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07 Mar 19

The Great Indoors podcast S2 Episode 5

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Hello and welcome to the 5th episode of The Great Indoors Podcast, supported by DFS. You can listen to the full podcast here.

The Mad gold ceiling

In this episode, we kicked off by talking about Kate’s amazing home office with the gold ceiling! It was a very unwelcome opportunity for me to eat humble pie and admit that her gold paint from Mylands was a triumph. No shiny poo or Indian takeaways circa 1970 to be seen in this little luxe bolt hole. Indeed the whole effect is opulent and yet restful all at once. How did she do that? Drat, Clever lady. For your reference, the walls are painted a soft pink which is Thread Needle by Mylands which I think add to the gentle serene feel in this room.

Home office with gold ceiling and pale pink walls blelongs to interior design auther Kate Watson Smyth and shows how you can work from home at a desk from ebay all discussed in the interior design podcast The Great indoors co hosted with Sophie Robinson

The home office of Kate Watson Smyth complete with gold ceiling and desk found on Ebay.

Architects versus Interior Design

Things swiftly moved on to debating the subject of architects and how they work with interior designers. Kate and I discussed how many people budget for the architecture of their build, the bricks and mortar if you like but don’t put budget aside for the interior. All too often you end up with an impressive build and then an Ikea sofa and a plant pot inside.

I talked about our experience with an architect on my Mums annexe project. His designs were amazing, but out of our budget, so my advice is to work closely with your builder to get the design within your wallet. And make sure you set aside money for blinds! As Mum’s was a new build we cleverly planned in a recess above the window so when the blinds are drawn they disappear from view. And the architect didn’t think of that- we did!

Should you use an architect to design your dream home is something interior designer Sophie robinson debates on her podcast the Great Indoors. Learn more here

This is the shot of my mum’s annexe. We worked hard with the builder husband to bring the architect’s vision into budget, so there was still enough money to do a lovely job inside too.

Lighting

Ooomph this is a huge topic and took up a hearty chunk of the podcast. My biggest piece of advice to you is to plan your furniture layout before working out where you want your downlighters, wall lights and sockets. This is only really applicable if you are building a new build, extension or completing a renovation.  So failing that you want to add lots of points of lights. Lamps are great, include floor lamps so you have light at different heights. You can move pendants by replacing the flex with a long fabric flex (Dowsing and Reynolds are great) and hanging it from a hook, where you want it. I get asked this a lot but I get my downlights from All Square lighting.

in the living room position the down lighters towards te edge of the living room like central to the curtains so they highlight areas you want lit, as discussed by Sophie Robinson in her interior design podcast the great indoors

In my living room notice how the downlighters are positioned around the edge of the room, central to the windows. Other areas are illuminated by lamps.

The downstairs loo

Up there as my favourite room to design in anyone’s home is the downstairs loo. My rule is to go high impact, have fun and be bold. Quel surprise. This is where you can use that crazy wallpaper, patterned tiles, deep shocking colour or indeed whatever it is that you love but just don’t have the confidence to use elsewhere in your home. here are some snaps of mine and Kate’s downstairs WC’s for inspiration…both works in progress. I’m still to find that perfect jungle chintz wallpaper for my WC!

The down stairs loo tiled in deep dark blue tiles from Milton Hollis in the home of interior designer Sophi Robinson

My downstairs loo is furnished in Blue tiles by Minton Hollins from Topps Tiles. Gold taps by Bespoke taps. Old Havanna Bauta floor tiles by Claybrook studio

The down stairs loo is an opportunity to make a big imapact with black and whote monochrome scheme as seen in the home of interiors author Kate watson Smyth

Kate’s downstairs loo features wallpaper from Farrow and Ball and an original Barbican basin

Thanks once again to DFS for sponsoring this podcast and to Kate Taylor, our producer for crafting it into the aural delight that it is! Please don’t hesitate to listen to the full episode here, and while you are there please do leave us a rate and review. You can rate the podcast multiple times so please feel free to tap five stars with wild abandon. It helps give us a boost in the ratings which ultimately helps us reach more new listeners. Thank you!

 

 

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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.

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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 👇

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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.

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

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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! 👀

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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 
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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.

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