Following her Interior Design Masters' win, Lia Gold talks to House Beautiful UK about her new collection with Next, her favourite tricks for making a small space feel bigger, and the one piece of furniture she thinks is 'overrated'.
When Lia Gold left her position in retail to pursue a career in interior design, she was leaving behind a job she'd had for nine years.
'I remember telling my mum and dad I was going to quit and they were like, Really? Are you sure?' Lia tells us.
Lia was sure – and she was right to be. Soon enough, she'd been accepted onto Interior Design Masters, and her mum and dad were watching her on the telly, wearing 'GO FOR GOLD' t-shirts with Lia's face on it.
If it seems like an easy journey for Lia, the truth is a little more complicated. Lia had actually applied to be a contestant on the previous series of Interior Design Masters but had just missed out on getting a place.
When I speak to her, Lia's in Porto, Portugal, sitting in front of an orange and white piece of geometric artwork. 'I'm looking at this artwork – being like, could you make this?’ she says. Inspiration, it seems, is always striking.
Lia has just been crowned the winner of Interior Design Masters Series 7, and her prize was to design a new collaboration in partnership with Next. The collection is inspired by her Italian heritage, her love of great food and the importance of hosting in her life.
SHOP NOW: NEXT HOME X LIA GOLD
In our conversation, we talk about the colour Lia thinks every home should have, her biggest Interior Design Masters regret and the genius way she made her Ikea wardrobes look expensive.
We’re here to talk about your new collection with Next. What’s the story behind it?
When we finish the show, the wild thing is that literally a week later, you’re off to Next to design a collection – so you don’t have a lot of thinking time. But for me, the collection really came from the heart. It was a question of what my heritage is. What's my journey? And how can I portray that through interiors?
I wanted a collection where people could mix and match lots of different things – where you could bring the vase and pot to the table, but you could also style them separately. The rick rack line in the stripe detail is actually from a pasta shape which I used to make with my Nonna when I was growing up, so there's lots of like really fine details which go back to nice memories that I have with my family in Italy.
Is there a piece in the collection which feels particularly special to you?
I'm just genuinely obsessed with the tomato vase. It's just the most amazing piece, and if you look at it really closely, there's some really beautiful detail in the tomatoes.
It's really hard because when people ask me this, I just start listing everything in the collection. The vase and the gingham rug are definitely up there with my two favourite things.
If you’re looking to elevate your setting on a budget, which piece from the collection would you recommend?
I think the side plates and the napkins are really useful. Especially, the side plates, because you can kind of mix and match them with your own plates without feeling you need to invest in a full set for the table.
Second, would be the cushions. They have such gorgeous colourways and embroidery and will really elevate a simply coloured sofa. Again, they’re really affordable, but they'll have a massive impact on someone's space.
When it comes to decorating a home, what’s the biggest mistake you think people tend to make?
I think there are two.
One would be lighting and how to use lighting correctly in different rooms. In bedrooms, I always think finding lamps which have uplighters and downlighters by the side of your bed is really important. Otherwise, sometimes the light can glare at you whilst you're trying to read. I think it creates a really nice ambience if you have lighting that goes both ways.
The second is rug size. I think if you get the incorrect size rug, it completely throws off the balance of an entire space. Rugs can have such a big impact.
What’s a colour you think everyone needs in their home?
Red! I love the colour red – obviously that comes through in the tomatoes – and I take a lot of inspiration from food and going to big food markets.
What do you think of the 'unexpected red theory'?
I was going to say, that's more of a pop, whilst I'm like, No, paint the whole room red. Just do it. Don’t hold back. If you’re not feeling as brave, though, I appreciate that.
I think the unexpected red theory is definitely a thing, but I think you can use that with lots of colours – not just red. I also think it works really well with an almost electric blue colour as well. You don't have to restrict it to one colour.
The show is such a steep learning curve. Looking back, what's your biggest design regret?
You want one from every episode or just one overall? [She laughs].
When I made the helicopter out of flowers, that was out of panic that I had no artwork for a wall, and I didn't know what to do. That was definitely a more questionable thing that I designed.
Is there a piece of furniture that you think is overrated?
I'm not a big side table person. I always think if you've got the right coffee table, I'm not sure you need a side table.
If I walked into space, I would question what that side table is actually for. I mean, I have side tables, but they all have plants on them, so they are all actually plant stands.
In episode 7, there were a lot of questions around how to make something look expensive. What's your top tip for getting a high-end look on a budget?
I think you just have to hunt to find a lot of amazing secondhand pieces, honestly, because we didn't have the budget to buy really high-end items.
It's also the small details that you can add in. Yes, you might not be able to buy the most expensive cabinet, but you could invest in amazing hardware and add that instead.
I've done something similar to that at home. I had really horrible wardrobes. They were white gloss and I completely upcycled them. I coloured them in a really deep green and then added on some really nice hardware.
After repainting them, I then added some wood trims as well to make it look like they were panelled, so they went from being these shiny, horrible IKEA wardrobes to quite bespoke and expensive-looking.
What’s your top trick for making a small space feel bigger?
I think the right size of furniture is really important – and not trying to cram in too much. I think negative spaces are sometimes underrated in smaller spaces and giving yourself room to move can actually make the space feel a little bit bigger.
Also, foldable pieces are amazing in small spaces. I think they're really great if you have to work from your flat, for example.
There's also remembering to use height. Sometimes, people have bookcases lower down, but think, actually, can you put them on the wall? Can you come up with something crafty?
What’s one thing you’d recommend spending and scrimping on?
I think spend on sofas. Find one you love – that's very comfortable. A lot of people say they sit and watch TV for quite some time, so I think, 'Oh God, protect your back.' I think you always remember an uncomfortable sofa.
Scrimp on chairs because people give away chairs left, right, and centre that are stunning. Or you can also upholster them really easily.
What’s a design trick you absolutely swear by?
When I look at a space I think I've finished – or one I'm unsure of – I go around, and I question every single thing in the space and why it's there.
If it doesn't actually have a purpose, I ask myself Why does it need to be here? Is it detracting from something else in the space which is more important?
The Next x Lia Gold collection is available to shop online at Next.co.uk
Shop Lia's collection
