As the nights draw in and the weather starts to turn, spending more time in your house is inevitable. But what if your house doesn’t feel like your home? We called on 4 inspiring women who have wonderfully unique, beautiful homes, but who aren’t interiors experts, to share their tips and prove that, without any experience, you can turn a house into a home that you love.
We asked each person the same 7 interior-related questions, and here’s what they said…
ESTÉE LALONDE
Influencer and host of the podcast You’re on the line
Firstly, do you have any tips for making a house a home?
“Everyone has a different idea of what makes them feel comfortable, so I think that needs to be considered. I personally love having sentimental knick-knacks around that remind me of family and friends. Besides that, I think plants can really help make a space feel alive! The more the better, in my opinion. Lots of blankets and throws are also really great items to make you feel comfortable in your space.”
Where do you find interior inspiration?
“Instagram is such a great place for inspiration. I'm always looking in the background of people's pictures. I really try to listen to my own intuition when it comes to my interior, because I'm the one living there after all!”
How do you turn an idea in your head into a reality?
“It can feel so daunting to redecorate. I just finished a renovation in my flat that has taken months! I think the best thing to do is devise a plan and take it step by step. I love making mood boards and taking lots of time to iron out the details.”
What are your favourite destinations for one-of-a-kind interior buys?
“I love visiting flea markets or furniture shows! It's always so rewarding to find something buried amongst a sea of other items. I have some gorgeous vintage items in my apartment and they're like little pieces of treasure to me.”
Are you influenced by anything like Feng Shui?
“Not particularly, but I definitely think about my space in an energetic way. I like things to feel right. I move my furniture around a lot just to make sure it's in the best place for me as well as when I entertain.”
Any organisation tips that you swear by?
“I really love to use drawer organisers! There's nothing worse than rummaging around a drawer for 10 minutes before realising the item you were looking for was right at the bottom! So frustrating! It doesn't take long to do and once things get organised it's easy to keep them that way.”
Anything else one should know when getting their house looking its best?
“Marie Kondo definitely has a few things right when she talks about only keeping things that spark joy. I try not to have things in my space that I don't need or don't feel attached to. That goes for clothes, mugs (my weakness), and everything else!”
Follow Estée on Instagram @esteelalonde
SOPHIE BERESINER
Award-winning columnist, author and beauty & style director at BURO
Firstly, do you have any tips for making a house a home?
“Don’t get swayed by what is cool or what your visitors will be impressed by—concentrate on what you genuinely love. You will be living in this space, not your friends.”
Where do you find interior inspiration?
“Because it is a passion of mine, I am just constantly on the lookout. I will literally look in peoples’ windows if they haven't closed their shutters! My Instagram has been listening to me, so the algorithm shows me Rockett St George and Green & Mustard all the time. I also take photos everywhere I visit, from the toilets in Vic's restaurant in New York to the tiles in Beaverbrook spa hotel.”
How do you turn an idea in your head into a reality?
“I'll search for something until I can find the least expensive version of it, and then I'll put together my version of it. For example, I got some chairs from eBay that needed re-covering. I wanted knitted chairs (I'm obsessed with knit), but knit print fabric is extortionate. I found a knitter in South Africa who, literally, knitted jumpers for my chairs according to my measurements, and I LOVED them for six years until the moths got them.”
What are your favourite destinations for one of a kind interior buys?
“This is so obvious, but most of my pieces are honestly from there: TK Maxx. The stock changes all the time, I like nothing more than a slow wander around the homes department. I always stop at the craft aisle for ages too.”
Are you influenced by anything like Feng Shui?
“Absolutely not, who has time for that?”
Any organisation tips that you swear by?
“I wish I was more organised. The only really considered thing I do is buy moth-proof bags to keep my cashmere in.”
Anything else one should know when getting their house looking its best?
“Make items on your shelves wonky. I don't want too much clutter, but I like the interest of mixing unusual objects. I just tweak until I'm happy. Then my cleaner comes and puts everything in perfect centrally aligned order and I have to go around and make it all wonky again!
If you're bored of looking at the same paint colour after a few years, just change it. Old paint looks tired (especially if you go for the matte thing like me), so it also just perks everything up.”
Follow Sophie on Instagram @sophieberesiner
KATE SPIERS
Beauty, style, travel and interiors content creator
Firstly, do you have any tips for making a house a home?
“For me, it's all about the organised clutter! A home should be a little "lived in", whether that's in the form of piles of books on every surface (or an over-stacked bookcase!), leafy greenery filling the rooms or the walls adorned with artwork you've picked out. A home should have personality if you ask me.”
Where do you find interior inspiration?
“We live in a Victorian apartment, and I do think the interiors have to be sympathetic to the era of the building and its features—which can be tricky! I usually look to Pinterest to give me inspiration from real homes with similar details. Instagram is also great for finding accounts with a similar style to mine, so I'm forever scrolling through my feed for inspiration!
How do you turn an idea in your head into a reality?
“I'm a very visual person, so I usually need to either see an image for inspiration or create a mood board (or Pinterest board) to see how a room will come together. I love to see my ideas come to life in front of me, so I find mapping it out really works!”
What are your favourite destinations for one of a kind interior buys?
“Amsterdam has some beautiful interiors shops!”
Are you influenced by anything like Feng Shui?
“Not really, but I do think you have to consider the liveability of a space, which is why I always say to live with a room for a while before you start to renovate. You never know what you're going to want from a room (like a kitchen or living room) until you're using the space. Then you can find out what you're missing, or what elements of the room you don't care for, and factor those into the redesign.”
Any organisation tips that you swear by?
“Make sure everything has a home—especially items that seem to pile up, like letters or keys or laundry.”
Anything else one should know when getting their house looking its best?
“Make it your own! Personal details always add a lovely flair to a home. And when it comes to styling your home, don't overthink it. Choose something personal (like a photo frame, art that you love, a decorative accessory you picked up on your travels), and something small like a box of matches or a candle, and then something to add height like a vase of dried flowers. Play around with it until it looks right, and you can always introduce a stack of books to pull it all together.”
Follow Kate on Instagram @kate.lavie
LISA POTTER-DIXON
Makeup artist, author and co-host of the podcast Life and Lipstick
Firstly, do you have any tips for making a house a home?
“By filling it with memories and not just ‘stuff’. Every item in my home has a story.”
Where do you find interior inspiration?
“Being a makeup artist, a lot of my colour inspiration comes from makeup products. My living room walls are the perfect peach blush, and my hall way the dream pink lipstick. I also get a lot of inspiration from my travels. But mostly, it all comes from the madness of my mind!”
How do you turn an idea in your head into a reality?
“I just go for it. A lot of the time it’s hard to explain my vision, but my husband 100% trusts that the result will be beautiful and unique. If you believe something will be wonderful, then just go for it.”
What are your favourite destinations for one of a kind interior buys?
“Sunbury & Sandown Antiques Market at Kempton Park Racecourse, Rockett St George and Marrakech.”
Are you influenced by anything like Feng Shui?
“No, I just put things in places that feel good to me.”
Any organisation tips that you swear by?
“Velvet hangers! An absolute game changer in my wardrobe as they take up half the room of wooden ones.”
Anything else one should know when getting their house looking its best?
“If you love it, buy it. I never think, ‘Oh, that will look nice there’. I always think, ‘I bloody love that, I’ll work out where to put it when I get home’. Also, buy vintage and unique pieces. Pieces that can work in multiple rooms. We regularly move things around, and it always seems to work. Lastly, it’s your home. Don’t care what anyone else thinks.
I also like to gather items of opposite colours together. For example, a bright blue vintage bottle with a musty yellow vase. I also mix shapes and sizes. If I have a 4-wick candle on display, I will put a tall gold candelabra next to it. Plants are also a great asset to any room. Just make sure you’re good at keeping them alive!”
Follow Lisa on Instagram @lisapotterdixon
