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04 Aug 20

Garden offices, United in Design, podcast show notes s8 ep2

Welcome to my show notes for the second episode in the 8th series of the Great Indoors. A huge thanks to our sponsor Neptune for supporting the series.

In today’s show, we chat about the garden room in all its forms, catch up on the latest diversity in design news and interview Alexandria Dauley on a new initiative, United in Design. You can catch the full podcast episode here. These are the notes, images and links that support the show.

Garden rooms

Our treehouse, lovingly made from recycled wood and recycled insulating boards

Whether you call it a man cave or she-shed, we are currently lusting on an escape to the garden. Our lockdown project has been a building a treehouse for my son Arthur which I suspect may actually quickly turn into the husband’s man cave, I’ve yet to indulge, so perhaps it’s time to get my she shed on the list! With more and more of us working from home whether part-time or full-time, I think it is vital that we get outside away from the house and have a change of scenery. I was chatting to a designer friend of mine, Marc Boase and one element of his business is designing bespoke garden rooms for clients across East Sussex. I was intrigued to know what people wanted from their outside spaces. He said that no.1 on the wish list is a workspace but next up they want them to be versatile. So office by day and a social space/teenage den/ recording studio/ yoga haven/ by night. There are quite a few demands for these extra rooms.

With these serving as multi-purpose spaces there are essentially extensions but just not built on to the house. Generally speaking, in the UK, you won’t need planning permission as long as they don’t go over 2.5m in height and are 1m distance from your boundary and you are not creating sleeping accommodation. Do check that they comply with building regs and do check all potential planning issues first before you make any expensive investments. For the UK head to Planning Portal for all you need to know.

A modern Scandi inspired version of a traditional Shepherd’s hut by the Houtt Cabin Co.

Creating a garden office doesn’t convert well from an ordinary garden shed. You need insulation, a sound damp proof subfloor, secure doors to protect your valuable belongings, double glazed windows, and you may even have requirements for electricity and perhaps running water – if, like me, you can’t imagine working in a space without a cuppa on tap! According to Marc, he feels you are looking in the region of £20k upwards, so it is quite the investment.  Desirable add ons like Skylights, large floor-length windows, bi-fold doors etc these will, add a considerable amount to the budget.

Selina Lake, stylist, author and columnist shows us how it’s done in her book, Shed Style: Decorating cabins, huts, pods, sheds & other garden rooms her book is a great place for garden room inspiration.

Do check out trade shows and exhibitions as you may be able to buy ex-display models at a fraction of the price. You could also try buying some kind of structure, a shepherds hut, a reclaimed outbuilding for example and insulate it yourself or hunt the Freecycle ads, eBay and reclamation yards for old bits of woods and build it yourself as we have with the treehouse. Do note: this is quite an undertaking and isn’t something that can be thrown together in a couple of days. As anyone following the progress of our treehouse will attest!

Do get in touch with all your shed hacks, tips and tricks, you can find us on Insta @sophierobinsoninteriors @mad_about_the_house or do join in with the conversation of the very resourceful Facebook group.

United in Design

Alexandria Dauley and Sophie Ashby

Last series we did a diversity in design special and it was our most downloaded episode EVER which was just amazing and we promised to keep talking about the issue and all the initiatives that have been launched. At the time of recording the Design for Diversity campaign launched by Kate and Rukmini Patel has had 120 sign-ups from major brands, independent businesses and stylists. are in the process of setting up an annual Bursary Scheme.

Another great initiative that has come out of it is fabric and wallpaper company Black Pop has set up a Bursary Scheme, to offer a Black textile design student the opportunity to produce and launch a brand new wallpaper or fabric which will be launched next year, which is very exciting.

Alexandria Dauley and Sophie Ashby have launched United In Design, a charity to address the lack of diversity within the interior design industry. We chatted with Alex to find out more….

Alex is a trained interior designer and studied at the prestigious KLC at Chelsea Harbour and despite being the only black person on the course she had a very positive experience and didn’t encounter any issues. It was when she spoke to others that she quickly realised the problems they faced when trying to find work in a design studio once they graduated.

How did the idea of United in Design come about?

“I’ve been back to KLC as a tutor and I knew there was an issue of diversity as I would see in the classrooms that it was underrepresented. So I reached out to lots of people to find out their experiences of trying to get into the industry and quickly realised there was a gap for people trying to gain access to interior design, so United in Design was born. It is a program of outreach initiatives including schools and mentoring to create a pathway for people to follow.”

The program is loosely based on a Royal ballet program that your daughter is involved in, is that right?

“I was gathering all these experiences, and I thought I’d look at my own personal experience. My daughter is 12 and she has danced for many years, predominately ballet and the Chance to Dance is an outreach program set up by The Royal Ballet School over 30 years ago as they realised ballet was for the elite. My daughter is now in her fourth year of training so I knew that outreach actually works and would work to bring interior design to the consciousness of people who wouldn’t have seen it as an option for them.”

Why didn’t you want to set up a studio? are you drawn to the teaching aspect?

“At the time, having two daughters for me to go into a design studio and work very long hours for junior design pay it wouldn’t have fitted in with family life. I set up Dauley Design with the help of Evie my mentor for all the practicalities on setting up a business and I started from scratch working for friends and family to build up my portfolio. I was then able to take those projects and use them for marketing, set up a website and work started to flow in and I found myself in a lovely niche in South London and Surrey borders.”

Will one of the elements of  United in Design be advising on the practicalities of starting a business?

“We will certainly touch on it later down line. At the moment the resource hub is aimed to give people a lot of in-depth information – how to put a CV and portfolio together, how to get into the industry, where can you study etc etc. The mentoring side will give the help and advice I got from my mentor but on a more ad hoc basis.”

What can we expect from interior design with so many diverse backgrounds, tastes and styles?

“It’s very exciting! For instance, I go to Kit Kemp‘s hotels, she champions makers, suppliers and designers from diverse backgrounds and if you go into her hotels, it’s amazing to see the cultural textures, colours and techniques and we are seeing their heritage through the designs. It creates a melting pot of different takes on design it’s opening up the industry to a whole new community.”

The interior design industry has been very white and middle class for too long and I think Instagram has really helped shine a light on talent despite their background – this is a great start but there’s still lots to be done. The Creative Mentor Network was brought to my attention, it’s a platform for mentors to sign up for training to understand how the creative world can work more inclusively with people from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

Another initiative has been set up by TV architect Laura Jane Clark, Sirensister which is a diverse female-led network of architects, interior designers, stylists, horticulturists, photographers, makers and consultants for TV and film and media industry. Laura witnessed a real lack of diversity within architecture, not just race but gender too, so she was keen to create a platform to help people from all backgrounds to access the industry.

Many thanks to our fab producer Kate Taylor, to Alex for taking the time to fill us in on the United in Design program, our lovely sponsor Neptune and of course our gorgeous listeners.

Image at top:  a fun She-shed project I did with the lovely folks at Hillarys

 

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Colour pop bathroom in my colourful signature style Staycations and interview with garden designer Sarah Mitchenall, Podcast show notes S8 Ep1

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DAY 18 of #easywininteriors and I’m getting the DAY 18 of #easywininteriors and I’m getting the paintbrush out! Giving old and unappreciated brown furniture of coat of colour is not just easy but quick too and you get ooodles of satisfaction giving something a new lease of life. Since the sun is starting to poke it’s head out it’s the perfect opportunity to fling open the windows, roll out the dust sheet, and calm your senses with the therapeutic strokes of a paint brush. I transformed these battered old Ercol chairs that I found at a car boot sale with an undercoat of Zinsser and a top coat of eggshell so they really can withstand the knocks. ( here’s a tip, use a sag brush for spindly furniture) I love how the pink legs pick up on the pink in the wallpaper. I’ve got a couple of pots of chalk paint waiting in the wings. This just might be the weekend to tackle the bedside tables at last! Have a wonderful weekend  and I hope the sun shines on you wherever you are! 

CREDITS Reclaimed terracotta tiles @ca_pietra_  Borastapeter Rubarber wallpaper @wallpaperdirect Clock @newgateclocks Doors painted in Rose Ash Light @sanderson1860 Everything else is vintage 

#easywininteriors #kitchen #countrykitchen #upcycle #upcycledfurniture #countryliving #countrylivingmodernrustic #countrykitchen #greenkitchen #greenandpink #interiorinspo #interiordesign
DAY 17 of #easywininteriors is all about making do DAY 17 of #easywininteriors is all about making do with what you’ve got and making it work. For most of us, decorating our home and choosing all the things we want to go with it is a long if not a life time journey and there are plenty of compromises along the way. One of the ways I make do with things I’m less happy about is with distraction. You can use colour to draw the eye and highlight the bits you do like and similarly blend away the areas that need to fade into the back ground. For me joinery, radiators and my unattractive windows all get painted in the same colour so they fall to the background and then the cushions and artwork can come to the fore and catch your eye. I painted these lovely old solid wood doors bright yellow on a whim with some left over paint. It was a quick and easy way to inject a burst of  colour joy. So don’t discount doors and architraves as a fun way to play with colour, but only if you have nice ones. 
On the PODCAST today @mad_about_the_house and I discuss more ways you can make do. I interview leading interior designer and queen of colour and pattern @nicolahardingandco who has amazing insights on how to go about planning your schemes, conjure mouthwatering colour palettes and work with what you’ve got. And our style surgery is from Callum who finds himself stuck with a shiny blue green sofa which he doesn’t love and doesn’t know what to put with. Obviously cover it with cushions and distract the eye with A bright yellow door Callum! 

If you have a question for our style surgery do please send it in as we are lining them up for the next series and we’d love to hear from you! Drop us an email to thegreatindoorspod@gmail.com.You can here all our ramblings and insights on today’s show The Great Indoors and thankyou to @katetaylorldn for producing the show. 

#thegreatindoors #bluesofa #yellowdoor #banthebeige #interiorspodcast #podcast #interiordesign #interiorinspo
DAY 16 of #easywininteriors and I’m extolling th DAY 16 of #easywininteriors and I’m extolling the benefits of an occasional chair. I’ve always loved occasional chairs primarily for their decorative function. I’m a patterned fabric addict and so an occasional chair I’d another opportunity to add more pattern, more colour and another cushion to boot! But during these extended periods of lock down and staying at home I’ve appreciated the quiet little corners they offer. I’m lucky enough to find a space for one here on my landing but they can also find a home in a bedroom, a home office, under the stairs or indeed #lifegoals in the bathroom. So rather than playing second fiddle to THE SOFA put your occasional chair in pride of place and grab yourself 5 minutes solitude! Most of mine are junk shop funds bought back to live with my hoarded stash of remnant fabrics. So it’s time to raid grannies attic and  create a seat that makes you smile . 🥰  use the hashtags #easywininteriors to share your favourite corners of escape.

#easywininteriors #vintagearmchair #armchair #occassionalchair #colourlover #banthebiege
DAY 15 of #easywininteriors and I’m having a re DAY 15 of #easywininteriors  and I’m having a reshuffle on the bookcase to celebrate the happy Back To School vibes! 🙌 YES! This one is a work in progress because sorting your books as to the spine colour can be really meditative! I’m excited for you guys to share your colour coded bookcases using the hashtag #easywininteriors because I’ve seen some amazing examples on here! This idea can also include colour coding your ornaments or glassware collection too. Somehow grouping them in blocks  just intensifies the colour and I love the 🌈 effect. Happy faffing! 

#interiorinspo #interiorstyling #colourlover #banthebeige #faffthegaff #bookshelf #shelfie #shelfiestyling #rainbow #rainbowstyle #mycolourfulinterior #colourfulhomevibe
DAY 13 of #easywininteriors and Sundays here are o DAY 13 of #easywininteriors and Sundays here are often the day I get the house in order before the week starts again. It’s laundry day, the on-line shop gets done and if I can be bothered I might do some batch cooking. 💪 But the garden is also pulling our attention at this time of year and I spent yesterday picking up twigs that have littered the garden after the high winds and piled it all up for kindling. Satisfying! I’m not a naturally tidy or organised person  but I do feel like I’m winning at life once chores have been done and everything is in it’s place. And here lies the easy win. If you have systems in place it makes it so much easier! This shoe storage was game changing. Before the hall was littered with shoes and bags that I was always tripping over. So planning your storage and then using it is key to creating order and an element of calm. And once the storage is fit to bursting, it’s time to have a declutter. How do you keep the house feeling orderly and calm and do you use Sunday as a Sort It day too? #sortitsunday 

CREDITS walls in Lazuli and woodwork in Perfect white @zoffanyfw . Havana Bauta cement Tiles @claybrookstudio . Fabrics are vintage and @thestripescompany . Stair runner @roger_oates 

#easywininteriors #colourlover #banthebeige #hallwaydecor #hallway #interiorinspo #declutter #storageideas #shoestorage
DAY 12 of #easywininteriors and I’m back in the DAY 12 of #easywininteriors and I’m back in the bedroom and enjoying a well earned lie in this morning! My morning routine has been really important to me during lock down. In  his brilliant book ‘think like a monk’ @jayshetty talks about how a positive morning ritual sets you up for the day. Similarly a good night time ritual sets you up for a good nights sleep. Styling up your bedroom  to support these ideas really helps! I’ve taken to setting my wake up alarm an hour before the rest of the house so I can enjoy some quiet solitude before the day gets going. I make my coffee in my favourite mug and spend a while reading or exercising. But no phone scrolling! My bedside is laid out with everything I need including a big pile of books and a dish for my watch and specs. I charge my phone in the kitchen to keep it away from temptation! Admittedly I’ve never had a problem sleeping but I was hardly what you’d call a morning person. Now it’s my favourite time of the day! Have a gorgeous lazy weekend folks x

CREDITS wallpaper @mollymahonblockprinting bedside table is vintage. Lamp @pookylights Vases and dishes all vintage. Pillows and duvet @cocoandwolf Flat sheet and bedthrow @societyofwanderers 

#easywininteriors #bedroomdecor #countrybedroom #colourfiedhomes #colourstylehome #colourlover #banthebeige #patternclash #interiorstyling #interiordesign #interiorinspo #faffthegaff
DAY 11 of #easywininteriors and we are over half w DAY 11 of #easywininteriors and we are over half way there! Whoop whoop, March is  just nine short days away! And I can feel the Spring vibes! It’s getting lighter, the bluebells are coming and the birds are singing! But back to it, we’ve got work to do! Today I’m sharing how I switch my home from working day to home time, without leaving the house. It’s so important for our mental health that we can make that transition. I’ve worked from home for years so I’ve always done this, but I find it essential to tidy my desk/kitchen table at the end of everyday and get it out of sight. This often means piling up all my paper work, laptop, pen pot and putting it all into a tray. And if you don’t have a deep tray a cardboard box does the job. Then hide it in the cupboard, pop it on a shelf or slide it under the table. The key is that you can’t see it and it doesn’t encroach on your non-work life. Out of sight out of mind kind of thing. 
And you might notice in the back of this shot is my 2021 vision board. I keep this in my view everyday as it helps keep me focused, uplifted and motivated. Im hosting a live webinar next Tuesday on how and why I create vision boards for every aspect of my life, including my interiors. If you’d like to join me it’s 7pm 23/02/21 and I can promise a fun, creative and enlightening evening! Link to book is up in my bio if you fancy getting a boost of inspiration towards creating your dream home. 

Happy Friday and have a lovely weekend 😍

#workingfromhome #myhomeoffice #interiorstyling #visionboard #interiorinspo #interiorinspiration #homeoffice #creativeworkspace #colourlover #colourcolorlovers #banthebeige
DAY 9 of #easywininteriors and I’m going to make DAY 9 of #easywininteriors and I’m going to make it super easy after yesterday’s kitchen cupboard love, which I’ll be honest, felt a bit strenuous! So today is all about creating as simple but effective styling moment; a trio of vases. Three seems to be the magic number when it comes to styling your objects and I have a few tips . I like to make sure there is a mixture of sizes, colour and textures but all held together with a theme. These three work because they’re  all vintage, Picked up from various car boot sales over the years! You can create little trios all over your home from the sideboards, book shelves, worktops, bathrooms and side tables. Push the tall one to the back and bring the small one to the fore but it’s the lack of symmetry that makes it pleasing. And you don’t have to stop with just vases, a trio of objects works with picture frames, ornaments and candle sticks too. 

#easywininteriors #vintagestyle #howivintage #myvintagehome #interiorstyling #interiorstyle #interiorinspo #colourlover #banthebeige
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