'I think a lot of people tend to overfill shelving with their prized possessions,' says Interior Design Masters winner Lia Gold. 'I'm all for putting out things you love – that’s how we add personality to a home – but maybe you don’t need a collection of 30 books?’
I'm talking to Lia about the decorating decisions that make a home feel smaller. I glance at the screen next to her, where fellow contestant Jonni Knight is sitting. There’s a set of bookshelves behind him with at least 30 books on them. He turns his camera, shifting the bookshelves mock nervously out of shot.
‘Yeah, I was going to say, Jonni, you definitely need to reduce those...’ Lia says with a laugh.
Most people will know Lia and Jonni from Series 7 of BBC's Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr. Lia, a former retail worker, and Jonni, a former Stage School Manager, met on the show and quickly hit it off, bonding over a shared sense of humour.
‘From literally episode 3 onwards, we've been inseparable,’ Jonni says. ‘That's to our husbands' disappointment,’ Lia adds with a laugh. 'We never really speak to them anymore – we just speak to each other.'
It was during their time on the show that Jonni first floated the idea of doing a podcast together. Lia said yes, and 'Til Design Do Us Part is the product of that first conversation.
In it, Lia and Jonni interview experts and personalities to talk all things interior design, covering everything from DIY advice to helpful decorating tips.
With this in mind, I decided to ask the pair for their own decorating advice. From the wallpaper hack that can make your home look high-end to the reason why it might be time to replace your kitchen cupboards, here's what Lia and Jonni had to say.
What is one decorating mistake that you think almost everyone makes?
Jonni: Mine is based on a decorating mistake I've made. When choosing a paint colour, paint the sample on multiple areas in the room. I made a huge mistake once when I painted my sample in just one teeny tiny corner. Then, when we painted the rest of the room, the colour looked awful. The light in each area made it look completely different, and I had to repaint the whole room the next day. My husband was thrilled.
Are there any trends you think are not going to last the test of time?
Lia: I tell you what I love – but I do think they are a trend – is glass blocks. They're these kind of 20 by 20 blocks and they're very easy to construct. People use them for shower screens or in walls. I do think they are very cool and retro, but I wonder if they’ll become dated again.
Are there any design rules you think are made to be broken?
Lia: I think the cabinetry at the bottoms of kitchens should all be pull-out drawers rather than open cupboards. Sometimes it's so hard to find things at the back of the cupboard. You stack loads of stuff there, and then you open it and don’t remember what you’ve put in it. With big pullout drawers, you can see absolutely everything.
What's your top tip for making your home feel expensive?
Jonni: I'm actually a big advocate for making your own artwork. I've done things in clients' projects before where I had some wrapping paper left over from a present and put it into an A4 frame. It just brought some colour and pattern into the space, and it literally cost me nothing because it was leftover wrapping paper.
Pick a frame that's got a mount in it and put the wallpaper in the centre. Often, it's the presentation that will elevate it, rather than the thing itself.
Lia: Using some really gorgeous wallpaper is another one. Especially if you get a really expensive sample. The wallpaper might cost you £150 a roll, but a sample can be £2. You can also do the same with fabric samples and frame them.
What’s the best way to transform a room with a budget of £30?
Jonni: When we moved into the house, we had chrome handles on our cupboards. I didn't really want to re-drill new holes into them and so I took off all the handles and spray-painted them black. It really elevated the kitchen – made it look completely different. A can of spray paint is only £15, something like that.
Jonni, last time I spoke to Lia, she told me she thought side tables were overrated. Is there a piece of furniture you'd happily do without?
Jonni: Oh, that is a tricky one. It might be a controversial one because I have one – but I also never use it. It’s having a bench at the foot of your bed. It's a bit overrated because all it does is allow me to make a mess in the room and dump my clothes everywhere.
Lia: I got rid of mine for that very reason.
Jonni: At the end of the day, I put my clothes there, thinking I’ll put them away the next day. But by the end of the week, there's a mountain of clothes and my husband's like, ‘Are you actually joking?’ I'm like, 'Blame the bench.'
Follow House Beautiful on Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest
The Bedside Table Edit
