Inside This Month's Consultations: Too Much Inspiration, Not Enough Direction?

Every month I write one of these and it's fascinating to see the common thread emerge. This month wasn't about budgets or layouts. It was about too much information. Pinterest. Instagram. Saved folders. Open browser tabs. AI images. Advice from friends. Architects. Builders. Parents. Everyone had inspiration. Almost no one knew how to pull it together.

Here's a little peek behind the scenes...

Islington

A family with two children under five and a house full of half-finished jobs.

The client had worked with a designer previously, but as someone creative herself, working with British and international artisans, she found it difficult to hand over control. We spent two hours sense-checking some expensive decisions before they happened, recommending trusted suppliers for fabrics, bespoke framing and storage, and, perhaps most importantly, giving her permission to stop second-guessing herself.

Muswell Hill

A family finally moving into the house next door after years of renting on the street they loved.

This consultation was less about redesigning the house and more about setting it up properly from day one. We developed a complete paint schedule, discussed colour application room by room, and gave enough clarity for decorators to begin before the family even moved in. There's something wonderfully satisfying about making hundreds of small decisions before they become stressful ones. We solely discussed paint colours, which allowed the owners to instruct trades before they move in.

De Beauvoir

A returning client is always a joy. After a couple of years enjoying the rest of the house, this lovely couple are finally ready to tackle the kitchen, dining room and garden.

This may well have been the record holder for the longest list of questions I've ever received, complete with sketches. We covered layouts, flooring, lighting, window treatments, colours and, of course, squeezed in a house tour to see everything they'd changed since my last visit. It's one of those homes that simply makes you feel good the moment you walk through the door, mainly down to the warm energy of the owners!

Kentish Town

A couple embarking on their first back-to-brick renovation. Like so many people, they wanted to dive straight into the exciting decisions. Colours. Materials. Kitchens.

Instead, we spent most of our time talking about electrical layouts, lighting, radiator positions, pocket doors and all the invisible decisions that make the visible ones work.

One thing I find myself saying almost every week is this: good design takes longer than a five-minute scroll on Instagram. The really interesting homes aren't copied from social media. They evolve slowly, layer by layer, as the architecture, the family and the personality all begin to make sense together. We explored some wonderfully unexpected colour combinations for the exterior and hallway that you'll never see trending online, and I hope left them feeling confident enough to trust the process rather than the algorithm.

Kentish Town (Again!)

Perhaps it's something in the NW5 water... Another back-to-brick renovation, this time a duplex apartment for a couple with a toddler.

Their inspiration folder was overflowing, but the references contradicted each other. Masculine minimalism sitting alongside colourful European apartments and everything in between. Flats, in particular, need restraint. Repeating materials, simplifying the palette and creating cohesion will always outperform trying to squeeze every brilliant idea into one project.

By the end of the consultation, we both felt slightly exhausted by the to-do list. But that's exactly why these sessions exist. Spending two hours getting the foundations right is infinitely cheaper than spending the next ten years living with irreversible mistakes!

If you're planning a renovation, decorating a new home or simply need someone to help untangle the hundreds of decisions sitting in your head, our two-hour consultations are designed to do exactly that.

This month's theme? Inspiration isn't the problem. Editing is.

August consultation slots are now open.