Our cover shoot with House and Home magazine!

It's stone mad to see myself standing in my kitchen nonchalantly leaned against the island in heels having a pretend cuppa on the cover of the latest issue of House and Home magazine but here we are!

I was very flattered when Ciara (Elliott - former editorial director of the magazine) reached out to me about doing an interview and house shoot for the Autumn issue of the magazine a couple of months ago. I chatted with Isabel Dempsey about how we approached the design and styling of our home, the inspiration behind it and how that has overspilled into how I stock my online home + lifestyle shop.

It's all about how I want a space to feel when I approach any design whether that is for my interior design work or event/wedding styling projects. There are so many elements that contribute to how a room feels and it is trial and error sometimes and I think your home should evolve over time, growing and changing with your needs and home life. Little changes or updates can transform how a space feels, it doesn't have to be a huge renovation. I never see a room as "finished" or complete and prefer to take my time to curate pieces that are authentic to someone's personality as opposed to just grabbing things so it's done and over with. It requires a lot of treasure-hunting and patience! So now I'm doing the treasure-hunting for my customers, sourcing unique pieces that will add soul, character + stories into your home!

Philip Lauterbach and Andrey Sky came to shoot the house which was great craic and then a few weeks later it was on the shelves with our kitchen on the front cover and a 12-page spread inside!! (yikes!) it's great to have gorgeous pics of the house looking so tidy lol!

Some BTS I took on my phone on the day!

vintage indian cabinet; papier-mache bowl, ceramic vase

all from amber + willow

Philip and Andrey doing their thing!

Ben loving all the attention!

sunroom living area uncharacteristically tidy!

I found the reclaimed indian carved panel above the window under a pile of salvage in Somerset. Its chippy paint timeworn patina adds so much personality. The IKEA sofa is covered in a quilt and cushions from the shop.

the reclaimed coffee table and pendant are also from the shop.

I have a thing for sink curtains! To me they just add so much homely charm. I had leftover linen fabric so I used it to make a curtain to hide the glass shower screen in this en-suite bathroom. the vintage plates on the wall have been collected over years. the reclaimed indian cabinet was another vintage find from India.

this little nook is where the most important appliance in the kitchen is - the coffee machine! I'm obsessed with French and Italian cafes and bistros and the character that just oozes out of them so the design of the kitchen was very much influenced by that arty laid-back vibe with the unlacquered brass hardware, vintage advertising posters, marble style stone counter top, antique mirror and some vintage touches. I wanted to avoid it looking too "fitted" and "utilitarian" so I wanted a piece of furniture for the island as opposed to a built-in unit.

I designed it to look like a vintage apothecary unit with antique brass hardware. It's a monster size and has so much storage and I'm obsessed with it. It was handmade by a local (and extremely skilled) joiner Declan Hayden.

I love a laid-back tablescape with a mixture of nice bowls and plates and always something natural/living down the centre of the table - could be potted herbs, baby plants, fresh flowers, foliage - anything at all. It adds life to your table and it just feels so homely. Perfect, matchy-matchy table settings can look visually stunning for a wedding or formal event but for a get-together with family and friends I love a more casual, mix and match sort of vibe. Everyone feels more at ease and it doesn't feel formal or contrived.

tableware from amber + willow