Bristol Living Apr - May 2024

CREATE YOUR
DREAM HOME
Ahead of the Homebuilding & Renovating Show
Series, we caught up with expert designer
Julia Kendell to discuss all things interiors.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT SOME
PROJECTS YOU’RE WORKING ON AT
THE MOMENT?
I’m currently working on several large
property renovations and new builds
for clients in the south east. One I am
particularly enjoying is the contemporary
renovation of a large 1920s property.
The clients are configuring and adding
to the space to create a huge 15m x
8m open-plan kitchen and living area.
These large spaces can be challenging
to design but a lot of fun! This year I
am also collaborating with one of the
other Homebuilding & Renovating Show
experts, Allan Corfield and a team of
the best in the industry to provide a
‘silver-service’ architectural design and
build for clients who are looking for a
premium experience where every detail
is considered and delivered. Working
alongside the best of the best is thrilling!
I will be launching my ‘Interior Design
Series’ in early Spring. This is a collection
of video modules I have written and filmed
to provide online content for anyone
embarking on a decoration/ build and
needing guidance to know where to start
and how to create their perfect home.
DO YOU THINK SOCIAL MEDIA IS
MAKING DESIGN MORE ACCESSIBLE
OR MAKING IT FEEL LIKE WE ALL
NEED TO HAVE UNATTAINABLE,
PERFECT SPACES?
I have mixed feelings when it comes
to design in social media. It certainly
provides endless inspiration and ideas
but so much of it is impractical for
normal daily life or has been created by
AI presenting ridiculously ‘fantastical’
settings. I ask clients to share Pinterest
boards with me at the beginning of a
project to ensure we are on the same
page, but I occasionally have a battle to
explain that most of the images online are
lit and styled way beyond what can be
expected in real life.
WHAT ARE YOUR TIPS TO REFRESH A
SPACE WITH A LIMITED BUDGET?
One of the most impactful ways to refresh
a space is to think about maximising
light into the room. Replace curtains with
lighter blinds and if the budget allows,
swap out carpet for hard flooring. A
timber floor will always make a room
feel substantially larger and brighter
than carpet. A lick of paint on the walls
always works wonders to make a space
feel renewed and don’t forget about
the ceiling. A fresh coat will aid light
bouncing around the room and can be
transformational.
THE KITCHEN IS THE ENDURING
POWERHOUSE OF THE HOME –
AND OFTEN THE SPACE WE SAY
SELLS HOUSES. HOW HAVE YOU
SEEN KITCHEN DESIGN CHANGE IN
THE PAST FEW YEARS AND WHAT
CONSIDERATIONS AND TRENDS ARE
YOU SEEING EMERGE NOW?
Kitchen design has changed markedly
in the past few years. With larger spaces
to fill there has been an emergence of
dedicated activity areas, such as breakfast
cabinets, baking cabinets and walk-in
larders. The island has also become the
key must-have’ for most planning their
new kitchen providing a sociable cooking
area and somewhere to gather around.
One of the newest trends has seen
multiple islands becoming popular, each
with specific uses, to fill cavernous openplan
rooms. For those with a significant
budget, there has also been a shift
towards having a ‘show kitchen’ and a
working kitchen behind it to mitigate some
of the issues of open-plan entertaining.
The most important consideration when
planning your kitchen is to start the design
process as early as possible. Often the
kitchen design will lead positions of
doorways/windows to maximise the layout
so having this nailed before the builders
make a start is always wise.
WITH BUILD COSTS INCREASING
RAPIDLY, WHERE WOULD YOU
ADVISE HOMEOWNERS SPEND VS
SAVE WHEN RENOVATING THEIR
HOMES?
The places to invest in are those that
receive most use and are least likely to
be replaced in the future. Flooring and
lighting are key elements for any home
and I would always prioritise buying good
quality door and cabinet handles, light
switches and any element that we interact
with daily. Consider the ‘niggly’ areas that
are a nuisance if not functioning well, such
as leaky taps, dodgy boiler etc to inform
decisions on investment. Renovating a
home should provide a space of relaxation
and enjoyment, not daily annoyances!
Areas to save are the ‘novel’ built-in
gadgets that might be easily tired of after
a year or so and unnecessarily expensive
paint (ask your decorator their thoughts
on this!)
HAVE YOU SEEN DESIGN BECOMING
MORE SUSTAINABILITY-LED?
The industry is certainly engaging in
the sustainable conversation more
and more. This, of course, is vital and
not least because every time we make
a good choice environmentally, it is
inevitably a better choice for our health
and well-being too. A low VOC product,
for example, will ensure the air quality in
the home remains clean and choosing
natural material finishes are known to
enhance our experience of our spaces,
reduce stress and have a calming effect.
Manufacturers are responding to this
shift and it has become far easier to
make sustainable choices in most areas
of renovating/ new-build so there is less
excuse not to pay attention!
Design Series website - launching (Feb
14th) - www.interiordesignseries.com
The National Homebuilding & Renovating
Show at the NEC, Birmingham, is
celebrating its 30th anniversary. Readers
can get free tickets to all the 2024 shows
on this link:
www.homebuildingshow.co.uk/
minerva
22 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk