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20 Feb 20

Faux vs Real, Marrakech retreat & Granny chic, Podcast show notes S6 Ep4

Welcome to the Great Indoors podcast show notes, and for this episode, Kate and I share our thoughts on faking it versus the real deal, we share some of the details from our recent Marrakech retreat and unpick the micro-trend we are seeing creeping up everywhere, we are calling it posh- granny chic. But first, a huge thanks to our sponsors for this series, Topps Tiles for supporting the series. As always you can listen to the full episode here and don’t forget to check out our Facebook group and become part of our wonderfully resourceful Great Indoors community, who are quickly becoming font of all interiors knowledge.

Granny chic

Jasper Conran’s beautiful hotel where English Country meets Morocco

So Kate and I got on to this hot topic during a fabulous dinner at Jasper Conran’s L’Hotel in Marrakech and we noticed that in the midst of all the very chic surroundings were very sweet little ‘granny-esque’ details like these chair covers with frilly skirts, and I was all mad for them while Kate was far less keen. I think I may have suggested I get something similar for my house and she said sternly ‘NO!”. When we say ‘Granny Chic ‘ we’re not talking tea cosies and blankets here – it’s posh granny so think Chelsea darling and a touch of Colefax & Fowler. This look plays to my love of adding pattern on pattern, plenty of colour and the odd tassel embellishment whilst making the home feel cosy and welcoming.  This is a look for the maximalists at heart so embrace the fringing, frills and fabulousness of this nostalgic look with a witty twist.

Check out this 70s bedroom from the Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler archives which inspires the look – the ultimate in posh granny chic! @sibylcolefax

Fashionable Millenials like Pandora Sykes and Matilda Goad are embracing the granny chic trend in fashion and interiors, as seen here at designer Matilda’s Liberty London Launch. Image source: Pandora Sykes

Designers such as Anna Hayman has reinterpreted the granny chic vibe with a modern twist. In shades of black, it’s more ‘granny goth’ in my view

Faux vs Real finishes

I went for the Dartrey in black by Topps Tiles for my holiday let wetroom

The topic of whether to use real materials or those that imitate has always been a hot topic in interiors with the general feeling that real is best. Now I have a confession,  I recently needed to replace the wet room floor in my Brighton holiday let bathroom and I replaced a damaged real slate floor with a fake! This time around I wanted something low maintenance and anti-slip which is key in a wetroom,  so I went for a faux distressed wood effect porcelain tile which fits in with the vintage decor. The technology in faux tile finishes has advanced considerably and the effects are more realistic. My general tip is to not worry with floors as you don’t necessarily touch it all the time, whereas I would perhaps invest in the real thing in a shower cubicle as you’re more likely to feel the difference. A word of caution though – if you want to fake it, don’t put it next to real. With the trend of marble not going anywhere, there is more choice than ever on both real and fake marble finishes.

The real deal at Topps Tiles Emerale green real stone marble tile.

On to wallpapers, these came out as winners as there are so many choices out there and I particularly like the trompe l’oeil designs as they are witty and can really add an individual element to a space. Kate opted for a fake bookshelf design by Mineheart Designs for the top of her stairs landing. It cleverly visually conceals the entire door and surround of her son’s bedroom, giving it a secret opening feel, which we agreed was very James Bond for a young boy. Andrew Martin is worth a look for the variety of designs and scale of wallpapers.

Kate’s trompe l’oeil wallpaper by Mineheart Designs cleverly disguises the door into the bedroom

Now, what about faux plants? Well, faux plants won’t take the toxins out of the air for you and there’s that connection to nature you just can’t beat. I’m pretty sure that biophilia expert Oliver Heath would agree who we interviewed in the last episode and he would also say go real all the way (where you can) on all surfaces. Although Kate had a very cunning trick to mix your fake plants in with your real ones, in the hope of completely tricking the eye, with only half the pots to water!

Marrakech retreat

Kate and I have literally only just touched down from our amazing first Interiors Design retreat at the Elf Fenn in Marrakech. This city is a sensory overload in the best way, with so much colour, culture and architecture to soak up, it really did give me a boost I needed this dreary February. Not only did we get to be surrounded by the incredible design within El Fenn hotel but we got to connect with some great women and share our love of design.

One of our outings was to one of the most established family run rug shops in the Medina, Bazaar du Sud who sell a multitude of carpets and Berber textiles, both new and vintage. I was fascinated to discover that the chevron, diamond and triangle designs are symbols of female fertility, whereas the straight lines which create a ladder effect represent male fertility. If you look carefully some rugs may have a red dot or similar that may indicate a birth in the family which the artisan has decided to honour within her weaving. The rugs are given different names depending on the regions they are from and each region have particular design styles and thicknesses of the weave. While vintage rugs are popular, they are running out and typical Berber rugs are long and narrow to fit the shape of their homes. European homes tend to need squarer rugs which is why it’s often a good idea to commission a new rug.

We also got the privilege to sit down for coffee with interior designer Willem Smit who is responsible for the hotels colour soaked and jaw-droppingly beautiful interiors. Situated on the gorgeous rooftop terrace Willem spoke about his recipe for mixing different global influences and how he cleverly combined Mid-century design with bold Moroccon colourful accents. He is passionate about the artisans in Marrakech and his designs showcase many of the crafts available, from the Stucco plaster called Tadelakt to the leather floors, metalwork lamps and luxurious tiled floors. Not to mention the wonderful fabrics, drapes and upholstery. I think I could easily relocate- what a playground for an interior designer!

Image at top: me and Kate in the El Fenn courtyard with general manager and designer of El Fenn Willem Smitt.

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According to some recent research 24% of us look t According to some recent research 24% of us look to friends and family for design Inspiration, 21% to makeover tv shows and 18% to instagram. But while it’s great gathering ideas and opinions, ultimately creating a stylish home has to come from you if you are going to love the home you live in. The extraordinary Colour Psychology framework helps you unlock the colour palette that is perfect for you and gives you the superpower to create rooms that feel as good as they look. Suddenly other peoples opinions, trends, and influencers no longer hold sway. Creating a home is deeply personal, an exploration of what makes YOU happy. For me it’s all about the pattern, texture and plenty of intense colour. Tasteful grey interiors leave me feeling flat, I love the energy of a colour clash! If you want to understand your relationship with colour and how to design schemes that affect your emotions in a positive way, this is the last weekend to enrol in my online course, Colour Psychology for interiors. You can find the link to learn more up in my bio. It’s my most popular course to date and has transformed the way thousands of people feel about their interior spaces. 
Let me know what your happy colours are down in the comments below. 

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📷 @aluncallenderphoto styling @katemcphee #colourpsychology #colourpsychologyforinteriors #banthebeige #ihavethisthingwithcolour #myeclectichome #patternclash #maximalistdecor #colourcourse #mycolourfulinterior #punchyhome #cosyhome #countryliving #bedroom
Did you know 50% of people use social media to fin Did you know 50% of people use social media to find inspiration on how to decorate their living rooms? I’m definitely one of them! That’s according to a study by Sky Glass, the streaming TV from @sky_uk . I’ve been investigating the latest interior trends we are lusting after, and how our living rooms are changing- as we say goodbye to three piece suites, and hello to sustainable vintage furniture, statement rugs, wall prints and cosy-ing up the sofa with throws and cushions. As you can see I’m all over the trends! If you head over to the @sky_uk channel today, I’ll also be answering some interior design questions all about styling your TV. Would love to hear what you think are the living room trends to watch. 
 #skyglass #ad 

#banthebeige #colourlover #livingroomdecor #livingroom #maximalistinteriors #livingroomdecore #livingroomdecorideas #homestyle #instahomedecor #chintz #colourmyhome #colourmehappy #cushionlove #styleithappy #florals #gallerywall #berberrugs #ihavethisthingwithpatterns #ihavethisthingwithcolour
Ah @the_rhs Chelsea! What a feast for the eyes! In Ah @the_rhs Chelsea! What a feast for the eyes! Inbetween biblical downpours, thunder and lightning, it was a wonderful day of colour, design and chatter with some wonderful women! I’m slowly falling in love with gardening and my phone roll is full of inspiration after being immersed in natures finest. Thanks @michelleogundehin and @hazelgardinerdesign @thesohoagencyuk for the company. And a big congratulations Hazel on this stunning floral installation. And don’t forget if you want to hang out and be inspired by all things colour then my FREE live webinar is on tonight (25th) at 7pm tonight! Hop on to my profile for the link to sign up. Cannot wait to share some inspirational colour filled time with you all 

#rhschelsea
This is the first room we decorated after our reno This is the first room we decorated after our renovations. The entrance to your home creates the first impression. It’s also the room you walk into first thing in the morning and when you return home at the end of a long day. It needs to create the right welcome and what that feels like is hugely personal. For me I chose my favourite colours, this powerful cobalt  blue has always been a colour I’m drawn to. My wardrobe is full of it. And the bright pink is another one that always makes me instantly happy. Together they are a striking combination and I think anyone who walks through my front door, immediately gets a sense of what I’m about. I’m passionate about creating interiors that authentically  reflect the people who live there. Studying the psychology of colour made it so much easier for me, giving me a deeper understanding on the affects of colour and streamlining my process. If you’d like to know how to unlock your colour super power, join me for a free webinar this Wednesday evening (available to up for 48 hours after). It an introduction into colour psychology for interiors and my hope is it inspires you to have the courage and conviction to know what’s right for you.  And for a deeper dive my online course Colour Psychology for interiors has opened for enrolment. All links to sign up are in my bio on my profile @sophierobinsoninteriors 
What does your hallway say about you? 
📷 @aluncallenderphoto 
CREDITS walls in lazuli by @zoffanyfw stair runner @roger_oates floor tiles @claybrookstudio door painted in rose ash @sanderson1860 

#colourpsychology #colourpsychologyforinteriors #banthebiege #punchyhome #hallway #boldcolourinteriors #colourlover
My kitchen, the heart of my home. The smallest, da My kitchen, the heart of my home. The smallest, darkest room in the house with no view, but that’s old houses for you! You’ll often find the kitchen in the worst place. So to amp up the joy I chose a forest green (hunters green by @zoffanyfw) for the cabinets to mirror the woodland outside. We sourced reclaimed school science lab work tops and I wrapped the room in one of my favourite papers, Rubarber by @borastapeter. Tom put in retro fit underfloor heating and we used reclaimed terracotta tiles from @ca_pietra_  so the floor looks as old as the house but feels so warm! . For the ugliest darkest room in the house it’s become our favourite because of the colours, patterns and rustic textures.that’s the power of great interior design! 
Next up in my series of posts about the psychology of colour is the Autumn personality. You’ll have a love of rich deep warm Colours, natural finishes, nature inspired patterns and period features. The autumn palette is warm, earthy abs rich and perfect for making spaces feel cosy and inviting. 
To learn more about the autumn personality, hop on up to my bio and click the link to be taken to the blog. And you can sign up to my FREE webinar I’m hosting next Wednesday if you’d like to learn more about this powerful framework. 
Meanwhile have a gorgeous weekend! 
📷 @aluncallenderphoto Styling @katemcphee 

#colourpsychology #banthebeige #autumnpersonality #colourpsychologyforinteriors #kitchen #greenkitchen #countryhomesandinteriors #countrykitchen #ihavethisthingwithcolor #myeclectichome #maximalistdecor
Come and join my FREE webinar on Colour Psychology Come and join my FREE webinar on Colour Psychology next Wednesday 25th at 7pm GMT 🤩 hop on up to the link in my bio @sophierobinsoninteriors to register.
My brilliant online course, Colour Psychology for Interiors, is open for enrolment this month, so if you fancy finding out a bit more about this utterly game changing framework I’d love to have you join. It’s SO MUCH more than ‘ red is energising’, ‘blue is calming’ stuff you’ve all heard before. This is a deep dive into discovering how colours work, how to harmonise them and discovering your own unique and authentic style. Only then can you create a home you live and one that supports you emotionally. I LOVE teaching this stuff because the feedback I get from students is mind blowing! Don’t take my word for it, sign up for the free webinar today! 😍 and if you’ve already done my course, please share in the comments below what you loved about it. 

#colourfulhome #colourpsychology #colourpsychologyforinteriors #banthebeige #colourlover #confidentcolour #confidentcolourscheming
Have you found your design mojo? Do you gravitate Have you found your design mojo? Do you gravitate towards a style of interiors that just feels so ‘you’. Making a home is so much more than creating beautiful squares for Instagram. It has to FEEL right and this is where the psychology of colour comes in. Colour is light, it has an energy which directly impacts your brain and emotions. And we all have a unique relationship to it. So rather than follow the crowd, be swayed by trends it’s so important to understand your own authentic relationship with colour. Over on the blog today I’m starting a series of posts all about the seasonal colour personalities. First up is spring which is all the joy, uplift and energy. My bathroom, pictured above, is very ‘spring’ with light reflecting walls, energetic patterns and bright colours. The mood  is uplifting, fresh and feel-good. Hop on up to my link in my profile to read the blog post in full and discover if you are a Spring personality and how to create rooms that reflect this joyful mood. 
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#colourpsychology #colourpsychologyforinteriors #banthebeige #colourfulhome #colourlover #ihavethisthingwithcolor #spring #springbpersonality #colourfuldecorchallenge #homedecor #myeclecticmix #bathroom #bathroominspo
So proud of mr best mate @sophieabbottartist who o So proud of mr best mate @sophieabbottartist who opens her house this weekend to showcase her artwork in her home as part of Brightons artists open houses. She’s always been a creative whirlwind and keeps the joy of colour alive in her paintings inspired by the sea, and the local woodlands that surround her home in Brighton. For Sophie, colour gives her life, she’s the ultimate joy monger and I’m so blessed to have her as my side kick in life. If you get a chance today, pop round to heed for a bolt if the feel good vibes

#artistopenhouses #brighton #colourlover #banthebiege #ihavethisthingwithcolour
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