We caught up with Laura and Diana, founders of the online interior design service My Bespoke Room, to talk lighting, affordable beauty and designing for a vegan client. Here’s our Q&A...
What’s the story behind My Bespoke Room?
We identified a gap in the interior design market, driven by our own need for an affordable and easy-to-use interior design service. We became passionate about the idea of helping anyone and everyone have a beautiful home, no matter what their style or budget - so we set out on a mission to make interior design accessible, affordable and non-scary!
What can clients expect from a My Bespoke Room interior design service?
Our designers were hired not only for their experience and professionalism but also for their charming personalities! We, at My Bespoke Room, treat every design as if it were our own home. We don’t do jargon, pretension or snootiness. Instead, you get straightforward, practical advice, tips and guidance from people hand-picked for their loveliness. Whilst the designers at My Bespoke Room may be highly qualified, you won’t need a Masters in Design to put their ideas in place!
Image: My Bespoke Room
How did you personally get started in interior design?
We both come from design backgrounds, working in big corporations in London but when we both became mothers we saw the need for flexible work, so we combined this with our love of interiors and thus, My Bespoke Room was born! Creating flexible work opportunities is still a huge motivation of ours and, as well as the staff in HQ, we have a large community of designers that all work remotely around their everyday lives.
How would you describe your personal interior design style - for example, in your own homes?
Laura: Classic elegance with a modern twist.
Diana: A mix of old and new. I live in a Victorian townhouse and love old pieces with character, and combining them with more modern items and colour.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
Laura: I get so much inspiration from being out and about in hotels, bars and restaurants. Online, I still love trawling through Pinterest and Instagram for inspiration.
Diana: Pinterest and Instagram are amazing for inspiration, but at the same time it can be hard to pick a style that suits you as there’s so much to choose from, and so much on there is not practical for everyday living! I still love flicking through home magazines, but the best source for me is, in fact, the amazing designs our design team produce on a daily basis. These are all real projects, and practical designs with great interior flair, in a variety of styles.
Image: My Bespoke Room
Image: My Bespoke Room
Image: My Bespoke Room
How does lighting play a part in My Bespoke Room interiors?
Laura: Layout and lighting are normally the first two things we plan out. Lighting massively effects the ambience of a room and we always like having multiple sources and ‘layers’ of lights (i.e. task and mood lighting).
Diana: One of the first areas we tackle with each client is how they will use the space and plan accordingly. Lighting is so important at this stage as it’s integral to how you want to use the room, and be able to adapt it for different scenarios. For instance, the lighting requirements for a naturally light large room will be completely different to a small dark bedroom or study.
Which recent projects are you particularly proud of?
Laura: We’ve recently done a high-profile celebrity home that is absolutely gorgeous! I can’t tell you who she is just yet, but she’s mega, and she went for some AMAZING light fittings. Watch this space....
Diana: We always love a challenge and recently we designed a home for a vegan client. We had to avoid using any products made from animal sources such as fur, leather & wool even though their style was very natural and rustic. We loved designing this space to fit with their taste, as well as with how they live, and the end result was cosy and beautiful.
Do you have a particular favourite corner or room (in your home or anywhere) that you feel is 'all your own'? Or do you have any tips for creating a 'cosy' space?
Laura: I love to be bold and go dark with my wall colours in small spaces or rooms that don’t get much natural light. This makes the space feel cosy yet dramatic, especially when you off decorate it with stylish lighting and accessories in contrasting colours.
Diana: I have two boys who love reading, and there’s nothing I love more than curling up with them on the sofa in their room each night and reading a chapter all together. We have a cosy sofa with blankets and cushions so we can all snuggle up, and a footstool so I can rest my feet. We turn the main lights on low and have an additional reading lamp at the side which is convenient to turn off when they’re feeling sleepy and ready for bed.
Image: My Bespoke Room
Finally, do you have a favourite Pooky light (and if so, why that one?)
Laura: The Artichoke is my absolute favourite!
Diana: I absolutely love the large Wisteria table lamp. It’s such a classic design that’s versatile and suits any interior. You can keep it classic with a simple shade, or make more of a statement with one that's bit more fun and unusual. The green glass version is totally divine!
