16/06/2026
“Oh I am not trendy at all” my client proudly announced.
At the start of the project, she'd done what most people do when planning a room. She'd saved hundreds of images, followed the latest design trends, and collected inspiration from magazines and social media.
As we talked more, I realised she wasn't choosing what she loved. She was choosing what she thought she was supposed to love.
The more we explored her home, her travels, the pieces she'd kept for years, and the spaces where she felt most comfortable, the clearer it became.
She didn't actually like trends.
She loved natural materials, collected pieces with meaning, colours that felt calm, and a home that reflected her family rather than the latest design trends.
The turning point came when she gave herself permission to explore.
Everything became easier after that.
Decisions that had felt overwhelming suddenly felt obvious.
The finished room wasn't the trendiest room I've ever designed.
It was something much better.
It felt like her.
And years from now, that's the thing I suspect she'll still love most about it.
If you've ever found yourself saving endless inspiration but struggling to make decisions for your own home, it might be worth asking whether you're trying to follow trends—or trying to understand your own style.
Because the most beautiful homes aren't built around what's popular.
They're built around the people who live in them.
And if you're feeling stuck between what you like and what you think you should like, that's often where the real design work begins.
