{"id":15584,"date":"2023-04-20T10:02:02","date_gmt":"2023-04-20T09:02:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.oakfurnitureland.co.uk\/blog\/?p=15584"},"modified":"2024-04-23T11:03:13","modified_gmt":"2024-04-23T10:03:13","slug":"qa-with-joanna-thornhill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oakfurnitureland.co.uk\/blog\/general\/qa-with-joanna-thornhill\/","title":{"rendered":"On the sofa with interior stylist Joanna Thornhill"},"content":{"rendered":"

We chat with interiors guru Joanna Thornhill about all things home-related, including top decor tips, advice on finding your personal style and the inspiration behind her latest book that delves behind the scenes of the popular BBC TV series Interior Design Masters<\/em>. Read on to find out more.<\/p>\n

Can you tell us a bit about your interiors background?<\/h2>\n

\"Interior<\/p>\n

I\u2019m an interiors expert specialising in styling, writing, consulting, speaking and teaching for a range of clients, both commercial and residential. My key areas of work are styling photoshoots for brands<\/a> to use in their marketing and campaign imagery (past clients include Oak Furnitureland<\/a>, among many others!) and my written work<\/a> is mainly for magazines, alongside ongoing work as a Contributing Emerging Trends Writer for the trend forecasting agency WGSN.<\/p>\n

Over the past few years, I\u2019ve diversified a little and have started teaching courses and workshops<\/a> covering interior design, for both businesses and individuals keen to learn more about certain aspects, alongside offering creative consulting<\/a> and online design services<\/a> for those simply looking for a little guidance to help them on their way.<\/p>\n

My passion is helping others understand how to use design to tell their story, whether that\u2019s for their brand or within their own home, and to explain how we can use design to enhance our well-being once we\u2019ve clarified our own needs and understood the effects certain colours, shapes and styles have on our brains. I\u2019m also the author of four interiors books<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the premise of your latest book?<\/h2>\n

Interior Design Masters<\/em><\/a> (published by Quadrille), is in association with the popular BBC1 TV series. Designed as a manual to all things interiors as well as to represent the best of the show across all four series, it\u2019s broken down into easy-to-follow sections so readers can learn more about all aspects of the design process, based on ideas from the show, from how to begin planning your projects to looking at colours, layouts and design styles, right down to the finishing touches.<\/p>\n

Why has Interior Design Masters become so popular?<\/h2>\n

\"Sofa
\nSofa area in the design studio of season 4 of Interior Design Masters<\/em><\/p>\n

I think design shows are always popular as they offer some escapist entertainment with an educational element, too \u2013 plus, while not everyone has a special interest in interior design, we all ultimately want to live in a space that makes us feel good, so there\u2019s a curiosity to it, as well.<\/p>\n

The nice thing about the show is that while the contestants\u2019 work is of course critiqued and judged, it\u2019s always constructive, rather than simply pitting people against each other for entertainment\u2019s sake.<\/p>\n

What is the most challenging aspect for contestants?<\/h2>\n

Interestingly I feel like \u2013 aside from the pressures of being filmed for a TV show \u2013 many of their challenges are what most people working in this field face on a daily basis: an unforeseen problem like discovering a damaged sub-floor that needs replacing, or hold-ups from deliveries not arriving on time or containing an incorrect order, and dealing with those knock-on effects.<\/p>\n

In real life, there\u2019s of course a little more flexibility to deal with these issues, but on a show like this, just like styling a photoshoot, you have to think on your feet and come up with instant workarounds.<\/p>\n

Do you have a favourite room scheme from the series?<\/h2>\n

I really enjoyed the novelty factor of the beach chalets the contestants designed in Episode Five: I always think tiny, leisure-only spaces are really interesting to work on as you can afford to be a little more fun and playful, which they all were.<\/p>\n

I actually really liked different aspects of all five designs \u2013 Temi\u2019s really hit her beachy, eco brief, I loved Tom\u2019s cosy weather-worn interior, Monika\u2019s \u2018gin palace\u2019 felt super decadent, Peter\u2019s colourful mural felt incredibly warm and playful, and Jack\u2019s deco-themed space was stunning. I\u2019m not sure I can really choose a favourite from these as they were so diverse and all finished to such a high standard \u2013 the judges had a similar problem in this episode, too!<\/p>\n

What role do you think trends play in design concepts?<\/h2>\n

I spend a lot of time immersing myself in trends for my monthly trend reports, and for me, it\u2019s about a lot more than simply \u2018trending\u2019 colours or patterns, it\u2019s about looking at broader societal issues and how that impacts the way we live.<\/p>\n

The pandemic, for example, obviously forced many of us to spend a lot more time at home and created the need for additional functionality which may not have been required there before, such as office<\/a> and exercise spaces.<\/p>\n

This has led towards more broken-plan and multi-functional living which can be easily adapted for fluctuating needs, and retailers have responded to this by offering, for example, modular or multi-use furniture, room divider screens to aid splitting up an open-plan space, and home office furniture solutions which look far more homely than corporate. For a trend to be successful, it has to be solving people\u2019s real-life problems rather than simply looking good.<\/p>\n

How do you first approach a project?<\/h2>\n

\"Studio<\/p>\n

Studio set from season 4 of Interior Design Masters<\/em><\/p>\n

It very much depends on the brief but broadly speaking, initially, I\u2019d find out a little more about my client, whether it\u2019s a brand or an individual: what are their values, aesthetic preferences and needs for that project or space? Then I\u2019d start pulling together images and ideas that could represent the direction they are looking to go in.
\nOnce the brief is clearer, it\u2019s on to fleshing things out and selecting specific products or decorative finishes, clarifying design ideas and working out the practical steps to pull everything together and make it happen.<\/p>\n

How are commercial and residential projects different?<\/h2>\n

They are surprisingly similar and surprisingly different all at once! The initial process mentioned above is often the same, but it\u2019s the execution that\u2019s very different.
\nWhen I\u2019m dressing a space for a photoshoot, I\u2019m purely thinking about how it\u2019s going to look on camera and there\u2019s often a lot of \u2018faking it\u2019 going on \u2013 floor tiles are laid down but left unfitted, walls are only painted as far as the camera will see, and lights are suspended from metal poles out of shot rather than fixed into the ceiling, for example. I will work with set builders, rather than traditional builders. It goes without saying that none of these cheats would be appropriate for a real-life home!<\/p>\n

Do you have a favourite room to design?<\/h2>\n

It really depends on the concept and the space, but linking back to my comment earlier about the beach chalet episode of Interior Design Masters<\/em>, I think there\u2019s something really fun about designing a little escapist nook, where the focus is more on creating an immersive experience, rather than having to worry too much about practicality.<\/p>\n

Has the world of interiors has changed since the rise of social media?<\/h2>\n

\"Studio<\/p>\n

Judge Michelle Ogundehin’s office space from series 4 of Interior Design Masters<\/em><\/p>\n

Hugely, and for both good and bad (though predominantly good!) I feel like design has become a lot more democratic and accessible to all, including previously overlooked groups such as renters, people on a budget and those living in tiny homes (which is increasingly becoming the majority of us, so it\u2019s brilliant that more of us are being catered to!)<\/p>\n

I do however think there\u2019s a \u2018danger\u2019 of falling into the trap of simply copying the homes of favourite influencers, without necessarily understanding if it\u2019s going to be right for you personally, or if that look will support your well-being needs.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s really worthwhile getting to understand your design personality (my previous book, The New Mindful Home<\/a>, published by Laurence King, goes into this in a lot more detail). Once you\u2019re clearer on this you\u2019ll be able to decipher what colours, schemes or concepts might genuinely work for you, vs what might offer pleasing eye candy, but is best left on the \u2018Gram.<\/p>\n

What tips can aspiring designers take from the show?<\/h2>\n

Often on design shows, there\u2019s so much to pack into the edit that it can be a real challenge to show all the aspects of a contestant\u2019s design, so when it came to writing the Interior Design Masters book, I wanted to really use this as an opportunity to amplify some of the blink-and-you\u2019ll-miss-it projects and DIY makes that were created across each series, and explain in more detail how readers can adapt them for their own homes.<\/p>\n

So as well as giving how-tos for specific makes, there\u2019s also lots of information on more fundamental design elements that regularly crop up in each series, such as creating a wood-panelled wall or making a simple box storage bench. The book also includes lots of tips and insights from both the contestants and the on-screen builders and carpenters, to help it feel more personal.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s your advice for finding your signature style?<\/h2>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Breakout space from series 4 of Interior Design Masters<\/em><\/p>\n

This aspect is very integral to the Design Masters ethos, and it\u2019s a really useful principle to apply to real-life designing, too. It\u2019s covered fairly extensively in the book, but in essence, it\u2019s all about digging deeper than individual trends and getting to grips with your \u2018design DNA\u2019, which you can do by getting really curious about all things you: what colours, eras or looks do you feel naturally drawn to? Are there any patterns you feel nostalgia towards that always make you feel happy? Do you prefer a more neutral home, or does surrounding yourself with patterns and bright colours give you more of an emotional lift?<\/p>\n

Taking the time to think about your personality type and preferences can really help determine all of this and give you a framework to take into account when making informed design choices.<\/p>\n

To find out more about Joanna, visit her website at joannathornhill.co.uk<\/a> or follow her on Instagram @joannathornhillstylist<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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