Nicky Percival Interior Architecture and Design

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Nicky Percival Interior Architecture and Design

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With 25 years experience designing interior spaces, I have knowledge, integrity and insight. I am passionate about creating spaces for living and breathing.

My design philosophy is to draw out the personality & vision of my clients in an open & articulate way, to create the living spaces entirely attuned to them & their properties, be they historic or modern buildings & interiors, domestic or commercial. From concept through all stages of design, planning and implementation, I hope to inspire and guide your decisions. Having worked for many years in Theatre and Television, my approach is lively, friendly and collaborative. My knowledge of architecture, period buildings and decorative arts allows an ability to use modern elements of design with creativity and respect . I work with:-
* Architects and Developers on new builds and house refurbishments
* Busy professionals who are assured a creative and smooth running service.
* Families who require changing spaces as they grow.
* Businesses needing a fresh look or change of work environment.

18/10/2026

I make no bones about interior design being expensive- it takes time and high skill to design, source, install and style a space. It isn’t simply “add to basket” and throw it together.

What’s even more expensive is winging it yourself and buying everything twice. Designing a room that you outgrow in 2 years, buying a sofa that “fits” but completely interrupts the flow of the space or choosing the wrong colour and paying for a repaint.

I design rooms that last. The investment now pays dividends over years.

15/10/2026

I spent a day immersed in design, discovering beautiful materials, meeting talented makers and finding inspiration at Focus/26 on Design at Chelsea Harbour.

A few highlights really stood out:
* The instinctive creativity of Nina Campbell and Helen Carey
* The timeless craftsmanship of Scottish furniture maker Faolchú Furniture Faolchú
* Beautiful new colourways from Roger Oates Design
* A striking meeting of fashion and interiors in the Roger Oates × Richard Allan collaboration

And, of course, a nostalgic walk along the King’s Road to round off the day.

It’s these moments of discovery that continue to shape how I approach every interior. I relish the chance to meet the people behind the brands so when I spec them for projects I know my clients can trust the heritage and provenance of my suggestions.

Swipe through for a few highlights, and read my full rundown of the day on my blog - find the link in my bio.

01/10/2026

PRACTICAL EVERYDAY LIVING

Practicality and function are the beating heart of the transformation of my client’s Victorian Coach House in Kent. Opening up the room with a C-shaped kitchen and banquette seating dining area delivers a relaxed entertaining hub my client was yearning for.

A modern John Lewis & Partners dining table paired with a custom corner bench creates the perfect setting for intimate meals and larger gatherings.

The room is blessed with gorgeous natural light, so we simply complemented it with statement lighting by Thomas O’Brien from Andrew Martin. It has the additional benefit of defining the dining area in this open-plan space.

The artwork has great personal significance, so we carefully considered how to display it to maximum effect.

For the kitchen itself, the Nordic blue colour scheme was inspired by the original stained-glass windows. We aimed for a muted, textured finish to prove that smaller kitchens can be sophisticated retreats rather than purely utilitarian spaces.

📷 Limelight Interiors Photography

27/09/2026

I haven’t always been an interior designer. And that’s what makes me a better one.

I studied interior design and learnt the “rules” of good design. But I cut my teeth on my postgrad course and subsequent life as a Theatre and TV set designer. It completely changed how I think about people and how they live in spaces.

I spent my working life building places that didn’t exist to make them feel believable. It helped me get under the skin of the sense of place and belonging. Now, as an interior designer, I carry that knowledge into my design process.

We don’t start with the styles, we start with the story. How do you want this space to feel? Tell me about who lives here and what they like to do day-to-day. It’s these intricacies and minutiae that are far more important than which wallpaper will work.

Swipe to take a look at some of the worlds I created, and if you’d like to create your own “world” in your home, let’s begin with a call.

25/09/2026

LEADING LINES

Leading lines are a useful tool in a designer’s toolbox to create visual paths through a space. Via architectural features, furniture, flooring and colour we can gently guide the eye where we’d like it to look next.

A few examples in some of my projects:

1. The red-edged jute stair runner in my Edwardian House project leaves you no option but to gaze up the stairs in this home, wondering what awaits at the top.

2. A runner rug in my Victorian Coach House project serves a dual purpose of pulling your footfall through the open-plan kitchen-dining space and giving a formal distinction between the two spaces.

3. The low-profile sofa and upholstered ottoman in my formal reception room project in Penshurst are designed to feel serendipitous, but are intentional echoes of the dado rail, making the room feel more expansive.

4. The curved line of this painted headboard softens this bedroom space and feels enveloping, like a hug before bed.

5. The echo of the round table and the round chandelier give this formal dining room the balance it needs to feel grand but welcoming.

6. The bold framing of this art, placed just above the dado rail line in this hallway invites you to imagine what sits either sit of it in the space.

What I love most about leading lines is the subtlety of their impact. Done well, they are barely perceptible.

23/09/2026

Let’s unpick the design decisions I made in this Georgian manor house in Pensurst, Kent.

To set the scene, this Grade II listed family house was beautiful but very tired and the owners were looking for a designer to gently guide them to make decisions they were secure in and felt ownership of.

This is the family bathroom- for starters we needed new plumbing so once the basics were in place we focussed on creating a beautifully neutral, organic room that would also work hard and withstand wear and tear.

Key decisions we made here were: ▫️ Larger walk-in shower for spacious feeling
▫️ Bespoke double vanity - both practical and aesthetic choice
▫️ Lighting at head height

21/09/2026

Coming back inside after the heady summer isn’t quite such a wrench when it’s to this snug.

Part of a complete refurbishment of an Edwardian house in Hastings, this room was designed for comfort and practicality to coexist.

From the bespoke alcove shelving to hold my client’s enviable book collection to the gallery wall, bold velvet sofa and his-and-hers side tables, the focus in this room was light, texture and layering.

Though nodding to its Edwardian heritage with symmetry throughout, we loosened things up with Scandi takes on traditional furniture so it feels totally livable in 2026. Playful pops of colour result in a room that doesn’t take itself too seriously- ideal for this client’s creative spirit.

Edwardian townhouse | sitting room | snug | library |Hastings Old Town interior design | home renovation | home refurbishment

Interior design: Nicky Percival
 Photography: Matt Gamble Photography

19/09/2026

The befores of this room would reveal heavy swags and tails that overwhelmed these grand, Georgian windows after 25 years in situ.

The Green Room’s new chapter called for something with more sophistication, befitting of the older professional couple who will enjoy it day-to-day.

After much deliberation, we opted for James Hare exquisite Shalimar embroidered fabric with accents of sage green and red botanical motifs. It ties beautifully with my clients’ cherished rug from Luxor. To keep the formality of the room without the flounce, we opted for simpler soft pelmets.

I’ve written about this design choice and the rest of the room on my latest blog.

15/09/2026

If your approach to renovation is “Add to Basket”, look away.

This is the home of curated. Found. Discovered. Antiqued. Recovered. Rescued.

I wear it as a badge of honour when asked, “Where can I buy it?” and I can say, “Oh, you can’t”.

There are times when a one-size-fits-all approach is fine- university halls, doctor’s waiting rooms, shopping centres. Your home isn’t one of them.

Rooms I design emerge. They aren’t the product of one showroom visit and a credit card. Over months, I compile, curate and source everything that transforms a room from the four walls in a house to the dream room in a home.

Does it take a little longer? Yes. Worth it? 100%

10/06/2026

Teen bedrooms you wouldn’t be ashamed to host weekend guests in.

The transition from child’s bedroom to teen space can be treated like an afterthought or quick fix- slap on a pastel wall colour, chuck on a new bedspread and play it safe with a print to make it ‘funky’.

And the trope about messy, lazy teenagers doesn’t help the stereotype that teens don’t deserve nice spaces.

But teenagers are deserving of thoughtful design. Their room is super-important at this stage of life. Giving them a place that feels like somewhere privacy, creativity, rest and self-expression can all co-exist isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about helping them feel grounded at home through exams, friendship dramas and big life decisions.

And if weekend guests can stay in there without feeling like they’re at a youth hostel, all the better.

I design beautiful rooms for every member of the house across Kent, Sussex, Surrey and the South East. if you’d like to discuss an upcoming renovation, please do reach out.

Address

26-28The Pantiles
Tunbridge Wells
TN25TN

Website

http://www.nickypercival.co.uk/

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