Ready to inject some personality into your home? Nottingham interiors expert Howson Design shows us how to embrace maximalism (in a minimalist way).

Thank you Muddy Stilettos for this fabulous feature, enjoy the read…

Played it safe on the interiors-front for years with pared-back Scandi chic? Join the club. But, with many of us working from home and spending more time chez nous than ever, interiors have trended towards becoming a little bit bolder and a little bit braver with our décor. So, how to inject a shot of personality and splash of colour into your home when your safe place is neutrals?

‘I think when people hear the word maximalism they think intense pattern on pattern,’ says Nottingham-based interior designer Katy Howson of Howson Design (pictured). ‘However I think if used correctly it can work incredibly well within interior décor. The key is to find a strong pattern or design that you love. Used well, it can make a real impact on any space. For me it’s about having the confidence to follow a bold idea right through to fruition.’ Tempted? Here are Katy’s tips to take you out of you interiors comfort zone.

1. Start small

If your safe place is a neutral grey, you have a blank canvas you could add virtually any colour tone to. Start small by introducing colourful accessories, such as cushions and artwork.

2. Add personality without a full make-over

Start with a piece of artwork or a print that you love, use this as your palette and slowly introduce colour. I very much believe that interiors take time to evolve. Be mindful and trust your instinct.

3. Go boldly with blue or green

If going for a strong bold colour, go for a natural tone such as green or blue -these tend to be much more timeless. Start small by painting your skirting boards, doors and architraves. It’s a great way to create a focal point and gives the room character.

4. Pick a palette from your patterns

Always take your colour palette from the bold pattern you have chosen, but be careful with your palette. It’s always good to limit the number of different colours you use in a room. I suggest having three harmonising colours and one contrasting colour.

5. Know when to stop

It’s important to create spaces that are going to remain timeless for years to come. This snug is a project we recently completed and is a room for various functions – a work space, a place to relax and a place to entertain. We began at looking for interesting textures and patterns and decided on a print by Susi Bellamy. At first the clients were apprehensive when I suggested using it to upholster two beautiful vintage chairs. However I explained how it would not be overpowering once in situ. This fabric gave us a fantastic range of colour to work from.

The room is spacious so I suggested keeping the walls light but using a dark colour tone within the Susi Bellamy pattern for the woodwork and bespoke joinery we chose (COAT Adulting) a bold yet soft greeny-blue. The range of colour within the fabric gave us so much scope to use a variety of colours within the room creating depth and interest.

We chose a bluebell sofa from Sofa.com in Harbour Blue and added cushions with a contrasting fringe to match the vintage chairs. We used an ochre tone fabric for the roman blinds with a fine texture. We also added a vintage style rug from Zara home with a subtle pattern to not be too dominating within the room.

Howson Design, West Bridgford, Tel: 07368 423942

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