Home Interiors Tips and Tricks From Louise Roe
Knowing where to start with interior design can be a little daunting and overwhelming. What kind of vibe do I want? What furniture will work best for the room? What colour palette do I want to go for? This all came naturally to Louise Roe.
Known as a successful TV presenter, author and total fashion and beauty icon, Louise Roe has recently cast her creative attention into the interiors world, thanks to her new home renovation project, LouiseRoeHome.
Eager to learn her interiors secrets, we chatted with louise to learn more about her stunning interior design style and peek inside her new home renovation project…
You are an inspirational figure in the fashion industry and now you are sharing your incredible interior design expertise. What has inspired you to take this on?
Well that’s extremely kind, thank you! I have always loved interior design, and written a little about it on my blog, but never had a project to really throw myself at! When we moved back to England 18 months ago, we renovated a Georgian rectory, and I unleashed a bit of a passion!
We love how you blend modern colours and styles with antique/rustic appeal. Please could you describe your interior design style?
I really love traditionally English design – lots of layering of textures, different colours and old with new. Designers such as Veere Grenney, Ben Pentreath, Rita Konig, Robert Kime – have all been big influences.
We’ve heard you have recently moved back to the English countryside after 10 years in sunny Los Angeles. What brings you back?
Mainly family and friends, but also countryside walks, pubs, London – lots of things really!
What was the criteria for buying your new home?
I really wanted Georgian architecture, and original period features if possible. Plus a few other practical items on the list like number of bedrooms.
Have you been inspired by any interior design styles you came across in the US with your personal home renovation?
Nathan Turner, I adore him and he’s a dear friend.
When you are designing a room what is the most important things to take into consideration?
I’m still learning, and I probably would have said colour a year ago. But now I’d say paying attention to where and when natural light hits the room, and being mindful of space and proportion
Lighting is everything – and a big reason why, for example, the very Californian aesthetic we had in LA, does not work here. You just get less warm sunlight and need a cosier interior. I am not a fan of spotlights in the ceiling, so I usually remove those and just have one central pendant, with lots of lovely lamps. I do like light at a lower level, it makes a room feel much warmer and more inviting.
Have you found yourself redesigning your previous homes multiple times?
Not redesigning but definitely switching up the accessories and tweaking things now and again.
Do you have a particular room you enjoy renovating the most and why?
The drawing room is so full of original features, and we exposed and restored as many as possible. We pulled up the carpets to find original floorboards, found out there was once a ceiling rose there – which we re-instated, and coloured it ‘Brick’ by Edward Bulmer paints, a traditionally Georgian colour.
Do you always have a vision for a room from the get go or does it often evolve through the project?
Usually it comes to me like a bang – and until that point, I can’t stop mulling it over. -It literally stops me sleeping, which makes me realise I should never do this full time – ha!
Do you have any tips for designing particularly small spaces?
Don’t be afraid of darker colours and prints in smaller spaces. A downstairs loo, for example, is the perfect place to have fun with a bolder wallpaper or dark panelling.
Without personal touches, a house is not a home and so whatever your style, there has to be space for the everyday bits of clutter that comes with family life. A overly manicured house will have a hotel feel and won’t be welcoming.
We are excited to hear you are pregnant with your second daughter. Have you got design plans for their rooms?
Yes I’m working on it now, and of course without realising, top of my list is the most expensive wallpaper ever – I seem to have an accidental knack for that!
What do you enjoy most about home interior design?
Seeing the room come together, looking at before and after pictures. And also the joy of walking into various rooms – like my ‘Mary Poppins’ room in the eaves, it still makes me smile to go in there!
What is your vision for the future of Louise Roe Home?
Actually there’s quite a big project planned for this Summer and I can’t wait to tell you more… I’ve been working on it for over a year already!
Do you have any top tips for those taking on a home interiors renovation project?
I’m no professional, but it definitely helps to be as organised as possible. I do quite a lot in advance, especially when items have really long lead times. Some of the wallpaper for our house took 3 months to print, so it was worth having it ordered way ahead of time.
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