With summer come and gone, our attention turns from gardens and outdoor activities, to cocooning and the home interior. So now is a great time to put into action plans for the revamp and refurbishment of that tired living room, or freshening up the bedroom with new furnishings, throws, and cushions.

CUSHIONING THE FALL

Design Inspiration is packed with wonderful fabrics, wall coverings, and ideas to get the creative juices flowing!

The talented design team also provide free professional consultations instore, or can arrange a home visit, to offer some of the best design advice around.

Coupled with the design service, the business owners Wendy and Rose, offer a comprehensive making service for fabrics. We met up with them at the twostorey showroom to discuss some of their latest projects.

How has the summer been for Design Inspiration?
ROSE We have had a really busy summer. Not only did we have two showhomes to furnish, but lots of our regular customers called to have the next room on their list furnished!

WENDY Yes, the showhomes that we worked on were great fun - they were like a blank canvas, and we were just allowed to get on with doing what we do best - every designer's ideal project and completed within budget!

Was it easy to stay within budget?
ROSE We always ask our clients if they have a budget, but we have a vast array of pattern books and suppliers to choose from, so we can cater for most budgets and tastes.

If a client had an existing sofa or carpet, how easy was it to coordinate new furnishings to blend into the scheme?
WENDY It's obviously a bit more of a challenge, but I suppose as we've been doing interior design for over thirty nine years, it becomes second nature to know what works and what doesn't.

ROSE Clients like our honesty and are amazed when we pull out one of the hundreds of pattern books and show them a fabric or wallpaper that is just perfect for their project.

So, apart from fabrics and wall coverings, what other services can you provide?
ROSE Obviously we can make the fabrics into curtains, blinds, cushions or any other soft furnishings, as well as providing a fitting service for the tracks, poles or upholstered pelmets. But we can also supply a wide variety of flooring, rugs, lighting, and home accessories.

WENDY With clients investing in their homes rather than moving, our upholstery range and reupholstery service has also been very popular.

What other projects have you been working on?
ROSE One of our regular clients recently came in and wanted an African themed bedroom. I used lots of warm natural tones and textures teamed with earthy shades and added a quirky stool upholstered in faux giraffe!

WENDY I have just completed another home within the Manor House at Tal-y-Garn near Pontyclun. It's a really beautiful location. The windows and rooms there have such grand proportions and look simply stunning when they are completed. Our client was really excited about the soft furnishings arriving and it is so rewarding to see the expression on people's faces, when they get to see the scheme you have designed transformed into reality.



So, what's next for the team?
ROSE With the schools back and Christmas around the corner, our order books normally fill up by early October!

WENDY The new season's collection of fabrics and wall coverings will arrive this month along with the latest range of gifts and jewellery, so there's never a dull moment at Design Inspiration!

Design Inspiration 77 Llantrisant Rd, Pontyclun CF72 9DP 01443 449955 www.designinspirationltd.co.uk EXCLUSIVE VALE LIFE OFFER Mention this feature when booking your soft furnishing order and get half price making on curtains* Offer valid until 30th September. *Pencil pleat heading.