My clients had only recently moved into their country home when we began working together. While they felt fairly confident about the other rooms on the ground floor, the drawing room had them stumped.
A large, light-filled space, it had plenty of potential but very little to guide them. They wanted it to feel comfortable, welcoming and informal — somewhere that could accommodate large family gatherings, but feel equally inviting when it was just the two of them reading, relaxing or listening to music.
There was another layer to consider, too. They were bringing together furniture, belongings and quite different tastes from two previously separate homes. Rather than simply filling the room, we needed to find a way to make it feel cohesive and distinctly theirs.
Before
Despite its generous proportions, the room felt empty and uninviting. My clients were unsure how best to use it, or how to create a layout that would draw them in every day rather than it becoming a space that was only used on high days and holidays.
A basic grid of spotlights provided the only source of light, while the existing shelving at one end of the room felt tired and out of balance. Large rooms can be a wonderful luxury, but without careful planning they can easily feel sparse rather than inviting.
Finding the direction
We began by understanding how they wanted to use the room, what mattered most to each of them and the atmosphere they wanted to create.
Early layouts, concept designs and visual inspiration helped us explore the possibilities and gave them both confidence in the direction before we moved on to the finer details.
The size of the room allowed us to create different areas within it, rather than treating it as one large seating space. Bespoke joinery and custom-made furniture was designed to improve the proportions of the room and complement the existing bookshelves at the opposite end, which were also given a new lease of life.
The new cabinetry created a considered home for the television and music system, while helping to define a quieter corner for reading, relaxing and listening to music.
Adding warmth & character
Lighting played an important part in changing the feel of the room. The existing spotlights offered plenty of practical light but little atmosphere, so we replaced these and introduced layers of decorative and ambient lighting to make the space feel softer and more inviting throughout the day and into the evening.
A beautifully textured, linen-look wallpaper now wraps all four walls, replacing the cool grey paint the clients inherited. Richer colours were introduced through the upholstery, with a generous rug, curtains, cushions and tactile fabrics adding further layers of warmth, pattern and softness.
Although the drawing room extension is much more modern than the original part of the house, it was important that it still felt connected to its setting. We introduced period-inspired details including a custom-made ceiling rose to frame the statement pendant, heritage-style radiators and carefully chosen sockets and switches. Existing coving was matched and continued seamlessly across the new joinery — small details that quietly makes the whole room feel as though it has always belonged.
Before
Each of my clients had a slightly different vision for the room, shaped by their own tastes, belongings and the homes they had previously lived in. The challenge was to bring those two perspectives together and create a space that felt equally at home to both of them.
It also needed to work beyond the two of them: somewhere comfortable for everyday life, but equally relaxed and welcoming when family from both sides came to stay.
The Finished Room
What began as a large, rather anonymous space is now warm, layered and full of personality.
It works when the family gathers together, but also has quieter corners for everyday life. Most importantly, it has become a backdrop for the things that tell my clients’ story — their books, artwork, music and treasures collected on their travels.
Rather than feeling newly “done”, it feels settled, personal and genuinely theirs.
A New Chapter
Perhaps the greatest success of this room is that it doesn’t feel like somewhere waiting for an occasion. It’s just as likely to be used for an afternoon with a book or an evening listening to music as it is for a houseful of family at Christmas.
And while the design work may be complete, the room itself isn’t meant to feel finished. There is space for another painting, another pile of books, something brought home from a future trip. Over time, it will continue to gather the things — and the memories — that make a home interesting.
When my clients first got in touch, they had already lived in their Newport home for eight years. They loved its location and generous proportions but struggled to create a cohesive style that reflected them.
The living room felt awkward and disconnected. One side of the room was rarely used, and the layout didn’t support relaxed family living.
They also shared a love of Scandinavian and Japanese design. They wanted their home to feel calm, grounded and restorative, with a palette inspired by nature and an emphasis on natural materials.
Before
Although generous in size, the living room never fulfilled its potential. An awkwardly positioned doorway divided the room, making it feel disconnected and difficult to use. The family had arranged the furniture around the room’s limitations instead of their lifestyle. As a result, half of the room was rarely used. Our challenge was to improve the flow, reconnect the space and create a welcoming room the whole family would enjoy spending time in.
Shaping The Design
Our conversations kept returning to the same ideas: a love of nature and open spaces, as well as the energy of city life. They also wanted their home to feel like a sanctuary. Somewhere they could retreat after a busy day, shut out the outside world and simply enjoy being together.
In the living room, a series of thoughtful changes has transformed both the look and function of the space. The original doorway divided the long, narrow room in two. It disrupted the flow and discouraged the family from using the whole room. We replaced it with a glazed sliding door. Natural light now spills into the previously dark hallway, while improved sightlines make the room feel wider and more open.
Bespoke joinery has rebalanced the room’s proportions and provided generous storage and display space for books and treasured objects. We also created a cosy window seat, which has quickly become a favourite place to sit. A carefully planned furniture layout, layered with tactile rugs, cushions and natural textures, has brought the two halves of the room back together. The space now feels cohesive, welcoming and made for family life.
Finally, a layered lighting scheme has brought warmth to the darker corners. It replaced the flat, functional atmosphere with a softer mood that shifts effortlessly from bright daytime living to cosy evenings.
The transformation
In the kitchen diner, we chose to build on what was already there rather than start from scratch. We repainted the existing cabinetry in a rich green and elevated it with tactile tiles, new hardware and carefully chosen lighting. By retaining the kitchen itself, we invested more of the budget in the features that would make the biggest difference to everyday family life.
A bespoke bench seat now anchors the dining area, adding both character and practicality. It’s become the natural place for weekday breakfasts, homework, coffee with friends and leisurely weekend lunches. A reimagined lighting scheme has added warmth and atmosphere. Together, these thoughtful changes have created a space that feels welcoming from morning through to evening.
Before
Before the redesign, the kitchen felt practical but lacked warmth and cohesion. A large freestanding table dominated the dining area. It offered little flexibility and no additional storage. Everyday items accumulated on the worktops, while the off-centre pendant light failed to define the dining space.
We focused on making every inch work harder. Bespoke bench seating has introduced hidden storage, maximised seating around the table and created a natural focal point. New lighting, carefully chosen artwork and a restrained palette of natural materials have transformed the atmosphere. The space now feels calmer, welcoming and more connected to the kitchen.
Continuity & Flow
Throughout the home, colour has created a quiet sense of continuity between the living room and kitchen. Soft, nature-inspired tones flow from one space to the next. Layers of timber, linen, ceramics and natural textures have added warmth and depth. The result is a calm, uncluttered interior with plenty of personality. It balances the simplicity of Japanese design with the warmth and liveability of Scandinavian interiors.
A New Chapter
By rethinking the layout, improving the flow and introducing a carefully considered lighting scheme, we transformed the ground floor into a home that works effortlessly for modern family life.
We wove subtle references to the couple’s different heritages into the materials, finishes and patterns. Nothing feels literal or overly themed. Instead, thoughtful details give the home greater depth and personal meaning. Integrated storage keeps everyday life organised, reduces clutter and makes the house easier to live in.
Most importantly, the house now feels unmistakably theirs. Each room has a purpose and every detail has been carefully considered. It reflects who they are and how they want to live. It’s calmer, more practical, more beautiful—and, above all, it feels like home.
“We worked with Kate on the redesign of our kitchen-diner and living room and the transformation has really changed how much we love and use these spaces. From the beginning she really took the time to understand how we live and what we were drawn to stylistically, then translated that into a scheme that feels calm, cohesive and completely ours. She combines creativity with practicality and clearly cares deeply about both the design and the people she works with.“
When this couple contacted me they were partway through a five-year renovation and, due to their very busy schedules and, by their own admission, a lack of creativity and vision, they were struggling to update the tired hallway and first floor rooms.
Part of my role was in helping them to define their unique style, encouraging them to be bolder with colour and working with them to manage their project.
Although the house is large, it wasn’t being used to its full potential and lacked effective storage. We reconfigured some of the rooms, added custom built cupboards, lightened the dated colour palette and introduced panelling in the hallway to add depth and character. My clients now have a very beautiful home that they are, quite rightly very proud of.
Client Review
“We approached Kate to help us with the reconfiguration of two bathrooms and the master bedroom as well as designing our downstairs hall, stairs and landing. As time went on she has produced mood boards for most of our house and has helped transform our rather tired mid Victorian house into a restful but fun home. She encouraged us to be brave with colour and we are so pleased with the results.”
Having bought the house from new when their children were small, my clients felt an update was long overdue. Working with furniture they already owned whilst trying to create a completely new atmosphere was the challenge.
The hallway and landing, which had previously felt dark and old fashioned were transformed into a welcoming space with a touch of wow! With their daughter’s now young adults they wanted to update their rooms to reflect this and inject some glamour into their own bedroom, which was lacking character.
In the lounge and working with their existing three-piece suite, the space was given an injection of ski lodge chic with a wraparound wallpaper and lots of contrasting textures. Turning it from a room that was rarely used to a cosy and relaxing family space.
Client Review
“Kate, has made a massive difference to our home, giving us confidence to make changes with her fantastic vision. We love the changes and she has made the process easy with her guidance and patience.”
This project was a true collaboration. Listening to their needs for a family-friendly home that was also great for entertaining, the brief was to introduce a contemporary edge whilst retaining the period charm of this amazing, listed building.
This couple had some really clear ideas about what they liked but were nervous about how to pull everything together in such a big space and wanted my help to translate their thoughts into a cohesive design.
The challenge was to link each space whilst at the same time giving each its own character and purpose – including the very glamorous grown up games room with its art deco vibe.
Client Review
“Kate was genuinely passionate about the renovation of our Georgian home and took great care to understand our tastes and how we planned to use each room. She took detailed information on what we had in mind, used that as a starting point but elevated our thoughts into stunning, stylish and carefully thought through mood boards. She understood precisely what we wanted to achieve but lacked the skills to do alone.”
