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19 Sep 19

House tour with Laura Jackson – Podcast show notes S4 Ep6

So here we are at the last episode of the fourth series of The Great Indoors and do we have a treat in store. The very lovely TV presenter, Supper club host, food editor and author, Laura Jackson let us have a nosey around her Insta famous London home. You can catch up on the whole episode here. As ever, a huge thank you to Topps Tiles for sponsoring this series and our producer Kate Taylor.

Laura is in the midst of a renovation, or at least the kitchen and back extension. So I thought I would collate some of Laura’s helpful tips for you following her own experiences.

First up… unfortunately, Laura and her husband were the victims of a cowboy builder after they decided to convert the loft as they wanted to start from the top down. 

  • Do not pay all the money upfront
  • Be smart about the decisions you make – don’t be taken in by the sales speak!
  • It’s true what they say – always get three different quotes
  • Try and go with recommendations and see the builders work if possible.
  • Laura’s new builder was able to show her other client’s homes – so she could see for herself that he was qualified for the job. If this isn’t an option see if they have pictures of the work they have done – some have Instagram accounts too!

Walls are painted in Slipper Satin by Farrow & Ball

On to the loft space which now thanks to the new builder looks gorgeous. Laura kept the original pitched roof creating a triangular form which adds interest to the space. I love the tongue and groove she’s got going on around the room it adds a grown-up country vibe I think. It’s painted in Slipper Satin by Farrow & Ball and according to Laura it changes considerably throughout the day, it has a lilac tone in evening sunlight and on a bright day it has a green tinge.

Bedroom tips
  • Paint can change its appearance depending on the light, so think about what the light does in your room
  • Sisal may not be the best flooring option for the bedroom – not particularly comfortable underfoot. Water can stain it too as Laura discovered when it rained and the skylight was open!

Laura created the flower motif herself within the mosaic floor tiles from Topps Tiles by removing some of the white and replacing with black

At the other end of the room is a roll-top freestanding bath which, believe it or not, cost Laura £25.99 on eBay. Which leads us onto her great ability to scope out the bargains, which I discovered after following her on Instagram.

  • We all know it can be very time consuming but Laura says, plough through and don’t be scared to start a conversation to see if you can get a bit knocked off the price – befriend the seller!
  • However, there are certain things that you just can’t skimp on. Laura’s curtains were bespoke so the money she saved on the bath she managed to get the exact curtains she wanted. She says, think about your budget and decide where you want that money to go.

Can you believe the reeded wardrobe door was painstakingly made by a carpenter – he split individual dowel rods to create the effect – it was quite an investment!

The overwhelming top tip from all of us is to invest in a quality mattress – save on the base if need be – but it’s all about the mattress!

She certainly loves eBay and it’s not hard to why she picked up this cute little kidney shaped sofa for £8!! and reupholstered it in this beautiful Palmyre L3709 fabric by Le Manach she found at Pierre Frey. Kate pointed out the curvey ‘esque’ blind here, and quite rightly it’s virtually impossible to buy a vintage blind to fit a window, so Laura went to the Hackney Draper 

Moving on to the bathroom…

The fabric inside the cabinet was a bargain at £5m and the bistro-style curtain is from Volga Linen

Laura didn’t want the house to appear too trendy or something that will date too quickly so the bathroom, in particular, is very classic and the fab glass-fronted cabinet was found at a design fair in Brussels – not all the best finds are in the French markets!

The reclaimed roll-top bath was found after lots of research as she just couldn’t justify the cost of some new baths. So, she eventually found this one from Original Baths based in Devon. The bathroom was made larger by knocking through to the small bedroom but Laura says, be wary as if you ever plan on re-mortgaging reducing the number of bedrooms can have an effect on the value of the house.

The thick shower wall has a certain Morrocan flavour giving the bathroom a unique and interesting look. After being inspired by a polished concrete bathroom years ago, she researched options and discovered Tadelakt, a Morrocan plaster (she went to Decor Tadelakt) although she said it is a very long and stressful process. The brass fittings were another eBay find.

The living room

I love this rich forest green on the walls, it’s Hunter Dunn by Paint & Paper Library

Laura and her husband didn’t want the ‘traditional’ wedding list so they asked guests to buy their favourite book and the reason why – what a gorgeous idea and what a keepsake. But they needed somewhere to house them so they built a mini library for somewhere to sit and read all the messages from loved ones.

The kitchen before..

Sorry, there’s no ‘after’ shot just yet as the extension is still underway. They are working with Retrouvious on a reclaimed freestanding kitchen which I think will be a lot more difficult as you have to work with what’s available rather than made to measure, although ascetically it will suit the rest of the house.

A huge part of Laura’s life is cooking and entertaining so the kitchen island with it’s hob and travertine top will face the large dining table so she can chat with her guests while she cooks.

Laura’s biggest tip is to not rush, even though it can be extremely frustrating, she waited and found the perfect key pieces at a great price – it can become very satisfying.

Thanks so much to Laura to being warm and welcoming and of course very entertaining. Check out Laura’s new Supper club website hostelondon.co.uk  and on Instagram @iamlaurajackson and @hoste.london

Please do remember to rate and review us and check out our new Facebook group. This may be the last in this series but fear not, we’ll be back in a fortnight with a brand spanking new series!

 

 

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New colours by Farrow & Ball with the Natural History Museum Dulux Colour of the year 2020

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No decorations are allowed in the house until the No decorations are allowed in the house until the first of December and we start the morning with Arthur’s advent Calender! That’s as far as I’ve got in the hallway I’ll be honest as this grid post is a hark back to a previous year. But I’ll be decorating it the same way I do every year. I like to use a mixture of colourful baubles I’ve collected over the years, paper  honeycomb balls for maximum wow and plenty of foliage. I keep the ribbons year on year and rarely buy anything new. The repeated tradition is part of the charm. 
On the podcast @mad_about_the_house and I talk all things Thrifty Christmas. It’s been a really challenging year for most so we invited guests @rocketandsquash and @hazelgardinerdesign to share their money saving ideas to make sure you don’t bust the bank account and yet still have a lovely treaty time. Ed has some lovely ideas for feasting around Christmas that crucially cuts down on waste and avoids unnecessary expensive ingredients. And Hazel loves to use foraged foliage in her floral displays so has plenty of ideas on that. 
It’s a peach of a show jam packed with creative inspiration. Listen on your podcast app, and why not leave a comment below on how you will be being thrifty this Christmas 👇 

#1stdecember #itsbeginningtolookalotlikechristmas #hallway #hallwaydecor #christmasdecor #thegreatindoors
Who is looking forward to the weekend! 🙌 Welc Who is looking forward to the weekend! 🙌 

Welcome to a rare tour of my home! Since every room looked tidy, I grabbed my phone to show you around. 

You can see how I have lots of colour and pattern in every room but still the house has flow. I use the same palette of colours through which helps make it all hang together. But it takes more than that to make a maximalist home sing. Repeating the same materials, design motifs, styles and shapes helps to create a feeling of cohesion.

For the ultimate insight into how to decorate in a way that supports you emotionally, flexes your creativity and leaves you loving your home, check out my interior design school where I teach you  everything you need to know. 

- how to harmonise colours
- How to plan and budget
- How to source all the materials
- How to save time and money
- How to burst open your creativity

And this weekend you can enjoy 25% of ALL COURSES across my entire design school by using the code BLACKFRIDAY25 at check out. Click on the link in my bio or visit courses.sophierobinson.Co.uk ☝️

#housetour #banthebeige #bbbinteriors #colourlover #colourfulhome #maximalistinteriors #eclecticdecor #onlinedesign #designschool
It’s podcast day on The Great Indoors and we hav It’s podcast day on The Great Indoors and we have a very special guest! @banjo.beale is a BAFTA award winning TV star, winner of series 3 @interiordesignmasters_tv , interior designer and recently adding author to his rosta of talents. While reality TV launched Banjo’s stellar interiors career we managed to bag him for a chat while he took a short beak from sourcing vintage for his second series of Design The Hebrides. 

This is an opportunity to listen to this whirlwind of a design mind, with insights into what it takes to win a TV completion, how living on a remote island in the Scottish Hebrides has made him ultimately resourceful and his unique design process. 

Listen to The Great Indoors, whoever you get your podcast. Hit that subscribe button and come back here to let us know what you thought! 

#thegreatindoors #banjobeale #designingthehebrides #interiordesignmasters
This is the perfect time of year to up level your This is the perfect time of year to up level your bedding. With the autumn chill on its way I’d rather hike up the tog count than whack up the central heating. 

Beautiful bedding and linen is the ultimate luxury and at this time in my life 👵🏻 my bed is up there as my absolute favourite place to be and my sleep is honestly my favourite pastime! So making it the most comforting, soothing, replenishing experience possible is my priority. 😴

I recently up-levelled my duvet and pillows  to @naturalmatuk goose down products and here is my unbiased review. The pillows are the like sleeping on an actual cloud! Along with the 9 tog duvet I’ll stay cosy all winter, and leave the thermostat turned down.  @naturalmatuk only use natural, sustainable materials, organic cotton and responsibly sourced feathers, which all support a good nights sleep. With a hectic lifestyle, my bed is my ultimate sanctuary 🥱

What’s your self care routine and secret to the perfect pampered night sleep? 

#ad PR product 
#naturalmat #bedroom #bedlinen #bedroombliss #bedlinen #pillows #bedding #bedroomdecor #bedroom #pamperyourself #pampernight
What a dress! When @benjaminfoxdressmaker spotted What a dress! When @benjaminfoxdressmaker spotted my new collection with @harlequinfw they wanted to make a dress in it! Now I actually match my decor! 

This dress shape is so perfect. I love the big sleeves, that goes so well with a fine knit underneath and the long gathered skirt looks perfect with boots, both of which I bought recently at @cosstores . Team with my signature big earrings ( these are old ones from @anthropologieeu ) and I feel a million dollars! Happy Monday folks! We can do this 👊

#ad - pr product. 
#dresslikeyourhome
I hosted an event this week to show off all the ha I hosted an event this week to show off all the hard work we’ve done in the house and showcase the new collection with @harlequinfw . It was a wonderful opportunity to fill the house with laughter, great conversation and celebrate our mutual love of colour! Since the pandemic I work more and more from home and it felt good to open the door and let people in. 

The guest list was a mix of writers, artists, gardeners, cooks, designers and fashion stylists but one thing we have in common is embracing the joy of colour and celebrating how our homes are the foundation for a happy and fulfilling life. 

However getting the house ready for such a group of discerning eyes was rather exhausting! I had to hide under the duvet yesterday! But I’m so grateful to everyone who came, their positivity and inspiration. Most of whom I met here on instagram. This is a special place to make like minded connections, yet it was great to actually have an excuse to get together in real life! 

And this weekend Tom and are are celebrating not doing any house DIY for the first time in ages! 

Special Thanks to @mad_about_the_house @erica_davies @hillhousevintage @andrea_childs_journo @theottohouse @clairevallis @michelleogundehin @mollymahonblockprinting @sophieabbottartist @gemswholesomekitchen @edwardrobinsonid @dahliabeach for making it such a wonderful day 

 Thanks to @gemswholesomekitchen fir feeding us! 

thanks to @benjaminfoxdressmaker fir the custom made dress!

#harlequinxsophierobinson #athome #colourlover #banthebeige
#AD Admit it! I can’t be the only one beginning #AD Admit it! I can’t be the only one beginning to plan for Christmas. Conversations about the menu for the big day has started with gusto in my family. But my focus is always around creating a magical table setting. This year I’ll be incorporating these classic Christmas tree plates from @by_spode  that set the festive scene without the need to add loads of other fiddly decorations. I’m all about maximum impact, minimum effort this time of year, and I love how this traditional design (85 years old this year) is the perfect touch of nostalgia to accompany my bright Paper straw stripe tablecloth and colourful gloss candle sticks. I then just add simple flowers by snipping some hydrangea heads and popping them in tumblers dotted along the table. Finally bring it all to life with plenty of candlelight. And voila, it’s the perfect table setting for a fantastical festive celebration. Oh, how I wish the Christmas lunch was this easy to prepare! 

#byspode #spode #christmasdecor #christmastable #christmastablesetting #layingthetable #tablescape #christmastablescape #christmastree #christmasdecor #christmasinspiration #banthebeige #colourfulchristmas
I’m so excited to present my new ready made cush I’m so excited to present my new ready made cushion collection, in collaboration with @harlequinfw sold exclusively at @johnlewis 
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Cushions have long been an obsession of mine and I’m so thrilled with this capsule collection for @johnlewis because it combines all the pattern and colour so you can get an instant hit of maximalist spirit by creating any combination that works for you. There is the iconic Sherbert stripe, sitting amongst luxurious embroidered designs and heavily patterned velvets. My personal favourite is the deeply colourful jewel bug design🪲 Which ones yours?!

#cushion #cushioncover #maximalist #maximalistinteriors #bbbinteriors #colourmyhome #colourfulinteriors #colourfuldecor #sofaupholstery #sofaupgrade #livingroomdecor #interiorstyling #interiordesign #harlequinxsophierobinson
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