Personal Space With Louise Roe

Ever wanted to take a look around the homes of Britain's most stylish residents? In Personal Space, we take a deep dive into design, looking at the moodboards of industry insiders to find out how they curate their space. From luxury finds in designer boutiques to secondhand shopping secrets, we ask the experts for the interior design tips that made their house a home. First up, Louise Roe, broadcaster and founder of homewares brand Sharland England, takes us through her favourite paint colours, prints, and penchant for period pieces.

How would you describe your interior design style?

Plenty of warm colours, layered textures, and a little bit nostalgic.

If we were to walk into your house on any given day, what would we be likely to see?

I’m a maximalist for sure, although, a very tidy one! When I’m working from home, you'll find me sitting at an antique bureau desk which is my favourite piece of furniture in the house. I always wonder who might have written letters from it 200 years ago.

What aesthetic style, era or vibe speaks to you the most?

I love Georgian architecture the most—it is so symmetrical and elegant. Mixing that with softer fabrics and warmer terracotta tones is my dream vibe. For me, interiors should be imperfect and feel lived-in to be their best.

What made you fall in love with the house you live in now?

For a townhouse it has a lot of light and high ceilings, which is lovely to walk into after a long day at work. The garden is also very mature, and we were lucky to inherit a beautiful garden full of roses. It feels like it could be somewhere in the countryside.

What are some of your favourite rooms in your house and why?

Our living room is painted in Edward Bulmer’s Sang de Boeuf, the most gorgeous reddish-pink colour that gets so cosy when the sun sets. I work from that room too, so I spend a lot of time there, and in winter, we always light the fire.

What are some of the best buys you have invested in for your house?

Most of our furniture is vintage or brought with me from previous homes. I have a big leather ottoman that has survived five moves with me, from Restoration Hardware. We also have Caesarstone quartz countertops which really transformed the kitchen (we gave it a bit of a makeover), and then some lovely old oil paintings from Collins & Green Art.

How do you update your interiors for summer?

Firstly, I switch up the table linens to lighter, fresher colours, and then when they bloom, I love cutting flowers from the garden to put all over the house. Even next to the bed in a little baby vase, they’re so delightful to see before bed!

As we’re starting to move al fresco with the seasonal shift, how important is your curating outdoor space too?

My brand Sharland England have just launched outdoor furniture, so I am extra excited about curating the outdoor space this year. It’s all inspired by antique rattan, and I immediately imagined the Riviera back in the 1920’s when people really knew how to entertain and relax in style.

As the founder of Sharland England, how did you find the switch from moving from fashion and broadcasting into interior design?

Surprisingly seamless! I am truly enjoying learning so many new things about running a stock-holding business, designing new pieces of tabletop and furniture, and finding the right artisans around the world—sometimes in the most obscure quaint villages. I still work in fashion and broadcasting here and there, which is lovely to keep a toe in creatively.

As Sharland England incorporates both new pieces crafted by local artisans and and sourced antiques, how do you set about pulling together a strong and cohesive edit?

That part is just about going with my gut feeling, it’s my favourite part of the whole business actually. When I receive the first samples of a new product and start moodboarding them with existing pieces, recce-ing a potential location for a campaign shoot and seeing the brand’s ‘world’ come together for a photoshoot, it is the most rewarding and exciting aspect for me.

Do you have any tips on how best to shop antique and vintage?

Don’t buy necessarily according to how famous the maker is or what you think it’s going to be worth. Buy because you absolutely love it and can’t live without it! I often purchase a piece without knowing where it will go, I just know I’ll regret it if I don’t. Also, head further afield to flea markets and antique shops. Big cities will always charge more, but a quiet little rural shop is a good bet.

What are your favourite pieces in the latest Sharland collection?

Our Adeline coffee table is my favourite piece of furniture. It’s round, handmade, and I love how it pulls a living room together. We also just launched Marbre, a collection of marbled ceramics handmade in Bulgaria, which I’m mildly obsessed with!

What are your favourite places to shop for...

Vintage and antiques: Easily, Relic Antiques

Affordable pieces: I love Oxfam, EBay and Etsy

Luxury investment pieces: It has to be Robert Kime

Textiles, accessories, and decorative finishing touches: Lisa Fine for textiles, Schumacher for accessories, and Bennison for any vintage chintz.

What advice you give anyone wanting to redecorate their space?

Get to know the space first—is there any history to it? For example, we uncovered original wooden floors under the carpet at our old house, and restored two fireplaces that had been covered up.

How does the light change from morning to evening? That could affect the paint colour, where you place artwork and ultimately, how you use the room.

Incorporate rattan! I may be biased here, but to me rattan is unbeatable for its ability to be informal yet elegant at the same time. The colour, texture and shapes of rattan furniture really bring a room together in the most charming way.

Bring colour in, whether that’s on the walls, with cushions, bright books and art. I love sage greens, warm brick tones, soft blue and brown in just about every possible shade it comes in.

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