Inspiration for an Interior can come from anywhere but it will always be something that makes you happy. Whether it's a place you've travelled too, a landscape you've walked through, a piece of Art or in this case a National Trust wallpaper Millefleur Knight: from Little Greene.

 

The wallpaper takes inspiration from the National Trust's oldest tapestry (15th Century) which resides at Montacute House in Somerset and depicts a knight against a backdrop of hundreds of tiny flowers.

Taking the inspirational idea we then build on this together through iterating on different colours, wall coverings, fabrics, floorings, lighting, furniture, artwork and accessories until we get to a design concept we're happy with. 

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For the Attic Suite colour our scheme was Little Greene Basalt Blue for the walls, skirting and doors, Gauze for the ceiling, slopes and stairs and Orange Aurora for a splash of contrast on the beams, all whilst complimenting the wallpaper.

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Sustainability is key when designing for a client and antique, vintage and upcycled pieces can add real character and become a key focus in a room. They're one of kind vs. more ordinary everyday furniture from the high street.

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The Attic Suite already had a bed, bedside tables and a walk in wardrobe and so the space just needed a few pieces. A Victorian Blanket Box, added warmth, extra storage and a space for displaying meaningful trinkets and photos. An old Milking Stool at the side of the bath for candles, lotions and potions. A pair of Louis XV style Arm Chairs with blue velvet and red mahogany adding texture and contrast. Finally we have an upcycled Victorian Dressing Table using Basalt paint and Millefleur wallpaper, creating the perfect spot for our beautiful gold gilded mirror (Anthropology).

All of the above was bought at Auctions for under £265 total.

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2D Floor plans are produced showing lighting, furniture layouts, radiators, fires, sockets and windows. This ensures the space flows and both usability and light are optimised.

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The Attic Suite was straight forward as the bed could only be placed on one wall and to give it focus we used our Millefleur wallpaper to create the effect of headboard. The dressing table is opposite the bed between the bathroom and wardrobe doors for the practicalness of getting ready but also to house our oversized free-standing mirror which reflects the light from the floor to ceiling windows back into the room.

 

The matching armchairs were placed by the wardrobe and bath to place clothes and towels on. The Glass Cabinet was placed to the left of the bathroom door to mirror the dressing table as it fit neatly under the sloping ceiling. As the slopes of the attic made some spaces tight for furniture we used the end of the bed as a "wall" to place our blanket box against and the Mahogany half moon Demilune chest of drawers fit beautifully in the corner of the eves by the bath for extra storage.

Once the room layout and furniture plan is approved it's time to start researching all materials, furniture and accessories to identify possible suppliers and shops.

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We'll look at samples and discuss factors such as quality vs. cost, sustainability, practicality and durability, keeping in mind our budget.

This is where I deliver the bang for your buck ensuring that you're left with a realistic shopping list that makes our design a reality. 

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Sourcing is an important part of the process and off the back of comprehensive research we should have found multiple options for materials, furniture and accessories that are featured in our design concept. Often I can get trade discount but ultimately what makes the difference is spending time finding similar quality products at a lower price point, whether that's through Price Comparison, Store Sales, Vintage or Recycling.