INTERIORS, BUT MAKE IT FASHION
With a background and upbringing in fashion and design, my interiors and styling methods have inevitably been influenced by the fashion industry, particularly in terms of colour palettes and texture. I often resonate with the photography used in the fashion adverts within the front few pages of magazines, for the stunning use of colour and pattern, not only within the clothing, but also the environment they’re shot in.
Giving interiors a fashion edge is important to me, to include that element of my personality, and I love to play with form, scale and breaking symmetry. I like to include an unexpected item here and there to break the flow to avoid spaces looking overly ’schemed’, which for me personally, isn’t a feeling I’m really drawn to for my own home.
The inspiration for this moodboard design originated from a fashion shoot within Vogue Thailand magazine, in a feature called ‘Italian Renaissance’. The model wears a sequinned, pink lace Gucci slip dress (bottom left), which is offset by the zesty armchair fabric and the ornate wallpaper. This, with the glossy black marble fireplace, took me to a place of sheer decadence and made me think of sumptuous velvets, silks and chinoiserie style. A fabulous place that I enjoyed being transported to, and one I would like to recreate with items and colours that I love.
As much as I’m influenced by fashion, I’m also very much driven by comfort, quality and luxurious textures which is why I chose this deep, plump ‘Clemence’ velvet sofa from Habitat. If I’m going to laze around in my Gucci slip dress, it better be on a sumptuous plush sofa, right?
All of the styles, patterns and colours on this board are items that I’ve adored for years, and though some of you may feel that this look is just too much, I’m all about maximalism, so ‘too much’ is never that for me. I’m interested in the various ways that one can bring elaborate, statement items together, but in a way that’s chic, not crazy. And the thing is, of course this can be done, it’s just about playing around to see what works and having the confidence to do it.
I’ll have an espresso martini please darling…
The number one item on my wish list is a Wendy Morrisson rug, and I have lusted after this one aptly called ‘Peace, Love and Joy’ for a very long time. Wendy graduated in fashion, so is also massively influenced by the industry. Her beautiful handcrafted rugs include hand-tufted and hand-knotted designs by experienced artisans in Nepal.
The rug, sofa and mural wallpaper (by Designers Guild) were the initial elements that I was drawn to when first inspired by the photograph in Vogue magazine, and so formed the initial backdrop. The look that these three elements achieved when brought together on a moodboard enabled me to not only see, but understand how I should develop the design (see my blog post about the Importance of Moodboards here.) I knew that selecting some chinoiserie elements, the lacquered sideboard, a tiffany lamp and fringed cushions would create an overly embellished, fashion feel, which was exactly the look I wanted.
As I mentioned above, I like to add some details that you wouldn’t necessarily expect to see within a space. In this case, including the black and white geometric coffee table, the neon yellow table lamp and the Dalmatian print cushion, gives it its modern edge by adding some graphic lines and hard materials.
If you crave the fashion edge in your home but don’t quite know where to start, take a look at my services page as I’d love to help reflect the fashionista in you, within your interior design. I also offer a Digital Interior Design Service which is a fabulously convenient and contact free service. You can read all about that here and email me to request a full pack explaining the process in the Get In Touch area.
Shopping List
4 Door 4 Drawer Sideboard - Wayfair
Clemence sofa orange - Habitat
Rennes chair - Khaki velvet - Swoon
Peace Love & Joy rug - Wendy Morrison
Artemis Medium Fringed Velvet Cushion - Black - House of Hackney
Circle Linen Cushion - Tottenham Dalmatian in Cocoa - Poodle & Blonde
Fornasetti Tema e Variazioni Reversible Cushion - 40x40cm - Silenzio - Amara
Shinsha Scene 1 and Scene 2- Designers Guild wallpaper - Jayne Clayton
Buzz vase - Habitat
Ribbon yellow lamp - Habitat
Serena tiffany green floor lamp - Amazon
Marble vase - H&M
Empire chandelier - a selection at Wayfair.com
Tagua coffee table - Anthropologie
