Wendy Nicholls' Dos and Don'ts of Decorating
With roots at Colefax & Fowler, Wendy Nicholls' __design aesthetic is gloriously English
Want more? Read the rest of our The Dos and Don'ts of Decorating
You may also like: Wendy Nicholls' London Mansion Flat
Experiment with layout - the position of furniture can determine the success or failure of a room.
A room can be a mess, but you shove the furniture around a bit and it looks quite good.
Know when to stop.
You can kill the look of a house by adding too much stuff.
Take care when choosing fabric from swatches.
I once looked at a tiny piece of fabric that was the perfect colour in the hand, but when I had it made into a stool, it was so alarming I had it taken away before it hit the ground.
Nothing irritates me more than bad joinery.
You can't disguise it; it ruins everything.
Find beauty in unexpected places.
My favourite fabric is Le Manach's 'Mortefontaine'. The colours are so wonderfully ugly, it's horrid; I love it.
Choose something simple for the floor.
I love the purity of white stone; it isn't just for hot climates.
I can't stand that beige, Oriental-fusion, hotel-anywhere look.
It makes me feel quite unwell.
Take inspiration from art.
When it comes to colour, I find books of old icons inspiring.
Look at rooms at night.
That's the only way you'll get the light right.
Be exacting on colour.
I adore 'Gustave' by Paint Library. Even though it's been discontinued, they'll mix a colour to match its exact shade of pale grey blue for you.
My most treasured possession is a black Italian cartonnier on a stand.
I bought it when I first came to Colefax and Fowler and it cost more than a year's salary at the time.
Spend your budget on structure, joinery and really doing the building beautifully.
That lasts. Never mind the tiddley pom, it'll come.
020-7493 2231; sibylcolefax.com
Written by admin
