Love The Place You're In is back on the box, hurrah! So many times I've heard people saying that a particular style is gorgeous/wonderful but they could never have it in their home and it drives me crazy! The beautiful homes that we see in magazines and on TV are put together by people like you and me, the only difference being that they have the confidence to go with their own style and make it happen.

Love The Place You're In has always been about finding out what's right for each homeowner, and it doesn't matter what it looks like to me, you or anyone else. It's about what works for them and sometimes that is a very difficult thing to find out.

Sue in Dulwich needed a lighter, more positive environment in which she could flourish, and from a room that was dark and packed full of memories and interesting things, we pulled together a room that was crisp and optimistic but still had the essence of what Sue needed and incorporated the beautiful things she had picked up along the way.

Our couple in Marden were a real treat for me to work with – Angie and Jonny have taken on a project for life – a big oast house in Kent. They wanted to explore their style, needs and requirements and do the house up once in order that they might spend the rest of their time there enjoying it with their gorgeous baby son. The resulting kitchen was one of the most comfortable and relaxing spaces I have ever been in – I led them to the water's edge and they drank and drank and drank! Here's how Angie and Jonny's house looked before...

And after...

We always try and show our homeowners something that will get their creative juices flowing to jump start the design process, and I particularly remember a day out at Formby beach, North of Liverpool, where we took Karen, our Salford contributor. Inspiration can come from anywhere and it doesn't have to be an existing interior – the colours of the sea, sand and sky that day were gorgeous and really translated well into Karen and Lachlan's home. The dark blue they chose for their master bedroom wall was just amazing and totally whisked you away to a beach where everything is fresh and breezy. Amazing.

I take real pleasure in helping people find a way forward with the design of their homes and the ones I have mentioned here a just a few of the great people we met over the series. I hope you have as much fun watching Love The Place You're In as I did making it!

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One of the great things about my job is the number of interesting and often very famous people I meet. And you'll be pleased to know they have the same kind of interior dilemmas as you and me.

A while back, on one of my many trips to New York, I was invited to lunch by a friend of mine who was in town on a business trip. It was very, very cold (if you've ever been to NYC in the winter, you'll know exactly how cold it gets there) and it meant dressing up like an Eskimo to brave the bitter winds that scream through the city, but it was a good excuse to get out and be social. So I said yes, assuming it would be a decent brunch-style-affair in some little deli somewhere.

We met up and started to walk north up Manhattan, towards Central Park.

At this point I suspected that we weren't going to the usual kind of deli place, as the city gets more and more posh the further north you go. The more we walked, the hotter I got and I was sweating heavily under my layer upon layer of winter warmers by the time we eventually walked up to a very smart residential block, overlooking Central Park.

We were greeted at the door (by name!) by the concierge, who not only had pre-called the lift for us, but got in with us and pressed the button for the top floor. Not wanting to seem like I wasn't used to this kind of treatment (which I'm really not!), I took off my balaclava and unwound the four scarves from around my neck, anticipating the smart roof terrace restaurant I kind of assumed we might be going to.

The elevator stopped and the door pinged open. I should really emphasise that at this point, I looked like a sweaty tramp that had been attacked – my hair was plastered to my head, I had at least 40 coats on, an armful of woolly accessories in my hands that could easily have been mistaken for a small animal and a bewildered look in my eye.

So there we were.

The doors silently slid open and my mouth fell open (just to complete the look). Sir Cliff Richard was standing there! He looked as surprised as me.

It transpired that my mate and he had business to talk about, but it didn't even occur to my friend that I might want a little mental preparation before meeting a legend! After lunch (chipolata casserole, with mashed potatoes and scrunched-up salt and vinegar crisps on top – odd combo but, as it was made by the man himself, very acceptable), Sir Cliff gave me a tour of his very swish apartment and he asked my advice on the best way to conceal his very big wall-mounted TV which, in this instance, was to recess it into a large, decorative panel. My idea wasn't a bad trade off for lunch, and he seemed genuinely grateful.

Anyway, there you go, we all have similar issues with our homes and it's comforting to know that even the richest, most famous people in the world think about things like that, just like you and me. I haven't been back to check on the work, so, Sir Cliff, if you're reading this, let me know how it looks.

PS. The pic shows our Cliff mixing up a cocktail storm back in 1963!

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There’s something very special about autumn for me – curiously enough, it’s when I get that spring feeling that most other people actually get in spring. Year in, year out, I get an overwhelming urge to start doing stuff. I think it’s because I, like my parents, I have a very strong nesting instinct and feel the need to prepare for the winter...

I get my chainsaw out and stock up the wood for my fire (I did that today and my back is aching); I up my togs on the bed (God bless ducks); I chase the spiders out of the house (I have to do this with a chair as Wiltshire seems to have some kind of mutant breeds that not only sit in the bath for hours, but top the hot water up for themselves when it’s tepid); and I start eyeing up my plastic, indestructible garden crockery with suspicion, wondering why it had seemed so attractive when I bought it (oh, how easy it is to forget the summer).

Maybe this need to stock up and get cosy is something that’s inherent in all of us – kind of like preparing to hibernate. Anyway, I do find that it’s the best time of year for me and lots of work gets done.

PS. Thanks to Toast for these beautiful autumnal photos...

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I had to look for a present for a friend the other day and was told to check out an artist called Adam Hemuss.

Now, you know me, I'm a tart for art, and although I don't buy as much as I'd like to, I did buy something from Mr Hemuss – a picture of a pair of women's feet with birds on them (that sounds a bit weird, but it makes me smile).

It's simple, graphic stuff, in simple colours that would suit a simple, contemporary interior, so if that's your thing, have a look at hemussart.com and let me know what you think.

Here's a sampler from Adam's website (thanks Adam!)...







 

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I was in the supermarket the other day – did you know that a bent carrot is cheaper than a straight one? How bizarre! It's worrying that we've got to the stage where perfection is the norm and anything less than that isn't worth as much; it's hardly surprising that kids grow up with low self esteem!



Anyway, that's not my point. While I was being silently amazed by the carrots, I overheard a middle class, middle aged woman talking to her friend about buying her children's clothes from the supermarket we were in and what good value it was, and I quote; 'One can't get better value these days – It's chic-onomics'.

I love it – we should all be saying it! Good value is the new black and carrots can look like a carrot. We're all heading in the right direction!

 

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It's my job to know what everyone on the high street is up to, and I regularly trawl through all the shops to see what's on sale. I recently wandered into a shop in Reading and stopped dead in my tracks. When I saw what was on their shelves I honestly thought I'd made a mistake. So I went back outside and checked the shop name, but I hadn't made an error - I really was in Bhs!

There were lots of very stylish home furnishings, accessories (sparkly, textured and mirrored) and a gorgeous array of colours (lots of black, white, aubergine, and metallics). The overall look was very, very sexy - it truly looked like an expensive boutique!

Whoever is doing the buying for that place has upped their game considerably. They still seem to be selling the 'essentials', but are clearly becoming a strong contender in the 'home fashion' race on the high street. They really have put the home back into British Home Stores and good on 'em.

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My bathroom in Wiltshire is very almost done now - hurrah! It’s been a journey, my friends!

I’ve been so busy with work I haven’t really had time to get stuck in and get my brushes out until the last couple of days, but I’m so pleased with it even as it stands.

I’ve painted the walls with ‘Clunch’ by Farrow and Ball which has such a gorgeous rich glow about it (it looks particularly good when the window is open and you see natural green beside it) and ‘Pointing’ eggshell on the woodwork which complements it very well. The combination of these colours and the white sanitaryware and chrome fittings remind me slightly of a Georgian dairy - don’t ask me how a designers mind works!

I still have to get the mirror fitted along the long side of the bath (instead of tiles) as it will double the appearance of space and bounce masses of light around. Some friends have suggested it might be a bit pervy (I promise you it’s not) but I’m still going ahead with it

Even though it takes a while to get these things right, the effort is SO worthwhile. My Wiltshire caterpillar is finally taking shape.

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The hotel suite I was recently asked to design was completed last week. It was an unusual brief, as it was for a company that applies technology to guest rooms, and was not actually for a hotel.

Anyway, we turned a boring square room into an amazing suite that really reflects the kind of space that this company have to work in, so potential clients can see the technology in situ rather than imagine what it might be like.

It was a delicate balance between providing a place where business can be conducted and creating a believable high-end, stylish hotel suite, but I believe we hit it bang on (you’ll have to forgive my snaps – the room isn’t completely styled for photographs and they were taken at about one in the morning, after I’d finished my faffing!)

It was great fun to do and I managed to use few bits and pieces that I have been saving up for just such a job, like this aluminium antler coat rack. It wasn't cheap (£65 from Graham and Green) but it does look amazing.

The windows on either side of the headboard are fake, as is the daylight behind them, as I had to design a room that was a controlled environment so that the company could demonstrate how they adjust lights, TV and climate amongst the myriad of other ingenious gizmos they offer.

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I recently had an unexpected visit from a friend of mine who lives in Seattle. Sally is dynamic, quick, hugely funny and not unlike one of the characters in Sex And The City (not Samantha, incidentally, she’ll be pleased to hear).

Whilst we were eating our chilli chicken noodles, she told me that it took her longer to get ready in her Paddington hotel than it normally does at home because she was aware of a strange smell that lingered on her, particularly her hair.

After a bloodhound-style investigation she concluded that whilst there was nothing out of the ordinary with the water (it looked clean and was drinkable), it was smelly! So I have since been wondering whether there really is a difference between the water supplies in the USA and UK - do we have different chemical processing that affects our national aroma?

Do we all smell?

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I had my last day filming for series two of Love The Place You’re In a few days ago. It’s been a real pleasure being involved in the transformations of so many homes – and to help make changes that really make a difference to the lives of the owners. I try very hard to get it right for people and it’s always so much more than a ‘makeover’. The problems we overcome are sometimes quite fundamental to the happiness of the homeowners and the sense of achievement we all get when the job is done is fantastic.

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I have now chosen the colour for my dining room/conservatory. Hurrrah!

The room is south-facing so I have chosen a cool blue for the walls from Zoffany Paints (Stockholm Blue) to counteract the strong sunlight that floods in during the afternoons, and Clunch by Farrow and Ball for the woodwork. It’s a smart combination that will look good against the new oak flooring and works well in every kind of light from morning sun to evening candles.

Don’t be afraid of mixing brands as I do– if you can’t find all the colours you want in one place, have a look around at other manufacturers. The trick is to apply sizable test areas with all the colours before you buy it – paint isn’t that cheap and you will save your money, your time and your sanity if you get it right first time.

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I am starting to get a bit of a schoolboy crush on post-war design. I say crush because when I see something I like, I blush a little and am compelled to take sneaky peeks at whatever it is, like a school boy would at ‘Miss’.

Anyway, when I was in New York, knowing I like the unusual, my friend Ed (who has a beard and no moustache, which I find odd) took me to The Salvation Army furniture depot on West 44^th Street to look for things to inspire me. It’s a great place, the likes of which we don’t really see here in the UK, full of every type of furniture, in every conceivable colour, style and shape, crammed into five storeys.

So it was that I blushed when I found an amazing 6ft x 8ft rug which was hidden under a pile of other stuff. I walked around it for a while avoiding eye contact with it and eventually pulled it out for a look – it was an original piece by Lucienne Day from 1952 based on a design she did for fabric for Heals of London called Miscellany!




I bought it on the spot for $50 (about £25), rolled it up, put it on my shoulder and headed back to where I was staying. I later found a greeting card with the same design on it.

A friend of mine was moving back to London from NYC, so I put the rug in the crate with his stuff, got it home, had it cleaned and it's now lying on my spare bedroom floor in Wiltshire.

I still flush when I look at it - cheeky little thing. I predict this style is the next big thing to make a comeback– so start buying now before the prices sky-rocket. Happy days!

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It’s been a tough couple of weeks for me. The renovations in Wiltshire have come to a standstill – the plumber has been fitting me in amongst his other jobs, which has been beyond frustrating. I seem to be at the bottom of his work pile  – surely it would be easier to do one job at a time and then move on to the next one? So he’s been trotting backwards and forwards doing a bit here and a bit there, which has meant the carpenter hasn't been able to get the bath panel and skirting boards sorted, which in turn means I can’t decorate anything.

The joy of doing my own house has been tainted and it’s starting to feel like a real chore. Of course, I know all that will change when the colours go up, and I’ll get the familiar rush of achievement again, but I’m trying to love the place I’m in and they’re not helping!

I can’t wait until it’s done and dusted, but in the mean time, I suppose I’ll at least have a lot more sympathy for the people who’s homes I am working on.

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If you’re a web-shopper, I’ve found a great website for you.

Brandalley.co.uk is a site that sells designer products at massive discounts. It mainly stocks clothes, but now and again they gets their cyber mitts on really good, branded homeware. Until the 17^th August, they've got some fab cookware from Meyer Prestige and cute stationery and other bits from Orla Kiely and Designer's Guild at knock-down prices.





You have to be quick off the mark getting the stuff you want though, as when their stuff is gone, it's gone. But they do send out helpful email reminders when the sales start, so the earlier you log on, the bigger selection you'll find. You could say the early bird gets the inexpensive designer worm!

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Although I don’t generally design for hotels, I’ve been asked to design a bedroom for a technology company.
 

It’s actually their demonstration room and they need a space that looks as high-international style as possible in order to appeal to their clients. It’s quite a challenge trying to steer clear of styles and colour schemes that could be associated with any well-known hotel group, as the technology being tried out is supposed to be accessible to any hotel proprietor and no-one wants to be reminded of the competition.

It’s the kind of job I adore, as it combines my love and experience in production design, practical interior design with problem solving: I'll have to create a room that gives the impression of a luxury hotel suite where clients can be taken to view technology without shattering the illusion.

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Is everyone as worried as me about Swine Flu?

It’s not that I’m not busy or have nothing better to do, but I actually counted how many times I touched my face the other day… and it was a lot – particularly my eyes, strangely!

I went directly to the local chemist in Queens Park and bought some hand steriliser. Now I’m not sure if it will help me stay flu-free, but I did feel more confident eating my Scotch egg! I’ve also learned how to go to the loo without actually touching anything; loo seat, cistern lever, door handle (either side) or lock. It’s not easy but the trick is to have a wet-wipe or tissue with you at all times…

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A certain bathroom retailer has rather upset me this week… what a palaver!

My bathroom isn’t the biggest in the world and I have always wanted a classic, wall-mounted basin. When my builder took the old suite out and I told him what was going in its place, he informed me that the existing wall was too weak to hold the ruddy great big sink I wanted. So I had to pay hundreds of pounds replacing it with a concrete block wall that could take the weight. Add that to the builder's costs, time spend doing it, fuel going to buy it etc, and the money soon mounted up.

Anyway, when the new basin was delivered it became evident that it wasn’t designed to be hung without a pedestal. I had checked in store whether the style I had chosen was okay to attach to the wall and was told, categorically, that it was. So I was really pee’d off!

I have returned it all now, so it’s sorted out and I have the bathroom I want, but the point is, when you're working on your own project, you should always check, check, and check again that what you’re buying actually works with your structure and design.

Oh, and a note to retail outlets from all of your customers… PLEASE KNOW YOUR PRODUCTS!

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I’m thinking of removing my door into the kitchen and adding a painted wooden casement instead – I know it will create the illusion of one larger space and can be a way forward for anyone tight on space, but I’m not great in the kitchen and am a bit worried about burning smells and the clatter of pans in the other rooms.

I’m just not happy that in order to get a better looking, space efficient home, I have to learn how to cook properly! Nothing’s ever easy is it?!

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I had a call out of the blue from comedian Michael Mcintyre the other day, who was after some white, wooden, Colonial-style shutters for his new house.

He’s not alone – I get asked more and more for window treatments that have an element of security about them (as opposed to curtains, which often don’t even keep a persistent draught out).

Shutters are great in context. The fact they will keep a burglar at bay for longer than ten metres of cotton chintz (say) and that you can keep them closed in the day time and easily alter the light coming into the room are all definitely speak in favour of them as window treatments. They are also easy to keep clean, so actually, they are perfect all-rounders. Mr Mcintyre, if you're listening, go for it.

Check out these crazy, patriotic new shutters from Shutterly Fabulous.

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I woke up, showered, got dressed, worked out my diary for the day and went out to the car… the normal routine, only to discover that a front tyre was flat.

I’d tell you whether it was ‘near-side’ or ‘off-side’ if I knew which was which… how does that work? ‘Near-side’ is always going to be near something (and isn’t ‘off-side’ a football thing?) so I have no way of remembering it, but I do remember standing in the road staring with disbelief, willing it to self-inflate.

Anyway, I went to Kwik-Fit and although they weren’t Lee Majors (you’ll get that if you’re old enough) they did sort the tyre out fairly sharpish. I didn’t, however, expect them to point out that the other front tyre was illegally worn down and needed replacing.

I cheerily enquired whether or not they could do some kind of rubber comb-over or supply tyres remoulded from flip-flops or something else that didn’t cost a small fortune and seemingly the answer to both is a flat ‘no’. I paid £300 and carried on with my day, trying to work out what I could do without for a while, in order to absorb the cost.

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I’ve managed to squeeze in a few days away in France to celebrate the 88^th birthday of my wonderful friend Pat. He’s always been a brilliant pal and mentor, and has a spectacular knowledge of everything that ever was, is and will be, so trotting over to the mainland for a glass of champagne was the least I could do.

 
We met years ago at a chateau in Burgundy where I was working as a production designer for a series of ghost dramas for ITV, and have remained good friends since.

Here's the chateau as it was in the 1830s and now... isn't it gorgeous?

The chateau is owned by Kevin Pearsh, a famous artist, and we were treated to a sneak preview of 21 new, huge paintings, based on his travels down the Ganges River in India, and they’re amazing! (I can’t show you any pictures of them as they’re not unveiled until later this year).

I know original art is a luxury, but as prices creep up and we seem to be seeing an improvement in European economics I think why not at least look at some. If you buy the right piece, you won’t lose money and it’s always good to have something that you like looking at on your walls, as opposed to a space filler you picked up at a certain Scandinavian supermarket.

I’ve now got a few Pearsh pics around my home (mainly fish – I’ve got a real thing about them), and I know they’re all worth more than what I paid, so I say a little bit of what you like will never hurt you… and I love them!

See Kevin Pearsh's work at www.kevinpearsh.net.

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My New York clients moved in to their completed house last weekend – well when I say they moved in, I mean a small army of removal men moved them in... five floors with four rooms on each floor and all without incident – amazing!

The thing I found a little weird was that the removal team didn’t really speak to one another… they’ve worked together so much they’ve evolved a way of communicating that doesn’t involve noise. It was like watching an android army.

Still, I can now draw a line under that project; until they move again.

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My builders have amazed me once again this week.

I turn my back on them for a few days and they’ve got the bedroom floor up to lay some heating pipes, although it’s not that bit that amazed me... it’s what they had to take out of the room in order to do it!

Under the bed, amongst other things, was an old brown sheepskin rug and a pair of joke monster feet slippers that were a present I was planning to re-gift (but the fashion came and went and I was stuck with them). My builders must think I like dressing up as some kind of furry animal in the bedroom. For the record – I don’t.

Besides that, as much as I think we all have too much 'stuff', when everything was laid out in front of me, I was able to see how much rubbish I could get rid of. I mean, will I ever use a wooden tennis racket in a press again? And all that to lay a pipe!

You’d think I’d be used to it after being in the game for so long, but the level of prep work that needs to be done before anything can happen on a building site never ceases to surprise me.

Thought you might like a look at my bathroom… it’s a work in progress!

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I’ve been travelling on trains a lot recently, up and down the country for Love The Place You’re In and I’ve come to the following conclusions:

1. If the train doesn’t have a headrest it is going to stop at every single station all the way to your destination (in short: a visible headrest could cut your journey time in half).

2. 'Delicious Hot Snack' could be subject to a Trade Descriptions Act investigation.

3. Train stations don’t have dustbins any more (why is that?).

4. Virgin trains are cold.

5. Don’t ask anyone anything, because no-one will know the answer.

6. Stations aren’t quaint anymore.

7. Restrooms aren’t restful.

8. Walking against the flow of people at any London station is like trying to swim up the Log Flume.

9. People who transmit over the public address system should speak clearly and concisely, preferably whilst not eating a ‘Delicious Hot Snack’.

10. The train is the most efficient, quickest way to get across the country and the best way to see our beautiful countryside and all the amazing sights, good and bad!
 

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I was in TK Maxx in Swindon the other day and as I was looking at cheap pants (well, you’ve got to get the bargains where you can!), I saw an oak console table in the furniture section out of the corner of my eye.

On closer inspection it was pretty darn good and exactly the thing I’ve been looking for, though the knobs are missing.


I got it home and couldn’t resist putting it in place to see what it will look like when the room is decorated, I reckon it looks pretty good for a £100. Of course, it means I’ll have to make do on the pants front, but it’s worth it.

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The work on the house interior I’m doing in New York has gathered pace this week and some of the furniture is being moved in on Friday. It’s disconcerting not being able to oversee the placement of everything as I know that the owner will almost certainly put it all in the wrong place!
 

As I always say… why have a dog and bark yourself? I’ll sort it all out when I go back to do the final dressing.

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I had an epiphany this week. It took me by surprise and has left me with a slightly brighter view of the world I live in. Let me explain...

I’ve been hard at it, filming Love The Place You’re In and have met many of the people who are undertaking the difficult task of reassessing their homes to make them better places - on wildly varying budgets - and really getting into their lives to help figure out what the problems are and how they can be solved. I was mid-solve when it struck me: it doesn’t matter how big or how small a house we live in, how little or how much money we have to improve them, they’re our homes – where we live – and we all have the same fundamental issue: how do we make our homes a better place to live in?

And that was my moment… We all want to make our hard-earned money stretch further; our homes work harder - and ultimately, our lives happier! So next time I’m teetering on the precipice of home-envy, I’ll step back and remember that despite how it might seem, the grass on the other side is not always ‘Tropical Seaweed Green’er and ultimately we’re all in the same tester pot.

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I might conduct an experiment. It won’t be complicated. I’m going to get as many paint samples with names as I can, from as many different suppliers as I can, to see if they match their namesake.

I’m guessing that ‘Dead Salmon’, ‘Flooded Gum’ and ‘Pearl Ashes’ will be fairly good, but I’m particularly excited about ‘Cincinnatian Hotel Vandersall Red’.

Seriously though, naming colours is a very tricky affair. Not only does it have to sound attractive, we have to identify it. I can’t imagine that many of us would rush out to buy a litre of ‘Rancid Milk’, or ‘Curry Stain’ but we all know what they look like.

On top of that the names have to suit our schemes. People that like minimal interiors may not instinctively be drawn to ‘Lilac Froth’ for example. Names do, in fact, help us remember the colours we’ve chosen, it’s tremendously useful and much more user friendly than plain old numbers.

Having said that, I think I prefer M8973-G in my hallway. It sounds so much better than Bandage Gray...!

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I collect bits and pieces of furniture from skips and boot sales that that I promise myself I will renovate (or more probably chuck out) when the weather gets good. In a nutshell, I have a garage full of sow's ears. One of my recent best finds has been a 1970’s teak dining chair that winked at me as I passed a skip in West London.

Anyway, out came the sun, sandpaper and black eggshell paint and off came my shirt.

I sanded it back to get rid of the flakes of varnish, primed it to seal the wood and gave it a couple of coats of black acrylic eggshell (actually I painted it cream first, but didn’t like it). I then covered the seat and back with a bit of a cow skin that somebody gave me (it freaked out their kids) and I think the end result is pretty good and all for the cost of half a litre of paint and some SPF 15.


 

So the sun has been very good for my home and my health. Not only do I get the stinky projects done and a good dose of vitamin D but I also get a bit of free space in my garage to hoard something else. Happy days!

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I’m feeling a bit of a fool today.

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My neighbour Margi bought a garden trampoline for her kids to play on the other week and I swear we’ll see those kids in 2012 – little bunny bounces have quickly turned into Olympian routines that are frankly amazing. I only get to see the highest part of each bounce because the hedges are quite high on that side of the garden, but it’s impressive. Forget Britain’s Got Talent and pop round to mine for a glimpse of what took over from the humble colouring-in book.

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Love The Place You’re In has been keeping me occupied. I’ve been drawing up some of my solutions and I find it very soothing. Working on room layout and colours takes me back to filling in my colouring book on a rainy Sunday when I was a kid - it’s like therapy. Not only that, but every time I work out what the particular problem is, it’s like realising how to do long-division for the first time – it truly makes me smile.

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Like everyone, I’ve recently been looking how to save a bit of money here and there and as a start I’ve stopped using my tumble dryer. Well, what palaver! Every weekend, my house looks like a wash-house and I hate it (although it does get the house smelling cosy). Pants on radiators, shirts hung up in doorways and don’t even get me going about my duvet and sheets. Anyway I was in a New York hotel the other day and I saw the solution fixed to the en-suite wall; a neat, stylish pull-out hanging line that manages to walk that fine line (no pun intended) between practical and practically perfect!
 

I researched it and found The ‘Hotellerie’ retractable clothes line from the Gedy range. It’s about £25 quid and about as stylish as you can get.
 

My next problem is keeping people out of the bathroom on my Wiltshire Washday...

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As you probably all know, I am weeks away from starting the complete renovation of my cottage and I’ve found myself with the same conundrum I help people with on Love The Place You’re In... what style do I want?!

I’ve narrowed it down to a simple, modern, country Shaker style – very simple, pared down with good craftsmanship; heavy, chalk white linens, cream pottery and peonies.
 

It’s the modern touch that will bring this to life though and make it perfect for me; contemporary furniture shapes in traditional fabrics, lot’s of light oak, simple art and wall colours that are easy to live with. The khaki’s and duck egg blue samples I’ve tried suit the house and look great with simple pictures with white or cream mounts which make the colours really come to life.

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Earlier on in the year I was flown to New York by a client who needed my help with a new house he’s leased. It’s a five storey whopper and will be beautiful.
 

The front of the house gets lots of sunlight so I have chosen colours that will cool it down (if you’ve ever been to NYC in the summer you’ll know exactly what I mean). Farrow & Ball's ‘Pigeon’, ‘Green Blue’ and ‘Dix Blue’ – all colours that have a strong blue or green content will work to cool the rooms, along with ’Churlish Green’, ‘Gervase Yellow’ and ‘House White’ to reverse the process at the back of the house.

Of course, colours don’t actually change the temperature but it makes a difference to how a room feels, which is one of the most important factors in any design.

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Recently I had to source a funky doormat for a client who has kids with muddy boots trotting in and out of the house all day.

 

I loved this spotty one for £43 from TMC Show Sales although they’ve got all kinds of spots and the latest Paul-Smith-style stripes which always makes a nice change from the seagrass matt – oh and they’re machine washable, which always helps.

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So Chelsea Flower Show week has come and gone and I feel so much better for being outside – being indoors is an occupational hazard for me so I embrace any chance of getting a bit of sun on my face.

I bumped into Nigel Havers while I was there who was recording a piece for the show. He’s so elegant it’s painful. I must practice his ‘photo face’ – it’s so much better than mine.

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I started filming for the second Series of Love The Place You’re In this week and it was great to get back in the saddle but I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the soundman sticking the microphone to my chest. I’m sure there’s some technical reason for it but it doesn’t half hurt with it’s pulled off! The glamour never ends.

We’ve got some great families lined up for the series and a whole new set of problems to resolve but I can’t give too much away at the moment.  As we get more in the can I’ll ask the bosses at Home how much I’m allowed to tell you, but it’s already looking like it’s going to be a cracking series with plenty of action that we can all learn from.

Well, that’s all for now, but make this a regular stop in your weekly browse and I’ll see you soon.

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The warm weather means that the flower shows are starting to appear on our TV screens and (as I write this) I’m mid-way through the filming week at Chelsea Flower Show. It’s the fourth year I have designed and installed the set for the BBC and I LOVE IT!

You might have seen me on the BBC 2 show coverage in a piece about perfect outdoor living. I was presenting with the lovely Alice Bowe, the gardening correspondent from The Times – I think we’ll see a lot more of her on our tellies in the future –  wisdom beyond her years.

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