The Live Well

Say hello to a FRESH NEW LOOK 🤍 In October last year we made the transition from Home and Lifestyle Store with Interior Design services, to a full-time INTERIOR DESIGN STUDIO, so we thought it was about time we did a little brand refresh.

Thanks to for the illustration, our new logo, fonts, and colours. We love them and can’t wait to start using it all .

Life Lately. 6 weeks in 10 photos.

- Samples, samples, samples. My desk before a video consultation.
- A night with the girls learning how to cook with
- How many bathrooms can you fit in a skip? It isn’t 4.
- Birthday caking, Swiftie style.
- Phase 3 Henley project let’s go. My site desk set up.
- Iridescent balls
- Site visits to the Caversham project, cool kitchen incoming soon.
- At home with Kiki.
- Meetings over tapas are always a good idea.
- Date night with Kings Of Leon.

What have you all been up to?

Heading home for the weekend after a full on week in the studio, but grateful to be doing what I love and working on lots of fabulous projects!

I’ve the perfect chilled “at home” weekend planned, i’m talking walks with the dog, breakfast bap, a game or two of tennis, trying on my M&S x Sienna Miller haul (just me?), maybe a BBQ if the weather behaves and heading to preloved fashion fair on Sunday afternoon. What have you got planned?

Designed by
Project | The Views Henley
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Back in the studio today after a lovely week in Portugal, with 3 nights in Lisbon and then 4 nights in Comporta, which turned out to be the perfect balance of busy and chill.

Part 1 Lisbon | we took in the city via a Tuk Tuk tour, spent a day in Sintra looking at palaces, castles and gardens, hoped on and off the famous Tram 28, tasted some incredible food and took in as much of the city as we could. As per usual most of my photos were mainly of doors, floors, shapes and colour combos.

Did you know we design and make custom pieces of furniture and cabinetry? If you didn’t, you do now.

My client loves her vintage (record player) and tannoy speakers so I designed some custom speaker tables for them to sit nicely into. I love how seamless they look, but also how we ensured functionally we have useable side tables flanking the sofa.

Can’t wait to show you more of this room and the custom record player table I designed too.

Thought it was time to say hello again as I haven’t in a while.

If you are new around here, I’m Susie, Suz (but never Sue 😆) and here’s 4 things to know about working with me. . .

1 | I love working on different types of projects, whether that be different styles, period of property or just unique briefs. For me the joy comes in curating one-of-a-kind designs that ignore the trends and are authentically you.

2 | I’m all about blending your existing treasures with fresh finds to create spaces. Your home should have a story to tell, and I love hearing about your collection of art, the armchair that’s been passed down or that rug you picked up on your travels, and incorporating them into the designs.

3 | Understanding how you live in your space is key. I want to dig deep into your routines and rituals and what the next few years look like, to curate environments for you that enrich your daily life now and in the years to come.

4 | I get that not everyone has a whole house to renovate, so whether it’s a full renovation, a room refresh, project advice or project management, I offer a range of services that can be tailored to your needs.

If you want to know more, or just say hello, just drop me a comment or pop me a DM

x

For a moment there I forgot about posting! But I’m back and on the right time zone following my holiday, which was lovely and so nice to have some mother / daughter time.

I’m currently in a phase of lots of designing and project planning at the moment, so taking an opportunity to look at some previous transformations like this stairway . Those curved spindles bring me a lot of joy!

Design by
Project | Henley The Views
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Hello from the new studio! Whilst the sun doesn’t shine in here every day, it still feels the same to me, bright, calm and uplifting.

The move to a studio has been on the list for a year now and being honest, I was looking for something completely different. But for me a place is as much a feeling as it is a look and when a friend suggested I come and view it, the feeling hit when I walked in here and I knew it was exactly the right place for the business for now. A place that I could fill with creativity, our sample library, projects we are working on and host clients, but also a place to focus and grow the business.

Now I’m unpacked and settled in, I’ll be sharing more studio goings on, so let me know what you’d like to see.

Are you allowed favourites? This is definitely one of mine. As soon as my client and I saw this colour in flagship London shop, we knew it had to feature in the house somewhere, and the downstairs toilet was the perfect spot. Already a darker room due to it’s position we just embraced it and went full on moody, drenching the whole room in this gorgeous earthy brown. What do you think?

Designed by
Project | The Views Henley
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Happy Friday all, how’s your week been?

I’m rolling into the weekend with a new studio space and a lot of unpacking to do. So whilst I put shelves together, unpack boxes and look for things i’ve misplaced, enjoy this cute corner at my Henley The Views project.

Design by
Project | Henley The Views
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SUNDAY SWOON | Let’s talk about the 5th wall in a room, aka your ceiling, and how it shouldn’t be overlooked when designing the space.

There’s so many different ways to elevate your ceiling adding dimension, interest, depth and character, and by giving it as much attention as you would the walls you can really transform the look and feel of your room.

Here’s a few ideas to get you thinking;

~ Tile it
~ Drench it in the same colour or paper as your walls
~ Clad it in wood
~ Highlight architectural features such as cornice
~ Add some beams, rustic or modern
~ Accentuate it with colour
~ Play with rope
~ Painted tongue and groove / v groove
~ Frame it

Do you fancy enhancing your ceiling? Any questions pop them in the comments

Making every inch count. A wardrobe hanging space above the loft bedroom stairwell, making sure we utilise every bit when space is at a premium.

Designed by
Made by .studio
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SUNDAY SWOON | sharing a few things I have saved lately. . .

1. Terracotta limewash walls
2. Now thats a staircase
3. Green floral chairs
4. Door details
5. Clean blue lines
6. Green and orange colour combo via
7. Chequerboard walls

SUNDAY SWOON | I posted the other day about longevity in design, and the importance of rooms growing with you and/or being flexible to your needs, and this room by is a great example of a space that can adapt to different activities during a day without doing anything to it 🤎

~ library, stretch out and read a book
~ work space, ample space for the laptop, paperwork, books and folders
~ dining room, add some candlelight, friends and food and you’ve got yourself an intimate dining space

Nailed it 🤎

We recently completed our Caversham loft project, encompassing a master bedroom and ensuite shower room. It’s so rewarding to witness the transformative impact this space has had on the overall design and character of our clients’ home, influencing subtle shifts in spatial dynamics. Excited to continue our collaborative journey with them on the next phase of their renovations—a kitchen extension.

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Let me share a little concept sketch of a room I designed for a 9 year old.

I love this room design as it’s a great example of how longevity is paramount in crafting interiors that evolve with you, adapting to various life stages. And this principle is particularly vital when curating children’s bedrooms, where their likes and needs change significantly over time.

At the centre of this design was a bespoke desk with storage drawers and shelves, providing a large space for crafting and playing with friends today, transitioning seamlessly to a dedicated homework area in the coming years, and then serving as a dressing table.

I loved it when my client sent me a photo of her daughter and friend sat on the stools crafting away

DESIGN TIP ~ So, if you are embarking on a childrens room soon, have a think about their needs now and in 2, 4, 6 years time. How can you make the space flexible enough to grow with them?

Always here if you have any questions, just pop them in the comments.

Design by

SUNDAY SWOON | Another week, another storm and as we hunker down and get cosy tonight, I can’t help but look at curtains for my front door. Looks super cute and keeps the warm in right..discuss? I wonder if the door comes with them 🤔.

Ending the week with a view from our Caversham loft project. I love all the shapes in this corner.

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Sunday Swoon is back for 2024 and we are kicking off with COLOUR BLOCKING.

Colour blocking isn’t just about bright primaries and busy shapes / repetition – it’s a timeless technique that adds an edgy cool to your interiors. Done right, it brings depth, interest, and highlights architectural features. Swipe left to explore a few of my favourite colour-blocked designs!

Which one resonates with your style?

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2 .yovanovitch
3 Shiraz jamili architects
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SUNDAY SWOON | the perfect coffee table for me should have ..
* plenty of lovely books to flick through (interiors, travel, art, recipe - anything you find interesting or inspiring)
* a candle or two
* a plant, flowers or foliage
* a sculptural bowl or ornament
* items with different heights and shapes

What is your perfect coffee table set up?

It’s those little details that make my heart sing, whether it be a light fitting, a cornice, a curtain heading, a catch or panel detail. These are the things I obsess over that really bring a design together.

SUNDAY SWOON | never not getting inspired.

It might be a few weeks since I last did a Sunday inspo post but I’m constantly saving images, taking photos, being inspired by places I visit or just the every day. Here’s a few I’ve saved recently from Instagram. Designers tagged.

I’m here to tell you that it is possible to love a cabinet hinge, and these gorgeous finial ball ones will be featured on a media unit I’ve designed for a client. It’s little details like that which I love getting stuck into, taking the time to find and balance different elements so that the pieces I design sit perfectly in a room and with the architecture of a property.

When you match the curtains to the wall. Mick approves.

Design by
Curtains made by
Project | Henley The Views

Having fun with colour in another loo. This one is part of the swimming pool shower room with those fabulous mustard stripe tiles you may have seen me post. Sunny and fun was very much the aim. Swipe for a before.

Design by
Project | Henley The Views

Oh hello. The dining chairs have arrived over at the Henley project and I just want to stare at them. A lot.

This is going to be one cool country house.

Just me and my tin trunk that I bought today

One of the things I love the most about my job is finding those one off pieces for your home, whether that be a piece of furniture or decorative accessory, that tell a story, and add interest and charm.

What’s your favourite one off piece in your home and where did you find it?

Yes you read that right, 40%* off in store today.

Our shop on Prospect Street will be open one last time today before we pack up and hand back the keys. So pop down between 10am and 5pm and grab a bargain.

I will be there all day to help with home accessories, styling and your interior design questions, and am looking forward to thanking you all for your support. This isn't goodbye, just a transition into a full time interior design studio - more to come from us on that soon.

Susie x

SUNDAY SWOON | I’ve got kitchens on my mind at the moment as we are mid install at our Henley project, so I thought this week I’d round up some kitchen island inspo for you.

1. Curved and cool
2. Simply does it
3. A tiled joy
4. Modern and minimal
5. Farm house vibes
6. Beverley Hills Marbled
7. Repurposed and refurbished
8. Classic shaker

Which is your vibe?

We say goodbye to our Prospect Street shop in a few weeks time, part of our evolution to a full time interior design studio.

BUT there’s still a chance to shop before we hand the keys back and grab a bargain to boot. So pop these in your calendar for a final live well shop fix. . .

* Tuesday 12th 7.30pm- Instagram stories sale where I’ll be selling some of the larger pieces we have. Grab a cuppa and shop from your sofa!

* Saturday 16th - the shop will be open 10am till 5pm and everything will be on sale. I’ll also be on hand to talk all things interiors and home styling.

Can’t wait to see you on the 16th in store.