very good chance that, in the final analysis, the room won’t quite work.
I often find that a client already has a good quality sofa or armchairs that, through rejuvenating and recovering, we can incorporate into a room. Do try to buy the best you can afford when it comes to upholstered furniture, even if it means saving for a time to do so. Traditionally made sofas and armchairs using natural materials will last for decades. While their covers might wear out, they will keep going, which makes them a better option for the planet and a better investment for you in the long term.
There was a time when it was not unusual for a room to be put together using furniture and objects all derived from one period. A dining room where all the furniture (in mahogany), lighting and window treatments hailed from the Georgian era springs to mind. Things have most definitely moved on, but I think it’s worth taking every opportunity to consider mixing styles and eras. What is more, fascinating juxtapositions made between objects, art and furniture, which brings dynamism and energy to a room in a way that little else can.
I would strongly encourage you to make collections of art or objects that have an emotional resonance for you, whatever they may be. The act of collecting is, in itself, a rewarding exercise. Build your knowledge, delight in the thrill of the hunt and embrace the opportunity to push a collection in a new or related direction. But do be sure to edit. Whatever it is that you alight on to collect will bring soul and interest to the rooms in which you live in a way that is unique to you.
Buying a painting or a work on paper is not the end of the story. Before it goes on the wall, careful consideration should be given to framing and budget should be set aside to achieve the optimal framing arrangement. I often use antique frames that bring something of themselves to the equation. A well framed work will add so much more to a room than a picture that is weakly or badly framed.
My bathroom is my favourite space at home. I made it entirely to suit me and, while it answers all practical requirements, I would say it is the antithesis of the clinical laboratory approach to bathroom design. It is hung with wallpaper, toiletries are housed in a George I lacquer cabinet, the mirror is a favourite design originated by William Kent, and the walls are a salon hang of engravings and intaglios. My point here is that you should approach decorating a bathroom like any room in the house where comfort and relaxation are the goal. Keep in mind that they are the most private of spaces, and when done in this way, they can be a sanctuary from the outside world.
Badly made cushions are a bête noire of mine, and there are a surprising number of ways in which they can go wrong. So do pay keen attention not only to the fabrics and trims from which they derive their decorative impact, but also their construction, size and shape.
It is a universal truth that no room is complete without books and (in season) flowers.
If you are fortunate enough to employ an interior designer, then remember that they are bringing experience, know-how, and flair to your project. Trust in those skills and best results will follow.
