Journal

Part one … Out and about in Paris 🇫🇷💙 for Design Week … @parisdecooff_home • Wrapped up warm we walked miles soaking up all the inspiration that Paris offers. It was icy cold but we were blessed with beautiful blue skies and sunshine. • What an inspirational start to the year. Paris you always have my ❤️🇫🇷 • #design inspiration #travelinspiration #inspiredinparis #parisdecooff #parisdesignweek2024

Lots of love and sparkle to all my lovely clients, friends, dream team… have a wonderful Christmas and a restful break xxx

A little round up of our visit to @decorex last week. So important to stay in touch with friends and suppliers, meet new ones, find new products and connect with other designers 🖤

Welcome Autumn and all the inspiration the season brings… 🤎🧡 Nature’s way of easing us into the colder months with your gentle transition from Summer…. • Warm colours, natural textures, cosy layers, crisp sunny mornings and mellow sunsets…. 🍂

Cornwall moments and inspiration from my recent trip 🤍🖤 • Art Nature Sea and sky Natural materials History Architecture

“You can visit the same place over and over, and see it differently every time” • A small roundup of inspiration from a special place #Menorca 🖤 • Inspired to create rooms in a garden with a Moroccan feel • Beautiful rippled rock formation and watery blues for a tranquil bedroom scheme • Paint colours typical of the village houses • Classic 1950’s original black and white chequered marble floor… straight out of a film set 🖤

First impression… 🖤 Creating a welcome entrance to your home is so important and whilst not an interior space, something we take a great interest in as it sets the tone for the rest of the home. This image is the very beautiful entrance of a new build property, it reflects the local rural architecture and environment, immediately creating a sense of place. 🍃 • I’m currently researching estate fencing and gates for my own garden, replacing a falling down rustic fence that divides a formal part with a natural and more wild orchard area. • Our external design experience covers such things as external paint colours for masonry and joinery, entry doors, hardware and ironmongery, house name signs, external lighting, porch designs and floor finishes … even house numbers. Always with consideration to and drawing reference from the architectural style, period of the property and it’s environment 🍃

🍃 A fresh Spring palette for a guest bedroom in our listed village house. • We are on the final phase of this long term project, working through from extension, kitchen and bathroom design and full refurbishment of all principal rooms in this lovely period family home … I think we’re just trying to make it last for ever 🤫 …. 🍃

A momentous day of celebration for the Coronation of King Charles III … enjoy this special weekend • His majesty’s love of nature is captured beautifully in this illustration for the official invitation to the Coronation - artwork by Andrew Jamieson • Long live the King

A post to celebrate Spring … 🍃 The powder room/downstairs loo in our mid century house project. • After searching through hundreds of wallpaper designs… our client had asked for something elegant but also we knew she wanted something whimsical, so we covered all the walls in the tiny room with Birds and Butterflies from @schumacher1889 and we have used an indoor/outdoor fabric from @perennialsfabrics picking up on the black and white scrolling detail and scallop design wash basin 🖤 from @londonbasincompany

🍁🍂✨ The sun shone on @olympialondon for @decorex_international and what a fab exhibition it was! Lovely to meet new and old faces and come away full of inspiration to bring to our projects. Thank you Decorex and all the exhibitors for putting in a wonderful show… just a few lovely images collected of far too many to mention here …. ✨

It’s all about the art here… and what a beautiful piece to own 🖤….. • Queen Elizabeth II Still very much in our thoughts and also for the Royal Family 😌 • This was a reworked area of our clients kitchen dining space, originally designed with the whole kitchen as a family admin area as seen in next image, where you will see the wine was taking over. Now evolved to house our clients wine glasses and specialist wine equipment and gadgets for tasting evenings. In the third image you can just see the outline of the spiral wine cellar, kitchen designed by us … 🍷

So sad for the loss of our beloved queen … thank you for your dedication and inspiration… a life well lived and much loved. Setting a huge example for us with your hard work, dignity and humility. We will miss you greatly but now you are free to join the love of your life … 🕊 rest in peace 🤍 and tomorrow we will move forward and support King Charles in continuing your legacy as the ambassador of our beautiful nation 🌿

Holiday’s over and it’s back to work, feeling rested and inspired. Thank you Menorca for a beautiful holiday filled with culture, nature, friendship, cuisine, vineyards, galleries, art and sculpture.. and shopping 😉. Hope everyone has had a lovely Summer break… • Looking forward to the new term with new projects and excited for our industry design events in the coming weeks… • #rested#inspired#grateful #friendship #foodie #winelover #artgallery #art#sculpture #naturelover #biophilicdesign #outdoorliving #feedthesoul #meditation #relaxation

One of my favourite things about entertaining is setting a beautiful seasonal table 🌿 • Making the most of the hot days and dining outdoors with friends... last night I treated eight of us to a Mediterranean holiday inspired evening 💚🌿. Hope you’re all making the most of the heatwave and al fresco dining ☀️🥂🌿

Happy Sunday.... ☕️ 🖤

Happy International Women’s Day 👩‍❤️‍👩 • Thoughts are especially with the courageous women in Ukraine. Mothers leaving husbands and sons behind to defend their country, heartbreaking... whilst they protect and support their children and families alone. I cannot imagine how they must be feeling to be leaving loved ones, homes and jobs that they can only hope and pray to return to. Their strength and bravery are powerful. • Women and their families, opening their arms to receive refugees as they arrive in Poland and other neighbouring countries And women working tirelessly for the Aid agencies to provide emergency supplies, despite the dangers this entails. • Truly humbling on the day we celebrate women 👩‍❤️‍👩 Stronger together 💕

Weekend project anyone! • Any idea what I’m going to do with this? • Spotted in a salvage yard and due to my love of decorative wrought iron work, creating something unique and maybe a little eccentric, and as I can’t have a real Parisian balcony, I bought it... I have some ideas of course but first to send it to the sandblasters... watch this space .... 🖤

Exquisite little details 🖤 and memories of an unusual fact below... • Handwoven linen tape trim that I am desperate to use.... these are handwoven on tradition wooden looms by Stephanie Seal Brown in her New York studio • We love the graphic designs and soft natural textures aligning with our own aesthetic • What I mean by unusual fact, is that these remind me of my primary school days, little groups of us were taken off an a Friday afternoon upstairs into the old school house, into a room with old wooden looms where we were taught to weave a scarf, it all seems quite bazaar now that this really happened ! 🖤 • @fadedshed - do you remember this? 😉

Natural Linen - gorgeous textures perfectly imperfect, naturally luxurious; from crisp to butter soft, washed and relaxed, rustic and nubbly... , naturally sustainable, breathable, hardwearing and ages beautifully. A huge favorite of mine, used throughout my own home and in our projects. • One of the jobs I’ve been doing this week whilst self isolating, is to sort out all of my fabric samples, a task that needs to be kept under control in the studio and one that I found very therapeutic and satisfying this week and it’s so good to reacquaint myself, especially with my linens! • images are from @designsofthetime who produce beautiful traditional linen products 🍃

Colour inspiration on a rainy Sunday... spotted this beautiful blue door whilst strolling in the rain down Avenue de Champagne in Epernay with my ever patient and always indulging husband! 💙

Researching Internal glazing... we are currently working on a bedroom renovation and refurbishment with full joinery design. As the room is large and we have run out of perimeter wall area, to maximize the space we are creating a walk in area with a bespoke semi glazed partition. This provides a an anchor point for a dressing table/chest and extends the wall to place a small sofa on the other side.... our design will reflect the existing glazing and allow light to filter from the secondary window. Combining practical innovation with creative design...

Spotted! Birds and Butterflies wallpaper from @schumacher in a bedroom designed by @pimlicointeriors • Love how they have drawn out the green birds for their palette, whereas we have referenced the beautiful blue butterfly for our vanity paint colour in our #midcenturymodern project • Waiting for window blind to be installed, styling and professional photography for our project 💚

Love these sculptural spherical cushions and how they add a note of fun and informality. I might throw some in on a window seat we are working on for our clients home office, to add some colour and a playful element to an otherwise serious workspace....😜

Today is about kitchen design and we are meeting one of our clients to review material selections and colours for the kitchen in their new-build and site progress checks to verify all is in order for our design. 👷‍♀️ • A classic kitchen design from our portfolio...

Back to work and a fresh new start for 2022 🌿... • Looking forward to sharing more of this project (mid century modern house) we were working on last year, which is nearing completion. Here is a small corner of the large open plan living dining kitchen that has been brought to life with an uplifting and bold wallpaper. We have had lots of fun working with our client who was happy to replace the old wallpaper for something fresh and new, (⬅️ for before) though it had to have impact! New wall lighting chosen for its simplicity against the busy wallpaper. • Small change - big impact... really delighted with the transformation that these new bespoke fluted glazed doors bring to the ground floor, more on these another time...

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow” - Albert Einstein. Wishing you all a very Happy New Year ✨🥂💫

Exhausted! Ready for a break with everyone else.... what a year it has been. Wishing everyone a restful Christmas break and thankful to all our loyal clients, amazing suppliers and incredible workforce for everything we have made happen this year and look forward to new beginnings in 2022!! Much love ❤️✨✨🙏 xx Laurane

Happy Sunday ... 💚 • Feeling oh so grateful and appreciative for my little get-away in November... for the inspiration and the renewed energy that a change of scenery brings... still powering through to bring projects together before Christmas ✨

Christmas countdown and time to bring some sparkle... ✨ • Inspiration from Art and Sculpture • An incredible exhibition @petitpalais_musee Paris @othoniel_studio

Beautiful Paris ❤️ . Mum and daughter designers’ trip to Paris 👩‍❤️‍👩 . Lizzie and I had a wonderful few days together, lots of walking eating and finding inspiration everywhere in nature, colour, art, sculpture, architecture, street fashion and style . Inspired, positive and refreshed 🖤

Thank you @decorex 🌸!! I had a great day looking at products and talking to so many lovely exhibitors in real life!! Notably some brands were missing, but thank you to all the amazing people who brought their beautiful, creative, crafted, quality products to show the design community in person. 👩‍❤️‍👨 It was lovely to be able to meet and talk face to face again, it’s all about the community being together again and firing our enthusiasm and inspiration. I’ll be back later this week to enjoy the 🥂 bar with my lovely (favorite word) design friends ✨✨

Lots of love for Autumnal colours 🍁🍂 reflecting nature and making us feel warm and cosy. My current favourite shade is rust 🍁🍂

Autumn tones 🍂🍁and display shelving. We are currently having a large shelving unit made for our mid century home project with lots of collected objects, which we are planning to edit and style for our client 😉. • Image is from @sohohome

Strong, bold, organic, natural, sustainable, artisan, individual, colourful. I had such a great day this week at Focus visiting suppliers old and new, sourcing new products and meeting fellow design friends 💕 So good to be back together again visiting showrooms. Thank you @designcentrech and all the amazing showrooms and exhibitors for showcasing wonderful products and designs. So inspiring and positive... #focus2021

Kitchen Island or table? Ideally both if there’s an open plan space. The modern kitchen island is akin to the work-tables used by cooks and scullery maids in the past, swipe to see the huge table in the main kitchen at @lanhydrocknt recently visited on a trip to Cornwall. Inspired by these older pieces of furniture, we sometimes like to create a hybrid island/work table, especially in a period property. Giving the island legs creates a more freestanding/furniture look, breaking up runs of solid cabinets. We are designing two kitchens at the moment one with a huge island where we are adding character with a curved seating area and another kitchen in a bijou period property, squeezing in a breakfast perch peninsular. - Featured images are from @whittneyparkinson @laurahammett.interiors @samanthatodhunterdesign @nwinteriordesign @lanhydrocknt

First post in ages.... I’m back, refreshed and inspired, Monday morning and back to work after a wonderful, much needed break in Cornwall.. 🌊☀️🌿 Feeling so lucky to have found a holiday let at such short notice, must have been a cancellation and good timing, we stayed in a wooden lodge, in a quiet setting surrounded by the most beautiful countryside views. Perfect base for local walks along the River Fowey, dog friendly beaches (Rock and Trebarwith Strand) @nationaltrust Lanhydrock and the wonderful @heligangardens . Time ran out with so many things I wanted to do... 😌. I need a trip just to visit galleries and sourcing 😉 . #lovecornwalluk💙💚

Remembering William Yeoward, 💙 through a special project a few years ago. Using his signature blue and white for blinds in the TV room of our country house project in Sussex 💙💙💙

Glimpse of what’s beyond .... pocket doors (we love them) save space and eliminate doors clashing. A lovely way to semi screen this utility room beyond the kitchen, allowing light to flow between the two spaces. Design by @rachelhalvorson

Outdoor rooms .... and dreaming of a trip to Provence... now I’ve had my second jab, (🤒 felt a bit under the weather the last few days.... ). This is my favourite and ultimate design for a courtyard garden 💚🌿 beautiful home of Betty and Francois Catroux via @gardenplanning

After the rain everything looks so fresh 🌤🌿🤍💚Hope everyone has had a good week Happy Saturday xx

“Saturday Caturday... “ We had a very friendly and persistent little visitor yesterday evening .... couldn’t resist a photo amongst my own sitting room scheme and she seems quite partial to the @delecuona 😂... she would look lovely on my new sofa ... spent the night in our front porch, but now safely returned this morning to her own home.... happy bank holiday weekend! Xx ☀️🌿

Part time role to assist in our busy and varied design practice... based in Frant, East Sussex. Applicants must be proficient in CAD. Please send a DM or email Laurane at info@nwinteriordesign.co.uk for more details.... 😊

Flower Friday! Thanks for reminding me @lauralovesdesign 💐 . Busy, busy and can’t think of anything better to post than a sink full of blooms... Happy Friday all! Xx

Before I move on with any other posts, I just want to say a big Thank You and Good Luck to my lovely Laura @lauralovesdesign . Laura has been working with me part time for nearly three years and I have loved having her around to assist me and keep me focused, someone to bounce ideas and above all, organised! Our work days together brought structure to my week... and I really enjoyed your company . When Laura came along, I had recently lost my mum after a long illness and eight months of daily hospital visits.. running a small business really kept me going even though it was idling for that time, my business partner had moved to live in France (lovely Anya @anyajmarsh ) leaving a gaping skill gap ... let’s just say I’m the messy creative type, developing business and relationships but accounts and computer tech are not my thing... well you can’t do everything ! . So, thank you again Laura and for being part of this journey, and your friendship which will continue beyond our working relationship 💞 love and best wishes Laurane xx

Start with Art.... This is another angle of the same sitting room in my previous posts. We based the clean neutral scheme around our client’s existing painting from Scottish artist @wendysutherlandart . Other details, we used a favourite light design in ceiling mount format, Caboche by @foscarinilamps . We pulled the colours out of the painting for cushions, using a very artistic fabric by Hunt Slonem, Lee Jofa from @gpjbaker . Individual, creative and bespoke design

Detail of the hammered bronze handles from @josephgilesltd that we used in our bespoke cabinet shown in yesterday’s post... ✨

Bespoke furniture features in most of our projects... we love to create beautifully made, unique pieces. Seen here is a cabinet we designed and made to house the AV equipment in our client’s sitting room. Clean lines and dark stained oak, with the most beautiful hammered bronze handles from @josephgilesltd ✨✨

Every now and then, something really special comes along and it reminds me of why I love my job so much.... on site yesterday discussing paint colours and how my client wants her room to feel, and she fetched this beautiful old album of pressed ferns that belonged to her great grandmother, dated 1891 from New Zealand. Each page was a work of art and the colours connected and contrasted with our thoughts on the colour of the wall panelling we had been discussing. From that moment I was clear on the direction and concept. We will consider, if appropriate, having some of the plates framed and displayed as a gallery wall.... They say that your home should tell the story of your life ... carefully curated pieces that have meaning and are beautiful in their own right, original and unique...

Happy Easter ! 🐣🐥🌿 Apparently, read recently from a marketing expert, you’re not supposed to edit posts... anyway here goes, because I posted this in haste before our lovely walk this morning... so desperate to enjoy the sunshine. . Couldn’t go out yesterday as Rosie our cocker spaniel had eaten a surgical mask on Friday during her walk in the woods and was feeling really poorly. Thankfully just before the vet appointment, it reappeared all intact including the wire and elastics which I was pretty worried about .... 🤮🙄 and she spent the day in her crate or on the sofa... which leads me to the rant which probably won’t be read anyway now I have edited this post .... LOCKDOWN LITTER really fed up with finding all manner of things dropped or left in the woods and fields, including masks, tissues, wrappers, bottles and cans and even a half eaten birthday cake (red velvet) which I had to wrestle off Rosie and a scattering of olives of all things !! And, a plastic bottle that someone had peed into !! Gross and disgusting !! Then there’s the poo bags left in bushes, hanging in trees and on fences... 🤷‍♀️ .... . So, tomorrow I am off with rubber gloves and bags to gather up all of other peoples crap!! Not the poo bags.... 🤨 #takeyourlitterhome #lockdownlitterpick #lockdownlitter #

I absolutely love the composition and balance in this image. It is pure perfection. Three items on and above the table, each one individually beautiful, yet connected. The stunning Morris lantern by @suzannekasler, the vintage wire basket and the natural foliage all in perfect scale and order . Black, white and natural green foliage, natural hardwood floor, is my favorite classic decor for a hallway.... . This is a home in Conneticut designed by @markcunninghaminc and I have the magazine article torn out and kept in my store of inspirational images, it is probably the most alluring... and I keep coming back to it, it’s back out now because I’m thinking of “New England style” for a project enquiry.... 💚🌿🖤🤍

Happy Sunday.... breakfast styling from the kitchen we designed in our Arts and Crafts Manor House. . I’m already missing the hour we’ve lost 🌗.... but welcome the longer daylight hours to come, and especially excited to be meeting 5 friends outside for coffee tomorrow, and that sunshine we have been promised ... hope you all enjoy the coming week too xx

Black, white, natural wood, artwork, beautiful pendant lantern and a dose of fresh green ... Hallway of dreams. Calm, ordered and welcoming 🤍🌿....

Officially Spring now and I have got my Insta mojo back ! Been busy balancing work/life in an upside down studio during decorating works and being a mum mentor to my two student children... needed to step back for a bit but missed the connection with so many lovely insta friends, and inspiration Spring, bring it inside and thank you for the inspiration @shannoncraindesign for this gorgeous image

Decorating... it’s not just painting .... so I’m sending a massive shout out and appreciation to all the amazing decorators out there.... ✨🙌🏻 ..... . Decorators typically arrive to site when all other trades have moved on and it’s down to the decorator to repair and make good, in their wake... and then bring the project to life with colour (or not) #neutraldecor . In my case, there were huge gaps between the walls and the newly refitted skirtings after the flooring fitter had left, crumbling plaster and chased out channels left by the electrician and then the restoration of old windows requiring A LOT of preparation to bring them back to life and protect them; as to me, there is nothing like restoring original architectural features . So, thank you decorators for ALL the skills that you bring to our projects and for your patience with our endless talk of paint colours and finishes 😉 . The decorator on this phase of my refurb is not on Instagram, but he is a treasure.... A few other local decorating businesses .... some I already know professionally.... apologies if I have left anyone out 🙉 do comment if I have .... @decorusrenovations @jordon_punyer_ds @wellsinteriorsltd @spruce.decorating @mhpaintingdecorating @ferridecs

Fluted glass ...✨✨ so exciting when you propose an idea and your client loves it as much as you do. Signed off on this concept yesterday and our client agrees that it will be a transformative improvement. The project is the refurbishment and restyling of mid century property, and as soon as I had the initial walk through, I knew we had to change the flat reddish brown doors which our client had suggested staining a dark ebony to work with all the new graphite bi folds. Our suggestion was to replace them with bespoke dark stained doors with fluted/reeded glass panels set in horizontal glazing bars.... ✨✨

Changing the way a room feels by the way it looks .... photo and inspiration credit @beckiowens . As soon as we walked into this room, we immediately wanted to take away the feeling created by the heavy brick feature chimney breast. The property is a modern mid century home set on the edge of landscaped parkland surrounded by beautiful old trees forming part of a select development, with sweeping drives and large frontage, with a strong American dream feel.... . I am sure you get the picture .... so, inspired by the west coast style, we proposed using split face quartz tiles to lift the scheme and bring a vibe that fits so well with this period and style home.. swipe to see the tiles we have found with so many beautiful mineral tones and a tiny bit of natural sparkle .... also the original room we are about to transform ✨

Good morning Saturday! Throwing open the doors and windows and bringing in some branches, I’ll be foraging on my dog walk today... feeling like spring is nearly here... and feeling positive. . I’m catching up with proposals this morning after a busy week juggling projects and my own home decorating. Now for a coffee and my notebook, to refresh my “to do” list . Happy Saturday all !! 🌿⛅️ . Image from @simpleofferings

Bathroom Design .... we are just nearing completion on a current bathroom design in Tunbridge Wells which has been a model project with the smoothest installation ever; quite an achievement given the current circumstances. . We have quite a varied bathroom portfolio, across a range of properties and styles, including this one we designed a few years ago in the basement of a beautiful listed crescent town house #decimusburton I will share a few more of our designs in stories....

Happy Valentines Day ❤️

Following my last post on neutral schemes and inspired by what I see around me; a scheme of snowy winter whites 🕊 . Using a mix of textured linens from chunky weaves for upholstery, to butter soft linen for drapery and subtle woven patterns inspired by nature. Contrast and depth with bronze hardware, hardwood floors and accent furniture, warm and cosy in winter with firelight and candles.... . Whilst inspired by Winter, an all white scheme can be reimagined or adapted to the coming seasons and will always look fresh. #biophilicdesign . I took this scheme outside and snapped it in the snow, to capture the light ❄️🌨

A calm neutral bedroom... the key to success with a neutral scheme is layers and texture, I love the way this room scheme is grounded by the dark wood chest and mirror.. have a peaceful weekend all ... x

Beautiful green oak and white. 🌿🤍. The current kitchen we are designing reminds me of a kitchen we designed a few years ago, in fact we designed it twice as our client decided to remove a chimney breast half way through the process which turned everything on it’s head, 🙃 for the better.

Interior design is like setting out the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle..... . Original plan... then swipe to see our changes. It’s essential that we start early on in the building process. . This project will be starting later this year, a new build barn style home with views and a rural setting. . So, with a detailed design brief and a set of drawings, we walk through the plan in our heads, feeling the space and setting out points, and taking account of the building considerations and any limitations. In this case we have exposed structural oak beams spanning the width of the kitchen, which have support braces at each side that project into the space both vertically and horizontally, thus potentially affecting the unit height and projections and ultimately the design layout and even the style. We have reversed the cloakroom and back door, created a walk in pantry which also acts to screen the boot room from the glazed side entrance panels. This also provides a nicer outlook for the sink and a wall to place a spare tall overflow fridge and still space for coat hooks and a bench. . There was a bulky housing for a laundry chute on the original plan, which lands in the lower ground floor laundry room. It felt corridor like and blocked the sight lines at the entrance to the open plan kitchen. After discussion and some tweaking above and the laundry room below, it now sits neatly in the boot room and gives a clear view into the kitchen. With these fundamental elements established, we are now clear to progress with designing a beautiful and functional kitchen 🌿 #workinprogress

Starting the week working on a kitchen design for a new-build barn style home in the countryside, hopefully starting in Spring after a year’s delay. Modern country sums up my concept and I love the simplicity of the mantle created to dress the Aga in this beautiful kitchen designed by @minniepetersdesign_ back to the drawing board now to get the layout down, but inspired and motivated by the end vision ... I will show you the plans and some insights in my next post... 📐.. 🖊

Goodbye January and hoping for some brighter days ahead. Usually looking forward to a break in the alps in February, but good memories will have to keep me going this year 😌... Happy Sunday ! Welcome February ....

Inky blue colour inspiration... I walk past this tree all the time when out with Rosie, but a few days ago I was walking at dusk; the days are definitely getting longer, 🌒 and I felt like I had seen it for the very first time... it must have been the way the light fell all around it illuminating the white bark and the emphasis of the texture against an almost neon blue sky... it was truly magical ✨🌚 ⬅️ ....

Happy Sunday and whoop!! the sun is shining 🌤 Sunday styling... shapes and forms , light and shadow, plants and natural materials. I love the grouping of these beautiful art ceramics from @akiko.hirai found via @newcraftsmangallery

One of our past bathroom designs in a country style home. . It’s all about bathrooms this week, as we started on a long awaited installation on Monday. It’s always a tense few days waiting for the room to be stripped out, as you can never be absolutely sure what is going on underneath... breathing again, 🧘‍♀️ as all is good and we are on course to deliver our design as planned, even gained a bonus 70mm on the width of the room (I’m easily pleased) .... I am so happy to be working with such a professional installer and I can’t stress enough how important this is. Beautiful design, quality products and excellent fitting = a sanctuary you can enjoy with peace of mind... 😌

A fresh new start and Big Ideas... that’s the theme for this week. I started making plans for my own design refurbishments over the christmas break, writing my ideas in this lovely journal I bought last year from @at_one_home Wadhurst, one of the many local shops I love. I’m an avid list maker and need to see my thoughts on paper, so I am using this journal to separate my own design project ideas from the day to day client work, when I get a moment.... . Positive notes - This week I have established that a bathroom install will still go ahead next week and I have also taken details on a new project, so things are still moving and we are progressing ongoing projects albeit slowly... . keep planning and dreaming, lovely people And we will get there... x

A beautiful mirror and talking of reflection...I have been reflecting this weekend on all the wonderful things about 2020, and excited to move forward with my plans for 2021. .. can’t wait to get going tomorrow. ...

Happy New Year to all... wishing love, health and happiness with hope and positivity ❤️ • Thank-you especially to our wonderful NHS 💙, teachers, delivery and postal workers, and all the essential workers who have kept us fed and entertained 💚 and of course the scientists who have developed the vaccine ✨✨ • Looking forward to travel, entertaining and meeting up again safely 🤗 • Lots of love Laurane x

Merry Christmas everyone 😘 ... take care and enjoy the Christmas holiday in our tiny bubbles ✨ • Exhausted ... aren’t we all! • Photo from last Christmas Eve when this past year was nothing we could ever have imagined ... let’s hope for a light at the end of this tunnel next year and for a slow return to how it was .... 😌 • Lots of love, Laurane x

Adding some Christmas decor 🌿✨ to a scheme before packing away for the Christmas break... I love these beautiful decorations by @waltherogco which I managed to buy on Saturday from @lepetitjardin in Tunbridge Wells before they closed in the current tier 4 lockdown 😌... later today I’m going to be faffing with them to decorate my kitchen... • Hope everyone else is nearly there with their last minute Christmas preparations xx

Our tables won’t be as full with our loved ones this year 😌 ... I love setting a table for special occasions and intend to set up ours on Christmas Eve and to make it just as special ✨🌿 with (you know me) plenty of foliage and a bit of sparkle... This image is from a clever and creative client’s home, open plan kitchen we designed a few years ago, showing her collection of vintage @lloyd.loom chairs in their original green paint 💚 We will be missing our son Tom, as it’s just too complicated for him to return from Barcelona, but we gather he was on the search for a turkey to cook for his own bubble there... 🤔 ❤️ Enjoy celebrating around your own tables with whoever you can for this year, and let’s hope for many greater and safer gatherings as soon as we can .... in 2021 🙏

Just having a little Insta interlude .... • Picking up the pieces after a difficult few days with a very poorly puppy • On the mend now 😌

Up early this morning to visit @sunburyantiques • Arriving in winter fog around 7.45 am we were by no means the early birds... the market opens at 6.30am (torches needed) and as we arrived there were already people leaving...🥱 ... thought we were up early ... • Bought a few styling pieces, accessories for clients and pieces for me ... • Pretty vintage glasses with Christmas sequined chocolate box which is part of our Christmas traditions at home ... originally bought from @bloomingdales New York in my former business life .... 😌

Let the Christmas decoration begin!! 🎄✨... Love going back to visit clients especially this time of the year and seeing how they decorate the rooms we have designed.. we always think ahead to work out where the Christmas tree will go, in any sitting room design 🎄✨ • We were here to see the installation of replacement linen curtains and roman blinds that had strangely changed colour in the last two years 🤔 (green). Faulty dye batch.... Thankfully our supplier replaced everything, so we are back to the beautiful natural stone linen that it was... • Sometimes things can go wrong, but it’s the way you put it right that matters 😌

What a beautiful day... I said, “let’s go to the beach “ .... we went, and it was glorious ... • We walked and we drank up the space, the light, the sky and the sea • I have not stopped breathing in and letting out deep sighs of gratitude for those few hours today .... • #gooutside

Is Autumn/Fall the shortest season? 🍂🍁 I was thinking about this today as we head towards Winter... • I don’t give up on Summer until the end of September, so that leaves 🍂 🙈 October and November for Autumn, as December is definitely Winter.... • Well, this image is, for me, the very epitome of cosy.. definitely autumnal and possibly wintery especially now as the days are getting even shorter, colder and with thoughts of Christmas 🤫... not ready for that yet so I’m going to continue to embrace the time of the year with “seasonal decor” moving into winter, by replacing the warmth of golden leaves with frosty sparkle, winter evergreens and white berries.. 🌿🤍✨ • Beautiful image and work of @amberinteriors

🎶 tumble out of bed and stumble to the kitchen, pour myself a cup of ambition, yawn and stretch and try to come to life 🎶.... thanks Dolly Parton ... Not quite 9-5 these days but good morning Monday Motivation! Wishing everyone a happy, busy and productive week !! #ownboss #interiordesigner

With almost a week without a washing machine 🙄 ...., I am very excited that my new, all singing all dancing machine is being fitted this morning, actually they have arrived 😁.... • Slight delay in posting this.... • Takes me to the humble utility room and how happy it makes us feel to be organised and when the home is fully operational and functional. I actually can’t wait to catch up and clear the backlog of washing over the weekend. • This image is a glimpse into the laundry room, designed for a family home in Tunbridge Wells and part of a large kitchen project a few years ago... happy weekend whatever you happen to be doing .... 💚 Laurane

Let’s make our homes cosy... ✨🍂🍁 we are going to need some home comforts to help us through the next month or longer .... • We can easily adapt our living spaces to make them warm and inviting. A few new cushions in textural fabrics, cosy throw blankets for layering a sofa or chair, woody scented candles to create a warm glow, gorgeous coffee table books to browse and inspire and seasonal foliage to bring in the outdoors connecting us to nature... • Lovely image from @amberinteriors with her usual rustic and cosy vibe 🍂🍁

Happy Halloween ... 🎃🎃

A show stopping wall mural featuring expressive, abstract shapes inspired by flourishing florals and foliage, boldly placed to create visual impact. As described by @villanovafabric and we totally agree and can’t wait to receive the 2m sample piece on its way! • Our interpretation of the client brief for their open plan kitchen, living dining room is - “casual, colourful and playful” and this gorgeous wall art would spark a wonderful scheme ... • We are hoping this will work, 🤞but as we have a high wall reaching up to a gallery landing and an existing cabinet that might obscure the pattern, we are gathering other ideas 🧐. Inspiration 💚🌿🌱

What a perfect window seat with natural materials and Autumn colour vibes 🍂🍁. I would start my morning here, with my coffee and note book, planning the day... • it’s been a busy few weeks pushing decisions forward and placing orders and generally trying to finalise projects that have had a “go slow” during the last months. I think Autumn brings a reality and focus on getting things done • Next week is filled with client meetings and a certain feeling of urgency.... have a lovely weekend all and stay safe. Laurane xx • Photo is from @katiehodgesdesign

Cosy bedroom designs... we are working on a few at the moment. I love panelling and will sneak it in when I can. We have a village house project where the bedroom has a dormer window and sloping ceilings, so I’m planning on breaking this up with a bit of T&G.... • I could have stayed here all day on this rainy autumn Sunday 🍂 but instead have been on wet dog walks sploshing in the rain, sorting and tidying my studio, and cooking to feed the family. Hope you have all had a lovely weekend and looking forward to a great working week ... xx

When these little ones appear on my window sill I know it’s Autumn... ☘️🍂...

Lightbulb moment 💡seeing this image has inspired what we are working on this week • Happily moving a slow burning project forward at last... • It’s a family home that was built for our clients around 8 years ago. We have been asked to update and refurbish the whole house. Starting with design feasibility studies, we are opening up the kitchen and dining room for improved connection and flow. • Our clients would like to add a social space connecting to the garden, terraces and pool, so we now have our architect on board to explore planning and design of the new extension. • And, this image conveys the concept we are thinking... a glass link from the main property to the new garden friendly sociable space that will incorporate games room, tv and lounging area with separate shower room and loo. • Image credit @paulbatesarchitects via @beckiowens

Sir Terence Conran sad for his passing but celebrating his life... • Illustrations from his book The Essential House Book, a bible of design advice. Mine is around 20 years old and the book was first published in 1994 and is still as current and valid as it was then • A book that “concentrates largely on design and architecture rather than decorating”. • Skimming through this wonderful book again and finding so many words that resonate and anchor our design ethos of the current day. • Sir Terence Conran. Truly a pioneer of bringing modern, timeless and iconic design to our high streets. ... I still have wedding gifts that came from @habitatuk that are still going strong ....

Sun rays on wallpaper... from the dining room in our country house project ... gorgeous Egerton wallpaper from @cole_and_son_wallpapers

Bespoke furniture design “Yes we can do that “ we have a brilliant furniture maker for all our cabinets and special furniture commissions ... • We love a challenge and we often design and commission a “one off” piece of furniture, because either you can’t find it, buy it, or it needs to be tailored to fit a particular space... • Swipe to see the weathered timber we have sourced to make a Hall console table we have designed to fit around a radiator. • This piece is going into a property we have transformed from the dark 1990’s new build, that it was, to the light modern rustic family home it is now. I recently found some “before” photos which I will share another time.

Happy Bank Holiday everyone ! • Dull I know, but I’m spending the morning deep cleaning my kitchen, sorting cupboards, culling the groaning shelf of cookbooks and reorganising my larder ... 🙄 • Definitely a “back to school” feeling and my motivation is to get ahead, get up to date with work so I can book a UK break soon ... 😌 • #myownboss

Performance fabrics ... because who doesn’t love a snuggle on the sofa with their pooch? • We love the indoor/outdoor fabrics from @perennialsfabrics • There are so many pet and family friendly, stain resistant fabrics now available, so we don’t have to compromise on style. • We are huge fans of @loveyourhomeuk ... who not only have the most gorgeous sofas and all things upholstered, but also a range of stain resistant linens and velvets that look and feel incredibly natural... • In fact most of the fabric houses have added performance fabrics to address this need and we no longer have to compromise on style over practicality... 🐾

Bespoke dog sleeping areas are sometimes built into our designs as shown here in the Boot Room in one of our projects. • Here we created space for our client’s two dogs with connecting spaces. These lucky pooches had the luxury of underfloor heating. • The flooring is Belgian Bluestone from @naos_floors_ and the cabinets are painted in @farrowandball Downpipe. Walls in @farrowandball Strong White. Handles are from @armacmartin

It’s Rosie here, on International Dogs Day! • I’m going to be looking after the Instagram account for a couple of days while Laurane gets on with some human designs... • I will be talking about how we design for dogs, and with dogs in mind.... 🐾 • #lockdownpuppy