Interior Solutions

by Nicola Allan

Interior design for me has always been to create a home that is uniquely personal to the client, to bring a sense of contentment and joy that a safe, welcoming, personal space can evoke. Our homes reflect who we are, our likes and loves, our hobbies and interests. They can nurture us, calm us, invigorate us and we should never underestimate the effect our homes can have on our general well-being.

Our needs change over time depending on what stage we are at in our lives – sometimes we need practicality, other times we crave luxury, but always the aim should be to make our homes work for us, so that we enjoy returning there at the end of each day.

Over the years, we have been asked to create many different types of schemes for a wide range of clients. Everyone has their own requirements, their likes and dislikes and that is where good design starts. A welldesigned home should work for all its inhabitants, whether that be adults, children or pets. Creating a home that we will love means considering the most important aspects of our life and starting from there; what do I want, what do I need and who is it for.

Before considering style and colour, consider what the practicalities of the rooms are – can the space achieve the brief. For most of us, that starts with storage- how to create spaces to store what we need to ensure that our spaces can be functional and practical, clean and tidy. Chaos and clutter does not usually create a happy environment in which to live.

Storage has become very fashionable of late and I could not be happier to see the vast array of images of organised cupboards that now pop up daily on my Instagram – I love it! Having a place for everything and everything in its place makes our homes so much easier to live in. I have always believed that cupboards are like diamonds, we can never really have enough! So before you choose furniture, colours and styles consider the practicalities to enable your home to be your haven.

Don’t forget to consider your four-legged family too. If there are pets in the home, their needs should be incorporated into your plans too. No need for utilitarian dog beds or ugly plastic cat litter trays. Good interior design need not be compromised because we have pets. Dog beds can be made in any colour to blend with the interior – a washable cushion cover in a fabric to match your interior ensures that the bed blends beautifully into your space. For smaller dogs, we have often manufactured tables with a dog bed concealed beneath – perfect for small dogs in small spaces.

The images on the next page show a client’s home whose brief was to create a space that was light, airy, bright and sumptuous but also practical as they had 2 very inquisitive kittens. They wanted their home to be a tranquil escape from their hectic work life with soft colours and tactile fabrics. Pet friendly did not initially spring to mind but they did not want their fur family to detract from their love of sumptuous velvets and silks.

To learn more, visit our website: interiorsol.co.uk