Every month I am yapping on about interiors and interior trends. So now you have a good idea on the Style So Simple take on the world of interior design. Style So Simple is going to tap into the innovative minds of other Interior Designers worldwide. Oh yes, we are venturing into the world of Design Talk! A new monthly blog series…Excited? ME TOO! Welcome my lovely readers to Design Talk. Your feed for design inspo and trends and a little look into beautiful homes and projects of some of the most inspirational interior designers.
To start this venture I am talking to Wioleta Kelly from Abbeyfeale Interior Design. Wioleta hit the design world by storm showcasing her skills in her newly designed home and also her photography skills! Please, Wioleta can you show me how to use a camera :) With a bright, relaxed style mixed with her ‘own personal twist’ has been appreciated by magazines all around Ireland and her DIYS even featured in online design bible Apartment Therapy! Ahhh hello! Just a little envious of this girls design game!
So let's get some questions rolling and see where Wioleta gets inspiration for her incredible interiors and maybe some tips on how we can create this in our own homes :)
1: So your home is just stunning! Do you have any tips for readers who want to create a home like yours?
Wow, thank you so much! I picked a theme and I follow it. I think that's my biggest secret. I've noticed that we often pick a theme, but then we go shopping and we get back home with items that we don't really need or we don't have space for. Not only we waste our money by doing so, but we also clutter our homes and 'ruin' the look we wanted to go for originally.
My home is bright and airy with a few pops of colour. If you want to create a home similar to mine, pick a bright base colour, then add another colour to it (mine is grey) and mix it with a few accent colours. I picked vibrant yellow, loads of greens and different shades of blues. Having a colour scheme with only two colours in it is sooo boring! Mix it up a bit!
2: Yesss! I totally agree :) Your kitchen is such a beautiful area in your home, What was the inspiration behind it?
We knew that we wanted an Ikea kitchen this time. We got an expensive made to order kitchen before when we moved into our house and we only got 6 months warranty for it. After a year it started to look awful and we had to live with it for the next 7 years. I really hated it. We picked Ikea this time because it has 25 years warranty. We have it for nearly a year now and so far so good (touch wood). I designed the kitchen inspired by my decorating guru Joanna Gaines. So we have shiplap on the walls instead of tiles and a barn door instead of normal utility doors. Grey cabinets were my husband idea, but I paired them with white marble countertop and chrome door handles to add some life into them. Joanna Gaines would be proud ;)
3: Okay my next kitchen is coming from IKEA, Fact!! What was your favourite room to design and why?
It has to be our utility. Up until last year, it was dull and boring with back doors that we never used and storage that was never enough. I got rid of the doors completely and by doing so I gained an extra wall for storage. I always had this wonderful idea of painting literally everything in a room the same colour so it was only a matter f time before I did it in the utility. I picked a colour called Aqua Blue by Neptune and I painted all the walls, ceiling, skirting boards and cabinets in this colour. Somehow the room appears bigger and more elegant this way! I painted a huge laundry sign on a plywood board and I created clothes drying rack out of an old crib. I had loads of fun designing this space. This room makes me happy now every time I see it and it's wonderful to say since not many people can say it about their utility/ laundry room.
4: What would you say best describes your home style?
A modern farmhouse with my own personal twist. Personality is the key to success!
5: Absolutely Personality is definitely key. Where do you look or usually find your inspiration?
I'm an interior designer and I'm surrounded by inspiration. I often laugh that our home is our experimental field. Sometimes I design something for my clients and I like it so much that I want it in our home! My biggest inspiration is Joanna Gaines though. I love her style and how she runs her business. But I do get inspired by holiday homes that I stayed in, a Pinterest board and an Instagram photo that I saved weeks ago. I have a visual memory and once I see something that I like it will stay in my head for years!
6: What was the Biggest Challenge you faced in designing your home?
It has to be our garden! 9 years in and I still feel that I struggle with it. I am very happy with how our patio turned out but I feel that I still have a lot to learn when it comes to plants and garden design. I'm seriously considering a gardening course! Do you know any good ones worth to consider?
7: Ahaha! I do not! I can't even keep indoor plants alive..:( Last but not least, Wioleta, What interior designer has inspired you the most in your design career and why?
I am inspired by many designers. Years ago I would say, Thom Filicia, Mary McDonald and Jonathan Adler just to name a few. But these days my design guru is Joanna Gaines. The truth to be told though is that I love the American style and all these designers somehow played an important role in making my style the way it is today. Elegant bedrooms, comfortable living rooms, spacious kitchens... All with a sprinkle of personality and a big dose of a WOW-factor!
Thank you so much Wioleta, this has been a lovely interview to start the Design Talk series :) To keep up to date with Wioleta and her designs check her out on Instagram and facebook.
Next month we will be talking to one of the interior designs gurus for maximalist and electric interior design! Pati Robins! If you would like to be featured on Design Talk, get in touch! Email hello@stylesosimple.com