Notes from the studio
The Journal
Design advice, project stories and the occasional honest opinion, written by Steph from our studio in Hale.
Design Advice· 17 September 2026
How to Modernise a Period Home Without Losing Its Character
Victorian and Edwardian houses are the heart of Hale, Bowdon and Altrincham, and the hardest homes to modernise well. Here's how we bring a period home up to date, from lighting and layout to the rear extension, without stripping out the very things that made you fall for it.
Design Advice· 10 September 2026
Do You Need an Interior Designer If You Already Have an Architect?
If you've got plans drawn and a builder booked, do you need an interior designer as well? An honest answer to one of the questions we're asked most, including where the two roles actually differ and when to bring us in.
Design Advice· 19 August 2026
How Long Does an Interior Design Project Take?
One of the first questions we're asked, and the honest answer is that it depends. Here's a realistic interior design project timeline, stage by stage, from a single room to a whole home, so you know exactly what to expect before you begin.
Design Advice· 5 August 2026
How to Style Shelves, Consoles and Coffee Tables Like a Designer
Styling is the finishing layer that makes a room feel designed rather than just furnished, and it's the bit most people find hardest. Here are the simple rules we use to style shelves, console tables and coffee tables so they look effortless.
Design Advice· 16 July 2026
How to Design a Bedroom That Feels Like a Retreat
Your bedroom is the one room that's entirely for you, and so often the last to get any real attention. Here's how we turn a main bedroom into a calm, private retreat, from palette and texture to lighting, storage and the ensuite.
Design Advice· 9 July 2026
Is Bespoke Joinery Worth It?
Fitted, made-to-measure joinery is one of the bigger decisions in a project, and one of the best. Here's what bespoke joinery really gives you, and why it's so often the money that turns a house into a home.
Design Advice· 1 July 2026
How to Make a New Build Feel Like Home
New builds are beautifully finished, but they can feel a little blank and boxy to move into. Here's how we give a new build in Cheshire warmth, character and soul, so it feels like home from the day you unpack.
Design Advice· 27 June 2026
How to Make a Room Look More Expensive: 12 Designer Tricks
Making a room look expensive has very little to do with how much you spend, and everything to do with where you spend it. Here are twelve interior designer tricks that instantly elevate a home.
Trends & Inspiration· 18 June 2026
Quiet Luxury at Home: How We Create Calm, Considered Interiors Across Cheshire
Quiet luxury is the look defining Cheshire's most beautiful homes. Here is how we create it, from palette to bespoke detail, in projects across Hale, Alderley Edge, Wilmslow and Knutsford.
Notes from Steph· 12 June 2026
The Design Mistakes I See in Almost Every Home
From single-source lighting to furniture pushed against every wall, these are the interior design mistakes that quietly stop a home from feeling as good as it could, and the simple shifts that make all the difference.
Design Advice· 14 May 2026
Why the Best Interior Design Projects Start Before a Single Wall Comes Down
The earlier you involve an interior designer in your renovation, the smoother and more cost-effective the whole process becomes. Here's why the best results start with the very first conversation, not the final finishes.
Design Advice· 22 April 2026
Interior Design in Cheshire: What Full-Service Design Actually Looks Like
Interior design in Cheshire, ambitious homes, discerning clients, and one brief that never changes: make it beautiful, make it personal, and make sure nothing looks like it came from a showroom catalogue.
Trends & Inspiration· 8 April 2026
The Interior Design Trends Defining Homes in 2026
From quiet luxury to bold pattern, moody dark interiors to fluted joinery, the six interior design trends we're seeing define homes in 2026.
Design Advice· 2 April 2026
How to Choose an Interior Designer: Everything You Need to Know Before You Begin
Thinking of hiring an interior designer? What to look for, the questions to ask, and how to find the right fit for your home in Cheshire.
Case Studies· 18 February 2026
Bank Medi Spa: Designing a Clinic That Feels Like a Sanctuary
A full commercial redesign of a medi spa in Hale, where the brief was to make a clinical space feel like a sanctuary. How we built calm, reassurance and quiet luxury into every corner.
Design Advice· 20 November 2025
What to Expect From Your First Interior Design Consultation
Nervous about that first meeting? Here's exactly what happens at an interior design consultation, how to prepare, and how to get the most out of it.
Design Advice· 25 October 2025
How to Light a Room Properly: the Most Overlooked Part of a Home
Lighting is the single most transformative thing you can change in a room, and the most commonly overlooked. Here's how we light a home properly, in layers, so it feels warm and considered from morning to midnight.
Case Studies· 22 October 2025
A Family Home in Prestbury: From Bare Brick to Beautifully Finished
A full-house renovation in Prestbury, every room taken back to brick and rebuilt as a warm, elegant family home. The brief, the big design moves, and the details we're proudest of.
Design Advice· 18 September 2025
How Much Does an Interior Designer Cost in Cheshire?
The question everyone wants to ask and almost nobody does. What interior designers actually charge in Cheshire, the three ways fees are structured, what a design fee covers and what it doesn't, and how to arrive at a realistic budget before you speak to anyone.
Trends & Inspiration· 12 August 2025
How to Choose a Colour Palette for Your Home (Without Regretting It)
Colour is the thing people are most afraid of getting wrong. Here's how we build a calm, cohesive palette that flows from room to room, and still has room for personality.
Case Studies· 12 August 2025
Adlington Road, Wilmslow: Designing the Moment You Walk In
A focused project in Wilmslow, reworking an entrance hall, staircase and circulation into a calm, confident arrival. Bespoke oak joinery, marble detailing and beautifully layered light.
Design Advice· 15 July 2025
The Questions to Ask Before You Hire an Interior Designer
Hiring a designer is a big, personal decision. These are the questions worth asking before you commit, and, just as importantly, what a good answer sounds like.
Design Advice· 25 June 2025
Interior Designer vs Interior Decorator: What's the Difference?
The two terms get used interchangeably, but they're really quite different jobs. Here's what separates an interior designer from a decorator, and how to know which one you need.
Notes from Steph· 10 May 2025
A Note From Steph: How I Found My Way to Interiors
A little about me, and how a girl who studied fashion ended up designing homes across Cheshire, plus the one thing I believe makes a house feel like a home.
