If you don't know by now, you should know that I'm a total sucker for column rads, and I would always recommend considering replacing existing radiators in your home when redecorating to column rads if you can. They fit perfectly into any scheme whether you’re going for modern, traditional, transitional, or any other interior style. You can customise them to be with or without feet, and add a custom colour too. Erghhh just so sexy. With that being said, radiators are heat sources, so you need to make sure that you get the right size radiator to give you the correct amount of heat output for the room it’s going in. You also need to think about energy efficiency! If it’s too big, it will add to your energy bills, if it’s too small, you’ll be cold and have it running on maximum! To make the process a bit easier, I wanted to pull together a step-by-step guide for you because there are a few things you need to do before you order your rads. I've actually been shopping around to find the right radiators for the #asihome, and I've made a decision to go with the Cast Iron Radiator Centre. For what I want, they are able to give me the best price, and I know that they're a really great quality product too. I've also listed a few other places you can find beautiful rads too. Follow these steps when buying your radiators: Step 1: Measurements Measure the room that the radiator(s) is going in. You want to note the width, height, and length. Step 2: Find out your BTU (British Thermal Units) This will determine the BTU output your radiator needs to have. To work it out, you just use a BTU calculator. You can either type ‘BTU calculator’ into Google, or head to Cast Iron Radiator Centre and use their one . I like this one because it asks you a few more questions to get it right, like whether you have double glazing in the room, where the radiator will be placed etc. The more questions, the more chance of getting it right and helping with those energy bills! Step 3: How many do you need? Write down how many rads you need in the room, and note down whether they’re going under a window or if they need to be a particular height. I'd also recommend having a browse on Pinterest for inspiration because you might decide that in some rooms you'd like a short rad, whereas in others the design might lean towards a standard size. My Pinterest has also got loads of inspiration on there. Step 3: Choose your rad My favourite is the four-column traditional radiators , but take a look around and find the right one for you. The more columns you have, the more depth you'll need to allow for. If you've got a particularly skinny hallway, for example, you might want to consider a 2-column rad. Or, if you have a large home and want to build a sense of cosiness, or add a sense of grandeur, then you may want to go for even more columns for example you could go for various heights of a 9-column rad like this one: You'll also need to get an idea of how many sections you want to aim for. You may need to be flexible with the sections though, as you may need to add/decrease these depending on what BTU output it will give you. Also, if your plumbing is already in place and it's not being moved, you'll be restricted to use the existing width. Our plumbing was generally ok and mostly in the right places, but design-wise, I didn't want the new radiators to be as long as the existing 70s radiators. Before altering our plumbing, I checked that we would still maintain the right BTU if the width was reduced - and it wouldn't. So, the plumbing stayed put and I've had to compromise with longer radiators. These are just little things to think about, so that's why it's always best to have your interior designer on board from the beginning if you are using one, and if not, having a strong idea of your design direction is really rather important. What are columns and sections? The columns are what you see from the side profile, so for example these radiators have 4 columns. CAST IRON RADIATOR CENTRE The sections go across the length, so for example, this radiator has 14 sections. Once you’ve got an idea of the height of your radiator and how many columns and sections you want, choose the style of radiator you want (I like the traditional ones) , and then select the closest height to what you're looking for. Then, open up the list of options and look for your desired width and BTU . If you’re having more than one rad per room, you can split your BTU between the radiators so it covers the room. Sometimes the option for the rad you want is right there, sometimes you need to compromise on adding/removing sections or changing the height to get it right. (Just like I did for our living room. I didn't want more than 14 sections design-wise, but I've had to keep them at around 16 sections each because otherwise I'd of been under by about 2000 BTUs and they wouldn't heat the room effectively). Step 4: Pick your valves I personally love an antique brass valve with a wooden twist top. We are going for thermostatic valves so that we have more control over our heating. Here's a few that I love. Step 5: Decide if you want feet Yes, I did say feet. Some radiators attach to the wall, and some sit on radiator feet and attach to the wall with wall stays. Rads with feet and wall stays are personally my favourite. Rads with feet make me feel grounded, ones without feet don’t give me the same satisfaction. You can also add decorative feet if your rad doesn't have them already. Here's an example of rads with feet: And here's one without feet: Step 6: Pick your wall stays: I think wall stays add such a classy touch to your radiators, isn’t it satisfying when functionality and form intersect with absolute beauty? I like to match these with the hardware in your valves, so go for a gold/brass mix or stay with chrome/nickel. Step 7: Pick your finish! Don’t forget to think about the colour and finish. The colour of your rad has everything to do with the overall vibe and feeling in your home so don’t overlook this decision. It’s one that has held me off purchasing ours yet because I need to make a final decision on the colour schemes in the house. You can also pick between a satin finish, matte finish etc. Most companies will give you a standard set of finishes and colours plus some additional custom colours like bronze for example which can be realllllly sexy. Some companies also give you the option to customise with a specific paint colour so you could choose from a RAL or Farrow and Ball colour for example. Some additional tips 1. Budget for delivery costs It usually makes sense to purchase all your rads for your home in one go as the delivery fees can be extremely high. Just check, double-check, and triple-check it before you hit purchase, and make sure you’ve got yourself covered with refund terms and conditions in case you do mix up some of the measurements and you can easily replace it. 2. Don't risk it, know your end goal This is one of those things that can make renovating and redecorating a challenge. Knowing what your overall design is going to look like before you get started on your project is so important. Not having this can affect more things than are often realised, and without a design direction, your progress can come to an abrupt halt. Don't risk it and get any old radiator and hope for the best. My advice is to have at least nailed your design direction before you invest in new rads, especially if you're going for custom colours. 3. Be prepared for your plumber Your plumber will need to know the placement and width of your chosen radiators before they get started. Especially if you're planning on moving the location of your rads, this is helpful for them to know so they can give you an accurate quote. If you haven't got this nailed before they come - it could be a very short meeting. Shop for your rads A quick Google Search and here's some places you can have a look at. I haven't purchased from them so make sure you do your research first - read the reviews etc! I'll be going with Cast Iron Radiator Center. Cast Iron Radiator Centre Cast Iron Radiators Ltd Cast Rads UK The Traditional Radiator Company Cast Iron Radiators 4 U Just Radiators Period House Store The Radiator Company Best Heating UK Radiators Victoria Plumbing There you have it. All the advice I can give you! Happy shopping, and let me know if you found it helpful.

The unorthodox version. Many will question your sanity when you tell them you're taking on a renovation. Some impressed. Others, not so much. Yet there are many of us who have been through it, are going through it, and are YET to go through it. Opinions are usually unsolicited (lol - you know what I mean.. ' why are you doing that when you should be doing this ', ' that's not going to work ', ' you're going to regret that decision ', you know the score). But where are the people who stand with you, and have an armful of knowledge, heads ups', and positive encouragement? Well friends, I'm here . And I come with a BUCKET load of motivation, positivity, and my survival guides I've put together for you from a little further along the tunnel. I'm not talking budget planners and spreadsheets here, I'm talking about the stuff that's going to help you remain sain throughout the process! I speak from experience. Some of these things I wish I had sooner, others I am so grateful I've had from the beginning. You're probably looking at this thinking, what on earth do these have to to with renovations? Hold tight for a quick breakdown. Dust doors: because there will be dust, and you might end up with an inhaler like I did. Cheers dust + crap Covid immune system. A water filter system: because chances are your water situ isn't great and you're not going to be wanting that 'straight from the tap' stuff. We've used ours religiously, hard water is grosssss. Enormous oversized bottle: the water bottle I've actually used for 12 weeks. Straight from the filter into this bottle, and zero chance of a dusty drink.. Extra long charger leads: I mean probably just a survival product for anyone living in 2023. I swear we lose chargers everywhere!? But, our 80s house has got switches and sockets in all the wrong places, + there's barely any of them. Now I can be a lazy woman in 2023 who can charge her phone on the other side of the room whilst sitting on the sofa.. A decent hoodie: renovations get cold. Especially in England. We've spent the winter with only two working radiators. You'll sense a theme, but it's been f******g freezing. Sleep masks: I know, I know, but along with our lack of radiators, we've had a lack of curtains and blinds. Those 80s curtains with decades of built up dust and God know's what else, they HAD to go. Silicone phone case: we've got concrete and hard floors everywhere. My silicone case means the chances of me having to spend money on replacing a broken phone due to my sheer clumsiness is avoided - now you can spend it on that USB plug socket you wanted... Electric blanket: did I already mention that renovations get cold, because they do, get really cold, and at 5ft 3, curling up in a ball just to retain body heat, well you can imagine. There's not a lot of heat there... Wine: does this really need an explanation? Probably not, but either way, wine helps. Faux flowers: flowers just really cheer me up, but you're renovating. Buying fresh flowers every week is a hard one to justify when every penny you have get's put into the house. And the ground - anyone else watched thousands and thousands of ££ just get poured in to the ground? *cries*. You lose the enjoyment of styling in a renovation, because it's just not the same, but there's nothing a bunch of beautiful styled flowers can't fix. Hand cream: because you're hands will end up looking like shrivelled up shrews. Hello winter dermatitis. Long hot water bottle: notice this isn't your standard hot water bottle. I've kind of become kind of co-dependent on mine. It's perfect for warming up your bed and then wrapping yourself up around it like a koala hugs a tree. Yeah, the cold nights don't bite as much with this gem. Diffuser: our house currently smells like wet plaster, dust, and building site. The diffuser does just want it says it will. Diffuses those smells and replaces it with something more, palatable. Diffuser scents: if you read number 13, this one's pretty self explanatory.. Noise reducing ear pods: I've been working from home throughout a lot of our drilling etc. Having noise reducing ear pods helps you to stay focussed and drown out the noise. Let's hope your neighbours have got some too.. (17 + 18) Hard/soft slipper shoes: unless you want me to add heel balm to the list, get yourself a pair of comfy shoes to wear around the house. George bought me a pair of crocs because he was sick of watching me walk around on a renovation floor. The sentiment was sweet, but I cannot stand crocs. However, my GOD have they come in useful. I'm more grateful than I am ashamed, so the Crocs get the win. Get in there first and add a nice pair of Birkinstocks or Uggs to your birthday list before you literally join the Croc club.. If you're in the renovation club, drop a comment below with what you'd add to the list for our fellow renovation friends. Or as always, drop into my DMs on Instagram and let's get the conversation going! *SOME AFFILIATE LINKS ARE USED IN THIS POST*.

Once you've got a base for your design, you can have fun switching out decor pieces to make the design reflect those nuances of your personality. I wanted to show you an example of how you can do this, so I've designed a very sexy base, and pulled in different lighting, textiles and artwork to transform each design to give you an idea of how you can make a design work for you. The changes are subtle, but I think this is a good way to show you that design really is subjective, and just by making a few changes, you can make a design feel like it's telling your story. Option 1 This is the original design that I based the additional variations from below. It's all about that muted design palette, bringing in rustic tones and mixing it with modern pieces to achieve the feel of laid-back living. Here are the things I want you to notice in the design details, and the things that I'm switching around to achieve a nuanced look in each design: Mixing metals in the lighting Mixing traditional details with modern details Bringing in faux plants to soften and add depth with natural colour Switching out the artwork, and picture lights - some art is minimal with hand sketches, whereas some is retro. The frames change depending on how you're mixing the metals too. Table decor: there's two-three options total, but you can add to a tablescape, or keep it super simple. I love mixing a vase, seasonal flowers (or all-year greenery), and a rustic bowl. Textiles - two similar cushion designs have been interchanged to create softer tones and dynamic tones. The dark stripe matches the cabinet detailing, and dark metals, but the soft nude stripe gives the design a soft texture. The two designs could be within the same room area - if you have the space, consider adding additional furniture like wall cabinets to add depth and interest. You'll see how once you get the foundation right (for example wall colours, flooring, dining table and chairs) you can dare to play around with other details like lighting fixtures, textiles, and art work options until you find what feels like your perfect fit. Option 2 Option 3 Option 4 Option 5 Option 6 Option 7 Option 8 Option 9 Option 10 Option 11 Option 12 What one's your favourite? Product links are below. If I've missed anything, just drop me a DM on Instagram and I'll send you the link. I've used some affiliate links where I can. FYI, this post contains affiliate links to some of the products. Thank you for shopping through my links, it means a lot to me. Even though it's only pennies, any commission I earn goes back into ASI and funds things like keeping my website running. I only share pieces I truly love and think you will too, so I appreciate your support more than you'll ever know.

I was recently inspired by Shea McGee's gorgeous dining area in her home, which isn't a surprise as I often feel drawn to everything Shea designs. It gave me the urge to design a new concept for The Journal that I could share with you too, whilst also sharing some of the elements that I really love about Shea's design. It's worth a read if you're thinking about refreshing your dining space in 2023 and want some tips/advice on how to achieve this kind of laid-back living vibe that I talk about so much! Studio McGee Inspiration: STUDIO MCGEE 5 Things I Love About Shea's Design It's simplicity - there isn't a huge amount going on in this design. The bare minimum is enough to let the design speak for itself. The mix of chair styles - I think matching the simple straight design on the legs of both chairs keeps the space feeling put together, but totally unfussy. It feels warm and inviting like you want to sink into it with a cup of tea and a notebook. The balance of old and new - you know this is my favourite way to style - old-looking, rustic, terracotta-y jugs with a modern light pendant. Organic textures - t he light fixture and curtain rails are metal. I think they work so well with the wooden table and chairs. The jute on the base of the chairs is that perfect middle ground that connects the dots. The curved table - In a standard British home, we don't tend to have the same height and grand space for our dining areas as they do in the US, and, they can feel like a bit of a squeeze to walk around. I love the curve element and feel like this softer approach can do wonders over here. ASI Design: Living Room Here's the design concept that I worked on, incorporating all the design details mentioned above, like the curved dining table, the organic textures, and the rustic decor. I decided to go for a darker wood for the table and chairs. I think this darker wood tone is going to be gracing a lot more of our interiors over the next year or so and I am here for it. I haven't talked about our kitchen plans for the #asirenovation yet, but I know that there will certainly be features of this darker wood tone in our future kitchen! In this living room concept design, I brought old and new together with this gorgeous reclaimed wood floor from a company called Lubelska who has the most stunning reclaimed terracotta tiles too, go have a look if you're in the market for flooring! I added a pop of colour with this gorgeous rug from Home At First Sight . Monika, the owner, has a serious talent for finding the most beautiful pieces of home decor, I honestly don't know how she lets them go! I'd certainly struggle! I added organic textures in the window treatments, linen cushions, paper mache decorative bowl, and faux olive tree, whilst modernising the design with a simple black art print and modern chandelier. I really love this picture light, it's an old bronzey colour with traditional detailing, that compliments the simple black picture frame. But to keep the balance right, the artwork is a simple pencil drawing that perfectly blends everything together. So, what do you think? Leave me a comment, or drop me a DM on Instagram . I'd love to hear your thoughts! FYI, this post contains affiliate links to some of the products. Thank you for shopping through my links, it means a lot to me. Even though it's only pennies, any commission I earn goes back into ASI and funds things like keeping my website running. I only share pieces I truly love and think you will too, so I appreciate your support more than you'll ever know.

Where it all began Isn't it funny how time is the only way you get to see things go full circle? I sometimes think, if only I knew back then that in twenty years' time, I would be doing this for a living. I was around ten when I unknowingly fell in love with interior design. It brings me a lot of happiness now to know that throughout all the twists and turns of the last ten years after leaving school, of figuring out who I am and what I want, that ten-year-old me was right all along. It came naturally to me As a little girl, I was lucky enough to have lots of opportunities. My parents sacrificed a lot to put my brother and me into various clubs - I danced from age 3 - 22, I did Karate (my dad was the teacher), I played the Piano, I did trampolining, I attended summer camps. But there was one thing I really enjoyed as a youngster that came naturally to me and it was something that I enjoyed for myself, and that was immersing myself in interior design programmes and drawing. We only had four channels back then, so I guess most of us 90s kids watched the same programmes - DIY SOS, Changing Rooms, Ground Force, you see where I'm going with this. But, my obsession went deeper. On the one hand, I'd find myself totally amazed at how you could completely transform a room in a house, and how happy it would make the homeowners, but on the other hand, I'd find myself critiquing the designs, and pointing out how I would do something differently, or how something could have been better. I was serious about my designs I'd spend my evenings after school sketching floor plans of our family home. Each room in the house would have a new design, and I'd use whichever catalogues we had at home (usually the Argos and Next catalogues) to choose all the furnishings. I'd add the page numbers to the items so that mum and dad knew where I wanted the new furniture from. I do laugh to myself when I think how serious I was, and how I genuinely believed my parents would implement my designs.. My parents were avid DIYers, my dad taught himself everything he needed to know about construction, and built our entire extension. Over the years, him and mum re-landscaped the garden into a gorgeous design, and my mum was the painting queen. However, I always remember our home being a bit mis-matched. Nothing ever seemed to flow, and nothing ever seemed fully finished - another project was always starting before another one had finished and it would drive me crazy. The wrong decision, maybe? Spring forward to finishing college, I was working my gap year in a full-time job that I hated. It was this job that gave me the desire and goal in life to one day run my own business. Something had to change, so I decided to take the leap and go to university and get a degree. I thought interior design was what I wanted to study, but a lack of knowledge and education in the industry back then meant that I thought I would spend 3-5 years+ sitting behind a computer and not actually doing any real design, and as a really active person, I wasn't sure that the academic route was for me. I did a 180 and auditioned for a dance course instead - something I knew I could do well and would give me the creative, active outlet that I missed in my 9-5. My course was ok, but after graduating, I didn't end up in the dance industry. Sometimes I wonder, did I make the wrong decision? Would I be further along in my career now, or would I have fallen out of love with interior design like I did dancing if I'd have taken a traditional route into interior design? The renovation Fast forward again to my mid-twenties, I was saving with my partner to buy our first home. I always knew a renovation project would be my ideal first home, so I could get stuck in and do all the interior design and have that enjoyment from transforming a home that I would always feel watching those programmes as a little girl. We were really lucky to get the keys to a little gem - a small two-bedroom bungalow which needed a full-scale remodel. We spent 12 -15 months in total completely renovating whilst we lived at home with George's parents. Almost everything but the outside four walls came down. We rebuilt the lot, adding a bedroom, an en-suite, and an extension. It was a really long process, but for the most part, I loved every minute of it and I learnt so much about renovating a home, the process, how things work and how to make decisions under pressure. Going full - circle At this point, we'd been living in our home for two years, and I'd been designing and re-styling the house over and over. For a while, I had been thinking about how I wish I could design more homes and get paid to do it, and the niggling feeling started to get more frequent. I spent hours scrolling RightMove, finding houses that needed work and thinking about how I could bring them back to life. It gave me a lot of joy, and I realised that it was something I had always loved to do. When lockdown 2020 hit, I was determined to not let it take over my entire life. I was lucky enough to keep my full-time job in web, which I really loved and it gave me a solid focus, but like everyone else, lockdown made me re-evaluate. What was missing from my life? When the world goes back to normal, what do I want my life to look like? I knew that my future had to involve designing homes somehow, and it felt like the perfect opportunity to combine the goal of running my own business too. I made a decision to find an intense short course that gave me the skills to run a business, gave me solid interior design knowledge and skills, and the support to launch my business on the side of my full-time job. Introducing Allie Stephens Interiors. After finding the perfect course for me, I took a big leap in an uncertain time and invested the money I'd saved into funding my dream business. In 2021, the course began just before my 29th birthday. I spent the next five months working a full-time job, and studying a full-time course in every other hour I had spare. It's definitely been a rocky journey, I won't lie - perhaps rockier than I expected but I put that down to my Pisces-level optimism. Nevertheless, nothing worthwhile ever comes easy, right? I'm proud of what I've achieved so far, and I'm excited about the future of ASI. Allie x

If you read this post then you'll already know that in our new house, we've got the opportunity I never thought we'd have to build a home office. And not just a small cubbyhole in the corner of a bedroom, but an actual whole room. I can't tell you how excited I am. The trouble is, as a designer it can be so difficult to make a final decision on your own home. For client projects, I'm so much more decisive! I think most interior designers will say the same thing. In 2022, we were really just taking it all in, figuring out how we live and function in our new home and exploring ideas for designs, and I shared some of my initial office ideas here. Yesterday, 16th Jan 2023 marked our kick-off day for the renovation works to begin and so now is the time I've got to start making final decisions. As we're having a full electrical re-wire at the house, the lighting and electrical plans need to be decided for each room. Our electrician started yesterday, (this was the kick-off! We can't do much else until this has been done) and he has already completed the living room re-wire, (so quick right?) which means the office will need to be decided imminently, eeeeeesh! Lighting is so important to set the tone throughout your home, but with an office, it's a highly functional space and task lighting is imperative, so over the next few days I'll be cracking down on the final furniture layout and electrical/lighting layout. The only trouble is, I've changed my mind.. again! I'm now leaning towards a lighter office with a light-coloured tongue and groove panelling, mixed metals, linen roman blinds and warm textures with earthy neutrals. Perhaps it's because I'm looking ahead to Spring which is one of my favourite seasons. I'm desperate for those springtime days when the skies are blue, the air is fresh, the house feels clean, the spring flowers are blooming and we can think about mowing the lawn for the first time in 2023. My mood is so affected by my interiors and I'm just thinking I'd like it to be nice and fresh. There are some things I know I'll need for certain that will depend on the placement of furniture and therefore placement of lighting and electrical. I'll need either joinery or a cabinet to hold samples, files, and other organisational things Space for a printer to be hidden away, documents to be held securely, and a separate seating area I'll need enough sockets to cater for all the electrical items I may need In one go so I can avoid extension leads Task lighting Aesthetic lighting Now I just need to figure out where my desk will go, and where the rest of the furniture will go! So, before I sign off on my final design, I thought I'd show you some progress from the last post as to what design direction I think I'm headed. I'd love to know your thoughts so come and chat to me in my DMS. Source: A Life Unfolding Source: Studio McGee Source: Olivia's (Affiliate Link) Source: Mad About The House via Albion Nord Source: Olivia's (Affiliate Link) Source: Antima Homes Source: Studio McGee Source: Studio McGee

CREDIT: BLUSHING BOHO VIA #LTKHOME The current plan is to turn our existing dining room into my office. We're still a little way off taking action here, but I think once our kitchen and extension has been drawn up and signed off, we'll be able to start the work. At this point we have some options to work with, and before we start purchasing timber, knocking out walls or starting any of the work, I want to be absolutely confident that this layout is the most suitable, functional, and effective for our lifestyle. My advice is not to rush in excitement. Making the wrong decision can be VERY costly, and the most important thing is to take some time to live in your home (if you can) and figure out exactly what you need from it to serve your lifestyle. It's imperative that the layout makes sense for both you and your home. However, at this point, we can still start to gather ideas. With any project, gathering ideas always comes at the beginning of the process. It's handy to have an idea of the scale of the space you'll be working with, but any interior designer will be able to take your ideas and help create something that works within your space. It gives us a chance to get even more creative! I've spent around 18 months dreaming of having my own office space and going TO TOWN gathering my inspiration , so I feel really lucky about having this opportunity to build a home office. The only problem is where I've had so long to dream about it, nailing down the specifics is proving quite the challenge. This post is going to walk you through the things I'm considering, and some of the images that are really inspiring me. The space The intended room for the office is slightly in between a square and a rectangle - it's not completely square, but it's also not super long either. It has two long windows at the front which I love as it lets a lot of light in all day. See what the room looks like at the moment. CREDIT: CAMBRIDGEHOMECOMPANY The colour scheme Torn between moody and light, I think this is going to be a tough decision. Colours i'm loving for the walls are: Muted greens with soft ivory Sharp green with pops of taupe (perhaps in a subtle wallpaper that sits inside any joinery) All white with warmth added in the desk, chair, textiles, and antique bronze hardware I've also pinned a gorgeous oak desk built into joinery which is really beautiful CREDIT: DECORPAD The doors The plan is to open up the door frame and insert double french doors instead. This means whichever design I go for, I have to consider how it will look as you walk into our hallway. I'm toying between traditional lightly painted Georgian style french doors with glass inserts, dark painted timber doors with glass inserts (think Studio McGee Home Office - inspo pic below), or natural wooden oak doors. The only thing with using oak is it really reminds me of funerals, and I just don't want to be thinking about that all day. CREDIT: STUDIO MCGEE VIA LTKHOME The joinery As a designer, storage is absolutely essential. Whilst I love styling, I really don't like bulky things out on display. In my old house even the toaster was put away in the cupboard. Bespoke joinery will mean I can design a custom unit that maximises the space, and helps me to function and navigate my work. Custom nooks to file away samples whilst having access to the bulky things I need regularly, but also helping me feel zen and organised in my home (not to mention it gives your home a real sense of luxury). But joinery can also be very expensive, so I'm also thinking about affordable space saving options such as furniture that can grow with us, and move with us. CREDIT: JENNY ROSE The desk A decent size desk is absolutely essential. I'm your typical creative person who uses a roll of white paper, two notebooks, digital note taking apps, and post-it notes on a regular basis, if not all at the same time. I have regular brain dump sessions and when I've got an idea, my way of processing that usually comes in various forms so having space to get creative and get what's in my head, into a working plan, often requires a bit of elbow room! CREDIT: MINNIEPETERSDESIGN_ VIA COTSWOLD INTERIOR The lighting Nothing sets the scene like the perfect lighting. There will definitely be some re-wiring needed in the office, and depending on whether we go with joinery or not will also impact the lighting. I really love mixing traditional and modern, it's one of the most fun things to get creative with when designing. Adding in floor lamps is another way to keep it comfy, casual, and laid-back. CREDIT: LTKHOME The textiles Soft, earthy, textures, and subtle patterns. How I feel directly impacts how I work, and feeling cosy all year round is how I like to be. I plan to mix in some custom window treatments, probably roman blinds in a subtle herringbone pattern, or I might mix it up pairing a bolder pattern and colour on the blinds with structured dress curtains to shape the windows. CREDIT: HOUSEBEAUTIFUL The functionality Ultimately, an office space needs to function. The reality is, as my business grows, I may need to pre-empt space for a presentation area and client chair. So, bespoke joinery may take up additional room that may end up needing to be sacrificed. How you need to function in your space has a direct impact on the design you go with. That's why I always recommend having some drawings in place to help you visualise how your space can work for you. (You could use my visualiser package to help you with this). CREDIT: DECORAPAD Hopefully this gives you an idea of the concepts I'm currently playing with for the office. I'm excited to see how it turns out, and ideally it will be soon because working from my dining table, in the hallway, throughout winter is not the most ideal solution!

Once you get started, bedrooms can be extremely fun to design and can have a huge impact on how you feel. Waking up every day in a room that helps you feel relaxed, and makes you happy is surely a great way to start every day., am I right? (She says, still with her own bedroom to design). In this pre-designed bedroom post, i'm going to chat a little bit about the colour scheme, the furniture , the art work , lighting , plants , and finishes . I've also nestled in some of my tips, and a few lighting options too. How to shop? You can shop this post by hovering over the images, or shop all items at the end of the post. Where possible, i've used affiliate links - this costs nothing extra for you, but i'll receive a very small amount of commission which I can invest back into ASI. If something isn't linked in the photo, you can find a link to it in the shop section of this post. The colour scheme I absolutely love this design, because it's so simple, but is so carefully put together. The tongue and groove paneling in shade Blue Gray from Farrow and Ball really set the scene for this design. You could definitely go a little darker, with a shade like Pigeon, and paint both the skirting and cornicing too. To get that really luxurious ' weekend in the country' feel, be brave and paint the door too. Finish it off with an antique brass door knob - I love companies like the Suffolk Latch Company , From The Anvil , and Corston Architectural. "Woodwork doesn't have to be white. In this scheme, try School House White' or 'Slipper Satin' to compliment the soft greens." Shop colour schemes: The furniture In this bedroom design, I was really going for a calming, relaxing, inspired by nature feel, something that you would hope to find in your weekend break in the Cotswolds. To emphasise that feeling, I chose natural wood tones in the bed and bedside drawers, which perfectly complement the wall colour. The four poster style brings cosiness, but the straight lines in the woodwork keep us on the modern-traditional style, whilst the rattan lattice front bedside tables soften the aesthetic. + Shop furniture The art work Choosing art is something I really enjoy. It can be really fun and a way to inject personality into a room, making a design truly unique to you and your home, When a piece of art isn't the muse behind a design, I like that this gives you an opportunity to explore new art that compliments your design and in doing this, you can often end up extending your art collection and interests, and it leads you onto new inspirations. Art is one of those things that can be very fun to experiment with. Art can be really expensive, but it can also be inexpensive too. Finding vintage art is one of my favourite pass-times and I absolutely love the variation of prints that you can find on Etsy. I love purchasing vintage downloadable prints, often no more than £5 - £6 and they're lovely to give as gifts too. This world of art is something I'd love to explore as part of ASI in the future, but for now it will remain something I enjoy browsing and designing into rooms. In this design, I mixed up a few vintage Etsy prints (including digital downloads) with an extra large mount in light wooden frames, a smaller one for the bedside and a large piece from Charlie Mackesy. Don't be afraid to mix metals here - you could pop this in a black frame, or even in a brown frame. + Shop art work A few of my current favourite Etsy finds: Lighting Lighting can be really fun to experiment with and making one minor change can really alter the feel of a room. I wanted to show you what I mean by this, so I've pulled together this design with three different options; a scalloped shade, a jute basket shade, and a structured linen shade. This design also features two wall lights either side of the bed. These wall lights from Hudson Home (coming soon) perfectly marry the modern-traditional vibe with it's slightly arched arm, and coned light. A little design detail here which I love is some of the ceiling lights I mention below, and the wall lights have a circular fixture. These small design moments are what helps make a design seamless, but in perfect harmony. Insight: keep an eye out in your own designs for consistency in lines and shapes of fixtures, fittings and furnishings. Don't be afraid to mix straight lines and curves, but make sure there is a balance and a consistent theme to connect it all together. Option 1: The scalloped shade The scalloped shade is, I'm sure, a controversial one. The design might be risky to some, but it complements the scheme perfectly, and the scalloped edge adds a little romantic interest whilst bringing a femininity and softness to the overall feel. Option 2: The jute basket shade Whilst scalloped edged light shades aren't for everyone, I've also shown you how to achieve a more balanced strike between masculine and feminine with this jute basket shade. Option 2 alternative: Bamboo shade You could also rough it up a little bit more with this beautiful bamboo shade. I think this one could possibly be my favourite! I really love the handle detail on the top. If you were to switch out the art work to something along these lines it takes the vibe from romantic modern-country, to breezy coastal vibes. Option 3: Raffia pendant shade This option is really simplistic, structured, and the lovely raffia texture on the light compliments the texture on the bedside tables. What I love about this, is whilst you've invested in the key pieces for your room, you can still have fun, switching things up when you fancy a change by changing the light shades, and affordable digital art. + Shop lighting Plants To really tie in that outside-in vibe, choose a rustic terracotta and black pot, and pull in some greenery. I've gone for a faux miniature olive tree from ACASA London , and a little Rosemary plant in a jute basket from Hare and Wild e. A lavender, or rosemary plant will always look lovely and you can pick up some great faux ones if you want to avoid bugs and soil by your bed! Take a look at Neptune for some cute pots you can mix and match with. + Shop plants The finishes To bring the modern-traditional style into the finishes, i've chosen a cast iron black rad. I'd recommend having a search around online, there are often deals on, and you can customise them a lot too. Stick to the traditional finishes, heritage styles, antique brass valves to tie in with the door handle, light sockets, door latches and hinges etc. I've also chosen this absolutely gorgeous ottoman upholstered in this striped fabric from one of my favourite online homeware shops, OKA. The room itself can definitely benefit from mixing patterns and colours, because we've gone for a really neutral base. The stripes in the ottoman, and the vertical lines in the radiator compliment the floor to ceiling T&G paneling, whilst the plain white bedsheets are a perfect foundation for throwing on some pillows in muted tones, with subtle patterns. (Look at Coze Linen, Bedfolk , and M&S for the perfect sheets. This Waffle set is top of my list once our bedroom is redecorated). This trio of cushions from Etsy are just made for this design. I've included some alternative cushion options from Etsy below, but you can't go wrong if you use these as a guideline. Finish it off with a lovely deep throw (avoid patterns in this unless subtle) which is large enough to cover the bed, and if you have the space, pair it with this occasional chair that brings everything together. I chose this lovely soft herringbone throw from Hare and Wilde. + Shop finishes SHOP THE POST + Shop furniture (The drawers are available from different suppliers - both linked. There are other suppliers of these drawers so have a quick look around for the best price. T ip: Use Google Lens to help you find more suppliers! - Right click and then search with Google Lens). + Shop lighting + Shop artwork + Shop plants + Shop finishes I really hope you love this design, and can see how making a few minor changes to something like the lighting, can make a big difference to a design. Whether you're collecting ideas, or ready to jump into a re-design, let me know in the comments what your favourite piece is - i'd love to hear from you! - Allie Looking for more designs? For more designs, browse the pre-designed collection . Don't forget you can pin these images to your Pinterest board so you can revisit it at a later date, or if you prefer to save inspo posts on Instagram (I do both!) then you can save this post too.

With the launch of The Journal, I thought it made sense to share with you what exactly it is, how it came to be, and where I see it going in the future. I'm sharing a bit of a timeline which started back in 2020 when the seed was planted for ASI, and what The Journal means to me. 2020 As you know already, before ASI became a fully fledged registered business, it was something that I had dreamt about for as long as I can remember. During the unexpected year of 2020, like most people I started to really evaluate my life and my future. I decided that whilst the world was on hold, that certainly didn't mean that my life had to be too. I used the downtime from socialising, and spending time with family and friends to start making solid plans, and doing my research as to how I can make ASI become a reality. It was during this time that I knew wherever this would take me, I wanted it to be more than just a business which provided interior design services. I wanted to it to be a community, a lifestyle, and to somehow pull together all the things I'm passionate about so that I can make sure my daily life is surrounded by the things that make me the best version of myself. Betting on myself during the two years the world was on hold was exactly what I needed to keep focussed and stay positive. It really was the best decision I made. I've always been a creative person, and over the years I've been able to really explore where my creativity and enjoyment in life is found. These are things like interior design, beautiful gardens, digital graphic design, digital marketing, and copy writing. Not forgetting photography, art, being outside, walking around the countryside and bar hopping in cities. If you watch my stories , I like to share a lot of my day to day life and countryside walks on there. So, what is The Journal ? I mentioned before I love writing, I love digital marketing, and I love helping others ( 16 personalities have me nailed as an 'advocate' and I think they we're pretty spot on). With all of the above in mind, when building my website I knew I needed something more than an interior design blog. I wanted a home and community for people to come to, whether you're someone who is working on your own project, an interior designer or are aspiring to be one, whether you're looking for some advice and insights from trades, or if you wanted to shop interior products for your home. I also wanted The Journal to be a place where I can share all the things i'm passionate about too, from behind the scenes, #asihome renovation videos, trade interviews, beautiful boutique hotel recommendations, and much more. After some deliberating, and thinking, The Journal was built! Let's dive in a little deeper Tips, advice, shopping, and behind the scenes I hope to give you the juiciest of interior design tips, a hub where you can come to find out what you need to know about the renovation/remodel process; from interviews with trades, processes and checklists, and how to's from getting quotes and designing your dream space. I'm also going to share with you behind the scenes on projects, and the #asihomerenovation. Shop I spend a lot of time online looking for the perfect pieces for my designs. Not everything makes the cut, because ultimately, it has to fit the scheme. Rather than keep the beautiful pieces that don't make the cut to myself, I'm going to share them with you on The Shop. Make sure you follow my instagram because I'll share any new products i'm adding to my stories, and any discount codes I have for you there. Having the Shop is also really useful as a business owner, because where possible, I can use affiliate links which means I can invest a small amount back into my business when you shop through my website. Lifestyle articles I love to travel both in the UK and abroad, so you might also find recommendations to my favourite London restaurants, gorgeous countryside walks and unique stays around the UK and wherever else my wanderlust takes me. Business, entrepreneurship, and mindset I hope that I can create a community of aspiring business owners, where we can share our knowledge, support one another in our journeys, be transparent with our advice and, share the honest truths about running a new business. I have a background in social media, digital marketing, and copy writing so I'd like to help other entrepreneurs with resources that take the edge off of the social media side of being a business owner! Whilst I could sit here and ramble on, I know thats no good for keeping you engaged, and let's be honest, it's 2022 and we all need to remember to keep SEO as our best friend so i'm going to sign off here. I hope that you enjoy everything that's to come on the Journal , and don't forget to sign up to my newsletter! Come along and follow me on Instagram and Pinterest , and let's have a chat.

Bear with me whilst i'm just processing.. How is this even real? I feel totally undeserving of such an opportunity, but also feel so grateful that Lindsey, the journalist who wrote this amazing article got in touch with me earlier this year and asked if I would be interested in a feature. When I first saw her message, part of me didn't believe it to be true and for a moment though it was spam! But I quickly realised it was a legitimate message and I was filled with excitement, and confusion - why me? Whilst i'm not a complete novice in the magazine industry, I kinda' always felt like featured articles were reserved for those with thriving, established businesses that have been at it for years and years. My business is entirely in its infancy, so I had all sorts of imposter syndrome haul over me. I've always been ambitious and one of my mottos in my twenties was always (and still is) 'if they can do it, so can I' so, I didn't let imposter syndrome take up too much of my conscious. I let it have its moment, and then kicked it to the curb. This was an incredible opportunity that has been given to me, there was absolutely no way I was passing it up! Just to sidetrack for a paragraph or two - when doing my vision boards during my interior design training, I'd put on there that a dream would be to get featured at least once in my top three favourite interior magazines and potentially one day be able to guest write too. I've always loved writing, and back when I was at uni, I'd considered quitting my degree half way through my first year and reapply to do my undergrad and postgrad in journalism, but you know, life happened. So, it feels even more special to me that not only have I made my mark on a magazine so early on in my career, it feels, mmm I can't quite think of the right world, but it feels lovely to see ASI featured, and I hope that one day I will be able to also write my name at the bottom of an article in an interior design magazine too. Anyway back to it, so, a few weeks later, Katie from Katie Hayward Photography worked her magic behind the lens to shoot the photos for the article. When it comes to getting in front of the camera, I have no issue chatting on stories, or snapping a silly selfie or just generally taking the mick out of myself, but actually having to take serious photos was quite nerve-wracking! It was also MEGA hot - remember that epic summer long heatwave of 2022? Yeah - it was a sweaty day, but Katie was great and the photos came out really good. Maybe because we we're full of Dr Pepper? I am honestly still quite shocked it's happened, but actually I feel really blessed that I have this to look back on from the very start of my career. It's reinforced that mindset that anything really is possible whether it's an opportunity that's come your way, or a goal you've got that you're determined to achieve. At the end of the day, it's up to us to find the courage to take a leap of faith and lean into it, or be fiercely brave enough to put ourselves out there and go out and get it. I'm also going to leave you with this: (and a few behind the scenes shots). Oh, p.s, if you want to read a copy of the September 2022 issue featuring yours truly, it's probably easier to read it online. You can get it on their website - just sign up for free! I'd love to know what you think! Or if you're based in Essex, you can find it and most major news outlets. Notice the reality of styling on a shoot - stacks of pieces in corners, out of sight, that you can play with to get the vignettes right. These are just a few of my iPhone pics I snapped in between. There's a reel on my Instagram if you're interested! Some of Katies shots:

"..I turn the key in the lock, we both step in to our new home and through the dated 70s glass porch.. little did we know.." It's April 2022 and it's completion day. The day you wait a long time for. We'd actually only waited 7.5 weeks from offer to moving in which is pretty unheard of these days, BUT we had been searching, offering, and being let down for at least 18 months prior. Anyone else loose out to multiple properties during Covid because someone offered £70k over asking price?. Let's skip that sorrowful, stressful time and jump straight to keys day. We were so excited to get out of our north facing rental with no windows, (ok one and a door), no garden, and no ability for sun to find it's way through our tiny front window into our living room. Gone we're the last 6 months of lacking in Vitamin D, and gone we're the days of searching right move because today there is no going back, the house is officially ours and the keys are READY! I head off into town to meet with the estate agent, and get our welcome pack. My phone has buzzed 1000 times from George asking me if I've got the goods and how long until I'll be at the house. Our excitement levels are building, we're both driving separately pedal to the metal through the country lanes making the most out of the national speed limit... At this point we've driven over to the new area a few times so I kinda' know where i'm going, eager not to miss the signs as I whizz past in my Audi Passat G Wagon (more on that concoction later). I pull into the road and the house is within breaking distance. I'm greeted by George who is eagerly waiting at the front door. Out I jump, keys in hand and our adrenaline is about to burst out our ears. A quick welcome home kiss on the doorstep (of course) and I turn the key in the lock. We both step in to our new home and through the dated 70s glass porch.. little did we know.. What, the f***k. We turn to each other at the exact same time, you honestly couldn't write it (well I can). As our eyes meet, our mouths fill up and we burst out laughing in harmony. "What the HELL have we let ourselves in for!" (Oh boy, were we about to find out). The stench was undeniable. A perfect concoction of wet dog, stale smoke, and a number of other things that will get your gag reflex exercising. We laugh, 'ok first things first, let's get those windows open'. We take a slow walk around the house, hands over our nose and mouth as we try not to inhale whatever was living inside the carpets and walls, opening every window possible. When we first viewed the house (we actually only viewed it once and made an offer that day - it was perfect for us in it's old, traditional 70s style which needed bringing into the 21st century), it was cluttered to say the least. Left by an elderly man who's belongings of his entire life we're piled up in every nook and corner you could find. Walls covered with family memories of the last 90 years, and little trinkets on tables with ornaments that had been collected over their lifetime. It was really bittersweet to see everything from someones life over I think, nine decades! But, it meant that the one and only time we viewed the house, we had to take it with a pinch of salt. Luckily I can see through 'things' and was able to picture the potential... I just wasn't able to see the state of the house that was underneath. Luckily we had around four weeks left before we needed to hand back the keys to our rental. We had initially planned to spend one-two days doing a deep clean and a food shop and move in pretty swiftly, but I think we ended up moving in almost a week later. I spent every night after work driving over to the new place to clean like I have never cleaned before, and George and I are both clean freaks (George moreso than me!) We had help from our friends and family too which was very, very, very welcomed. I'm literally shuddering at the thick grime that we had to scrape of floors and walls. The thing we we're most grateful for though was the extremely furry, mouldy, lasagne and (not so mouldy) garlic bread that was left in the oven for us. If you didn't sense my sarcasm then, that would be just as concerning. I'm now horrified at whatever preservatives go into garlic bread to make it not naturally decay.. But despite it all, in all honesty I just couldn't get over how perfect the place was. I honestly cannot believe this is our home. Everyone tells me we're mad for taking on another project, but something feels different about this one. Maybe it's because we waited such a long time for it, and maybe it's because we've moved to a whole new area in the Suffolk countryside that I even feel like a different person in myself. This project will be a totally different ball-game to our last. My entire life I have lived either with parents, or in areas that I grew up in or family have lived in, and it's so lovely to have found somewhere that we can make our own, bring our family and friends to and spend the next few years exploring from our new base. Whilst we've only hopped across the border (and the river) we're about 40 minutes or so from our old spot along the River Stour, and we're very excited to explore new places in Constable Country and around the Suffolk countryside. One of my favourite feelings is heading out on a walk in the evenings, not knowing where the footpath will take me and figuring out my route. I feel like i'm constantly on holiday! (We've actually just come home from a walk on a new route and it was lovely!) I'm now sat in my living room and I know the garden bats will be flying around in no time as the sun is setting. Let me know in the comments what it is that you love! I'm going to wrap this intro up along with a few photos of our home. We've started demolishing walls already, so make sure you follow me on Instagram if you want live updates! I'm also going to be blogging and recording the whole process as we go. I'm starting a newsletter too where I'll share lots of action steps in info for anyone else looking to renovate or embarking on the same journey, so definitely sign up to that if you're after renovation tips and behind the scenes!

If you're considering re-vamping your living room but not sure where to start, I've got you covered. I've pulled together a 2D concept board with some ideas for you which emulates a cosy, textured, transitional design (transitional generally means bringing together traditional and modern designs) . Whether it's exactly what you're looking for, or it gives you some ideas to work with, 2D concept boards are an amazing tool to help you start visualising the type of design you want to achieve. When I work with clients on re-designing their homes, the concept design phase is one of the first stages we start with, as it helps to figure out the things you like, and don't like. The revisions give us the opportunity to refine the concept even more. If you're interested in working together on an e-design for your home, i'd love to hear from you . Get in touch and let me know all about your project. Shop the post To shop this post, click on the icons on the image below. I've also listed the retail stores and links to other products which aren't tagged in the photo. Additional sources: - Black bookcase - Maison Du Monde - Vintage rug - Benuta - Faux Flowers - Amaranthineblooms - Bookcase accessories - Soho Home and Thatch Living - Vase - Thatch Living - Leather basket - Hudson Home Leave a comment and let me know if you enjoyed this post, and if you want to catch up with me on a daily basis, come and join me over on Instagram . This post contains affiliate links. By using affiliate links it means I'm able to receive a small commission through qualifying purchases. It costs nothing extra for you, but helps me to invest a small amount back into my business.