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Interviews

In conversation with...Sophie Robinson

Words by  Hannah Young

August 27, 2018

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Sophie Robinson is an interior stylist, blogger, TV presenter (you may have seen her sporting a yellow hard hat on DIY SOS) and all-round colour guru.

She took some time out of her busy schedule to chat to us about creating a beautiful Innovation Home as part of the Ideal Home Show, her most challenging interior design projects and her more recent build closer to home creating an annex for her Mum.
How did you discover interior design?
Around the age of 7, my bedroom was up for a redecoration and my Mum let me have complete creative control. I remember the excitement like it was yesterday. I went for multicoloured graph paper style wallpaper (it was the 80’s), rainbow border and matching rainbow curtains and bedspread. My love of colour was there from the get-go!
What and/or who are some of your design inspirations?
I’m inspired by many of the talented people in my industry. I’m always looking at new textile designs, wallpaper collections or the work of other interior designers or hotels. Current faves are Kit Miles, Anna Spiro and I never leave Liberty’s in London anything other than inspired.
What does a typical working day look like for you?
Up at 6.30 to do a quick bit of yoga, get my son ready for school and do the packed lunch. Then after school drop off I’ll either go into my office in Brighton or come back home to work. In the spring and summer, I love to work from home as the garden is so lovely and I can walk the dog in the woods. It’s a short day as I leave at three to pick my son up so I have to work very hard in those five hours to get a full days work in. If I’m not working on projects at home I’m often in London for meetings or photo shoots or occasionally filming for TV, which takes me a long way from home for a few days. But that’s what I love about my job. No two days are ever the same!
What has been your most challenging interior design project to date?
That’s such a hard question as there’s been plenty. But hands down the biggest challenges in my career have been with the team at DIY SOS. What we achieve in such a super tight time frame just absolutely blows me away. But you get completely carried by the swell of human kindness that makes these incredible big builds happen. But my goodness I need a few days in bed after it’s all over!
What have been some of your favourite interior design projects?
So on that theme, I’d have to say the projects I’ve done for DIYSOS are my favourite projects to date. I often get to indulge in my love of colour, especially when designing for kids. The Children in Need Special in Swansea for a community centre for fostered and adopted kids was a highlight. The feeling of making such a big difference to people’s lives is like nothing else.
We have to ask…what’s your favourite Button & Sprung bed?
It has to be the Holly! I absolutely love an oversized headboard, as they make a really strong statement in the room. They also double up as a great focal point and I like the classic style of the Holly without being too traditional. I’d go for rich velvet upholstery every time to increase the feeling of glamour.
We saw the beautiful Innovation Home you created as part of the Ideal Home Show. If you had to choose, what was your most favourite room?
I’ll be honest probably the children’s room! I love designing kids spaces as you can go completely wild with pattern and colour. We can learn a lot from young people, they are far less inhibited!
You’ve recently had your own Interior Design Challenge building an Annex for your Mum. How was it having your Mum as a client?
It was a complete dream collaboration. My Mum has her own very strong ideas about style but the Annex was a completely new project for her. Having always lived in period properties she’s collected lots of clutter and antiques. The biggest challenge was helping her to let go of the old, as this new house wasn’t going to be able to house all her existing possessions. We ended up employing a de-cluttering expert, which I can highly recommend who helped her let go. Then she has the confidence to start from scratch with a fresh new clean slate. This home was very much a fresh start for my Mum and it demanded a fresh new and more contemporary look, as the building is so modern. I enjoyed helping her discover what her new look was.
As a self-confessed colour lover and pattern clasher, what advice would you give to our readers on how to add colour and pattern to their bedroom?
Bedrooms are probably one of the places that I don’t go all out crazy on pattern and colour as typically we like them to be more restful and calm spaces. However, I love to put a really strong mural or wallpaper behind the headboard, that way you can enjoy the pattern without having to look at it while relaxing in bed. Next, I think it’s really important to think about how things feel in a bedroom. I like to decorate in super soft fabrics like velvets, silks and linens in a bedroom and have super soft carpets or rugs underfoot. Finally, lighting is key. Don’t have any harsh overhead lighting that causes horrible dark shadows over your face. Instead position downlighters to the edges of the room, highlighting some luxurious curtains for example. I love to go extra large with the bedside lamps as they really frame a bed, which should always be the hero in the room.
What exciting new projects do you have on the horizon?
My own house! Having moved to our forever home in the country two years ago we’ve finally finished converting and furnishing Mums annex and its time to focus on my own home. It’s mid-renovation at the moment so I’m chomping at the bit to get some rooms finished!
Thanks so much for chatting with us Sophie, and we can't wait to see your Mum's finished annex, as well as your own interior design project!

Images courtesy of Sophie Robinson. Photography by Tim Young & Alun Callender