They spend their working day creating beautiful, sought-after spaces for their clients – but when it comes to their own homes, what are some of Norfolk's interior designers' favourite rooms?
For Paula Gundry, of Paula Gundry Interiors, her favourite space isn't a room at all – it's a hallway:
My favourite room in any home is often the hall, which immediately gives you a flavour of what you could find within the rest of the home.
It offers a real opportunity to express who you are and what kind of home you wish to welcome friends and family in to. It's the place where the journey into your home begins and should lead confidently yet comfortably from room to room, offering subtle links to each.
My hall is an eclectic mix of beautiful pieces that are personal to me. We work in a variety of homes from classical to contemporary and I really love to surround myself with things that make me happy. After all, this is my home and this is what we love to do for our clients.
The mural which I imported from France and had made to the scale of the largest wall is very dramatic yet elegant. It is a scene dating back to the days of The Raj in sepia tones with hints of colour focused in the main characters. This is perhaps not what most people would expect as they enter, although it's timeless and very much in keeping with my home – I love it!
I love homes that have a sense of arrival, so I have enhanced and worked with the original architecture of the room. This is regularly something that we assist our clients with, helping them to develop their ideas and aspirations.
www.paulagundryinteriors.co.uk, 01603 628007
Francesca Farrow of Waldorf Farrow Interior Design agrees – but says that the hallway in her home has undergone a complete renovation since she moved in:
One of my favourite places in my house is my entrance hall. I love this part of my house because as soon as you walk through the door you are home.
Since we purchased the house we have been renovating and restoring the whole house. We have reinstated the original features of the coving and the ceiling roses and re-used light fittings which were in other areas of the house when we moved in.
We stripped the stairs of the paint finish to take them back to the original wood and installed a traditional runner-style carpet with stair rods. We also sourced some floor tiles which suit the era of the house and chose a pastel colour for the walls to keep it bright and airy.
To add a personal touch, we were lucky enough to have an original auction poster from when the house was sold in 1934, and we had this framed as a feature in the hallway to showcase the history of the house.
I also like to have fresh, seasonal flowers and plants in all areas of the house.
The entrance hall has completely changed since we moved in. It originally had floral wallpaper on all walls and a red carpet!
We have been adding items to the area since we moved in. The latest additions are the mirror and the artwork at the top of the stairs.
www.waldorffarrow.co.uk, 01603 552 044
Lanassir Lawes, of Swank Interiors, loves her open-plan living space:
I'm very sociable and love to entertain, so having an open-plan living space is my dream come true. Due to its location, it has the same views as some of the best bars and restaurants in the city.
It is just perfect to have four rooms within one (kitchen, dining, TV snug and cocktail lounge) and the ability to interact with friends while cooking whether they are watching TV, at the dining table or sipping their aperitifs by the fire.
It is an eclectic mix of very contrasting materials, from luxurious mustard velvet on the sofa, to an industrial iron-based, parquet wood-topped dining table.
Shocking pink is my signature colour and can be seen throughout the space against varying purple toned walls. It was important for me to choose colours that sit well with my art collection.
The overall feel is very relaxing and intimate with a city vibe. Whenever anyone comes round for the first time the comment is always the same – 'wow, this is so you!'
When I purchased the apartment the room was much more enclosed, but I could instantly visualise how it could work with a few tweaks.
The ceiling in the kitchen area is lower as the services are above and feels very cosy; I wanted to create a similar feel in the TV snug by raising the floor level to create a different layer to the space.
www.swankinteriors.co.uk, 01603 617229
For more interiors inspiration see our Beautiful Homes & Gardens supplement
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