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07 Feb 19

The Great Indoors Podcast S2 Episode 3 Show Notes

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For this latest episode of The Great Indoors Podcast, we recorded at Kate’s house in North London, where I discovered some Typography artwork, can you believe it! She was so busted! When I’d got over ribbing her for that we got down to some juicy debate over the trends we saw at Maison & Objet, how to plan a dressing room and how to make the most of your small spaces. If you haven’t caught up yet, you can do so here.

A piece of typography artwork found in the home of Kate Watson-Smyth

Maison & Objet trend report

Here are a few of the key trends that we discussed having seen them at our recent visit to Maison & Objet trade show in Paris in January.

  • Luxe styling with plenty of polished gold finishes on furniture and accessories
  • The greenery trend continues with plenty of palm and jungle motifs
  • Lots of cane and rattan furniture and accessories 
  • Curves and lozenge shapes
  • Cream is the new neutral. There was no grey anywhere
  • Texture is big news in textiles and wall coverings. Boucle, knits and quilted designs in textiles were the news
  • 80’s Memphis styling 
  • Warm tones of turmeric yellow, maroon and putty pink was a strong colour story.
How to design Small spaces

This is a problem area for a lot of people, wanting to create a feeling of more space in their small apartments or small rooms within their home.

  • First up listen to episode 1 of series 2 and get rid of your having too much stuff. If you have a tendency to hoard then you need to learn to let go!
  • Next, tackle the storage and make sure you have enough to be able to put everything away to avoid unsightly dumping grounds
  • Create some negative space in a room, for example, pull an armchair away from the wall rather than having everything pushed up against the walls.
  • Aim to see as much floor space as possible by choosing furniture like beds and sofas that are raised on legs.
  • Buy furniture that is the right proportion to the room. Avoid oversized bulky sofas and armchairs in small living rooms.
  • The DFS Capsule Collection is designed specifically for small living spaces. Furniture has slender arms, space-saving proportions and can come apart for easy access.
When designing small psaces choose furniture that is compact in design with slender arms and raised on legs. The capsule range from DFS is especially deisgned for small rooms. For more ideas on small space living listen to The Great Indoors Podcast by Sophie Robinson and Kate watson Smyth here

The Capsule furniture range at DFS is designed specifically for small spaces. Look for compact shaped furniture and raised on legs works helps you see more floor space

  • In terms of styling, avoid a cluttered look and go for one statement piece instead, like a large piece of artwork in favour of lots of small pictures.
  • Mirrors and glossy painted surfaces help to bounce the light around.
  • Decorate in recessive colours to help make a room appear larger.
Interior designer Sophie Robinson shows how to decorate walls, woodwork, skirting, doors and architrave. by painting your wall and wood work the same colour you create a more spacious and modern look

A small room looks larger if you paint out all the wood work and fitted storage in the same or similar colour.Walls painted French grey by Farrow & Ball.

  • Homogenise the space with paint. Paint skirtings, doors and fitted joinery in the wall colour to eliminate cluttering up the space visually.
  • In kitchens choose flat fronted doors, and no handles to keep the look feeling spacious
How to plan the dressing room
When planning a dressing room it's the perfect opportunity to explore your maximalist tendancies so go for big printed wallpapers, lush furnishings, and oversized dressing mirrors. This room designed by Kit Kemp is a feminine boudoir. To find out more about how to design a dressing room listen to The Great Indoors Podcast with Kate Watson Smyth and interior deisgner Sophie Robinson

My dream dressing room would be some maximalist parlour like this one, designed by interior designer Kit Kemp showcasing this wonderful wallpaper by Turnell & Gigon in their Chelsea Harbour showroom

This was an opportunity for me to indulge in my fantasy to one day own a dressing room, a room just for me that feels glamorous and that the builder husband has no input in. I’m thinking guilt ceilings, chandeliers and Chinoiserie wallpapers! Here are some key tips and ideas we shared on the Podcast

  • According to estate agents, a dressing room is now considered to add value to a property and make it easier to sell
  • Kate’s bedroom has a dividing wall at the head of the bed which has allowed her to have a walk in style wardrobe behind it.
When planning your dressing room consider diving your bedroom into two distinct areas, with the wardrobe storage behind the headboard, concelawd by a stud wall. For more interior design advise and tips on how to plan your dressing room listen to The Great Indoors Podcast

Kate’s large bedroom has been divided into a bed area and an area that conceals all the clothes storage

  • Consider foregoing a bedroom in favour of a dressing room, complete with fitted storage, drawers, make-up area and a place to organise jewellery.
  • The Ikea PAX range is an affordable way to get a fitted wardrobe system. Then customise or make your own door fronts. You can add wood veneer wallpaper by Arte for a luxury marquetry look.
When designing your maserbedroom it's a great idea to incororate a walk through wardrobe which is easy to achieve by instating a stud wall to act as a feature wall that sepaerates the bedroom from the dressing area. Listen to the Great Indoors POdcast for more dressing room design and planning tips by interior designer Sophie Robinson and Kate Watson-Smyth

The bedroom of Kate Watson-Smyth has a cleverly concealed walk through wardrobe behind the bed

Design Crime

The design crime this week was black bathroom suites and sinks. However, Kate is having a black toilet added to her downstairs WC so watch this space! I recommended two accounts to follow on Instagram for design crimes to have a chuckle at, @pleasehatethesethings and @hunsathome 

As ever, thank you to DFS for sponsoring this podcast and to Kate Taylor our producer.  And thank you to my blog editor Luisa Ferdenzi for helping me compile these podcast notes. You can listen to The Great Indoors on any podcast platform including appl podcasts. If you find yourself there, please do give us a rate and review, which helps us get a boost in the rating and reach more listeners.

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Before and after! This room took me on a real jour Before and after! This room took me on a real journey.
At first, I thought I needed a calm, blank space to focus… so I painted it all white. I know - can you believe it?! I told myself it was for clarity and creativity, but the truth is, I hated it. I felt flat and totally uninspired.

So, I ripped up the rulebook and went back to what I know works for me: bold colour and big pattern. I painted the whole space in my favourite cobalt blue (Lazuli by @zoffanyfw) and installed the ‘In the Woods’ mural from my @Harlequinfw collection - and now it’s everything I wanted and more.

I feel creative, energised, and completely connected to the beautiful garden just outside the window. A daily reminder to trust your instincts, feel from your gut and be brave. 

#OfficeGoals #CreativeWorkspace #BoldInteriors #BeforeAndAfter #SophieRobinsonStyle 
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A masterclass in maximalism! 🌈✨ It was such A masterclass in maximalism! 🌈✨

It was such an honour to guest judge the Interior Design Masters final alongside the fabulous @michelleogundehin and wow, what a finale it was!

The setting? The magical village of Portmeirion.
The challenge? Transform a bland holiday cottage.
The winner? The brilliant @john_cooper_design and what a winning design it was! 

John’s scheme was a glorious celebration of colour and perfect  storytelling. I loved how  he used bold Mediterranean hues and motifs from room to room which cleverly held this maximalist vision together. It felt like being whisked away to a land far far away. And thereby perfectly capturing the spirit of Portmerion. Honestly, it felt magical to be there!

I’ve unpacked all Johns clever ideas and design takeaways over on the blog (link in bio) — but I’d LOVE to hear what you thought.

Was John your winner?
What design moment caught your eye?
Could you stay in a house like this?

Tell me in the comments 👇

#interiordesignmasters #maximalistinteriors #maximalistdecor #portmerion #colourlover #banthebeige
Longing for a life-changing escape? You’re not a Longing for a life-changing escape?
You’re not alone. Our next Discover Colour Retreat at @elfennmarrakech just sold out in just a few hours, snapped up by our incredible subscriber community who said yes to more colour, creativity, and the trip of a lifetime. 💫

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Ready to create a home that feels unapologetically Ready to create a home that feels unapologetically YOU?

For me it’s about bold joyful colour, striking pattern, and those magical touches that light you up every time you walk through the door. This isn’t about playing it safe, it’s about crafting a home that celebrates the uniqueness of who you are and how you want to feel. 

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EXCLUSIVE Live with the WINNER of @interiordesignm EXCLUSIVE Live with the WINNER of @interiordesignmasters ! 

Thankyou @john_cooper_design for a beautiful LIVE taking a deeper look into your amazing experience being on the this most loved show. We all loved watching you grow and develop as a designer and your collection with @johnlewis is an absolute triumph! Cannot wait to see what you do next 🙌
All the Finale feels ✨ What a joy was filming t All the Finale feels ✨
What a joy was filming this series of @interiordesignmasters with @michelleogundehin , @chattyman , not mention this year’s insanely talented finalists @john_cooper_design 💙 @ritamillat ❤️ There is a lot of love and positive energy that goes into making this show.

And it doesn’t end here…

TONIGHT at 7pm I’ll be going LIVE right here on Instagram with this year’s winner… SPOLER ALERT….

@john_cooper_design 
I cannot wait to chat all the behind-the-scenes design insights, and what it really takes to win Interior Design Masters. What a smashing journey John has been on. Wow his final design blew me away, it’s was soo well executed and his vision was perfectly in step with the flamboyant eccentricity of Portmerion. Top marks! 

Come join us and ask your questions during this exciting Live event or come back later and watch the replay! 👀

Missed the show? Catch  up with @bbcone  Interior Design Masters on @bbciplayer 

#InteriorDesignMasters #IDMFinal #DesignShow #BehindTheScenes #InteriorDesignUK
Beware of listening to the ‘experts’! I get i Beware of listening to the ‘experts’!
I get it though, designing a house is hard, especially if your taste leans towards the 
maximalist style. There is every chance you’ll feel overwhelmed or stressed about getting it wrong with the end result one hot mess. However here are some of those common ‘design rules’ that I absolutely disagree with! Would love to know your thoughts in the comments below!

If you’re ready to stop playing it safe and fully embrace creating a home that truly reflects you, my specially designed online course has everything you need to keep you falling into any more traps. I’ll guide you through uncovering your unique style, choosing colours with confidence, and mixing patterns like a pro, all while making it feel beautifully cohesive and creative. And the best bit? It’s 25% off until the end of May! That’s right, just a few days left to pick up a massive discount.

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Ready to step into your best life? Start with the Ready to step into your best life? Start with the place that holds it all. Your home.

I’ve always believed that a joyful, soul-filled home isn’t just a reflection of who you are… it’s a catalyst for who you want to become. When you’re surrounded by colours that lift you, patterns that energise you, and decor that tells to your story, something magical happens.

You feel confident, calmer. More you.

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Because great design isn’t just about how it looks — it’s how it makes you feel.

And that feeling? It ripples out into every part of your life. 💛🌟

#FeelGoodDesign #JoyfulHomes #MaximalistInteriors #ColourConfidence #InteriorInspo #DesignWithSoul #SophieRobinsonInteriors
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