More is more

“First off, I’m a strong believer that colour has the ability to change your life — it’s proven that different colours can influence your mood and the way you feel. For example, warm colours such as orange and yellow are linked to energy and warmth, while cool colours, such as blue and green, are generally more calming and relaxing. Colour is so much more than a paint on the wall: it’s a way of your interior speaking to your soul and the feeling that evokes. You will never wake up feeling low in a home full of colour and pattern. If you’re nervous, start with three to five colours that work together and build up from there.”

Layer patterns

“I love to layer patterns in my designs as I believe it brings a level of joy that cannot be achieved with plain walls and plain soft furnishings. My rule is to choose a ‘hero pattern’ such as a wallpaper, as the main feature, and then choose a variety of smaller patterns to complement the hero. As a former artist, I see a room in the same way as a painting. I start with a blank canvas then add the colour and pattern layer by layer to create a ‘masterpiece’. In my own collection, The Penally House Garden Collection with Wear the Walls, I designed the pieces to be layered. The collection includes various wallpapers, fabrics and home accessories with different patterns in various colours and sizes.”

There are no rules

“Ignore the naysayers and build a space that makes your heart sing. Take risks with colour and choose a design scheme you love and that reflects your personality. Add colour by incorporating items that tell your story — artwork, antiques, travel finds, and personal items. Your house will only feel like a home if it reflects you and your life. For my Dining Room at Penally House, I decided to wrap the room in a piece of art by my favourite artist, Kristjana Williams. I wanted to create the feeling of dining at the bottom of the ocean. The wallpaper is immersive as it was 3D scanned, and some of the hero characters printed onto Perspex and layered over the wallpaper to give extra depth.”

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