I want that style with Hillarys

Earlier in the month blind and curtains experts Hillary's launched a brand new campaign that will make you take another look at the drapery around your home with a view of giving it a serious makeover. Curtains and blinds can totally transform a room and with access to over 300 fabrics in Hillary's collection, there's never been a better time to indulge in some serious window treatments.

The new collection features a mix of trend-led prints, modern classics and versatile plains that hang together to help create an inviting and distinct home.

Hillary's didn't stop there, however! They challenged four of their (and ours!) favourite interiors specialists to interpret four design themes, that they feel will be strongly influencing interiors during 2018, using fabrics from their fabulous new collection. And the four stylists were...

Kate Watson Smyth - author of award winning blog Mad about the House and that 'Shades of Grey' book;

Sophie Robinson - Inspirational TV interior stylist

Daniela Tasca York - Winner of the Great Interior Design Challenge 2017; and

Emily Henson - interior stylist, designer and author behind Life Unstyled.

Each stylist got exactly the same room set and the style that most closely reflected their own, and was asked to create a design that epitomises their themes. Queue all heart-eyed emojis, because these rooms are a serious eye candy (Pinterest, prepared to get on fire!).

COLOUR CLASH

This first room was designed by - you guessed it - Sophie Robinson. It is the most delicious riot of colour and basically screams Sophie. I love how each designer worked on their own style and did not try to reflect something that would not really 'be them'. I also very much like the idea that you can almost immediately match each room to its designer given they all have very distinct styles.

But consider this for a sec: they all had exactly the same room to work on. And each room could not be more different from the other. That should really tell you that the possibilities in interior design truly are endless!

Sophie described the design process in some length on her own blog here (which is a must read plus you get to see her mood boards), so while I won't be going into the details, I want to highlight a few things:

Firstly, Sophie was ballsy enough to get the ceiling painted. OHMYGODITHINKIDIEDALITTLE. Not only that, but the paint colour seems to jump into opposite walls and onto her gallery wall!

Her top tip for surviving the pattern mash: make sure there is a mixture of large scale and small scale prints and some plains for balance and restrict yourself to a colour palette. And if you want to give your room some personality? Bring design genres and styles together.

In this scheme you can see Eclipse Denim ( a deep blue geometric jacquard print) and a vibrant watercolour floral in shades of fuchsia & teal called Caprice Paradise.

Sophie says:

"If you are a lover of high impact interiors, then you need to look at colour schemes that add drama. By clashing contrasting colours you quickly create that high-energy appeal that I really love".

URBAN GLAMOUR

Unmistakably 'Kate', the Urban Glamour abode designed by Kate Watson Smyth, oozes sophistication and delights with its simplicity. Do read Kate's own take on this challenge (if anything, for her musings on getting on the wrong train with Sophie Robinson).

She chose blinds in Clarence Blush and dressed the room with signature Rockett St George pieces like this cowhide armchair and the palm floor lamp.

MINIMAL LUXE

Although we have yet to see any of Daniela's finished projects after the end of the Great Interior Challenge, one think is for sure: they will be luxe. Just like the set she created below which featured floor to ceiling curtains (Tetbury Ivory and Clarence Off White) and voiles.

Daniela says:

"For me the finished room encompasses everything I love about minimalism. It feels refreshing and restful and elevates my mood. The mix of materials such as the marble, porcelain, and tone on tone fabrics give the room a layered but modern feel".

For similar furniture, try West Elm. This is the Martini side coffee table. Daniela used her own designed faux marble wallpaper in this room.

MODERN RUSTIC

For a rustic and supremely cosy feel, Emily Henson teamed a classic woven check Roman blind, Howard Chartreuse, with linen-look curtains in Lindora Silver. She finished her look with a mountain of deep filled cushions in coordinating shades of blush pink, dove grey, mustard and chartreuse. This feels comfortable and homely.

I will let you in on a secret: Hillary's can help you complete the look in your home and make cushions in the same fabric as your curtains and they also now sell carpets!

I WANT THAT STYLE TOO!

Inspired by the new collection I didn't hesitate for a moment and called Hillary's in. With the Guest Bedroom makeover under way, I needed the finishing touch to my scheme and Hillary's sure did deliver!

I made an appointment with my local Hillary's rep (Steve Canoville) and within a few days he visited our home with numerous books full of fabric swatches. Super professional, reassuring and easy to talk too, Steve explained the process and then got on with measuring while I dived into the samples.

Given the room will have one wallpapered wall and a large green surface (the Sofas and Stuff Bermondsey bed in Napoli Viridian) as well as yellow lampshades (Pooky), I decided to pick the third colour in the Little Greene Paradise wallpaper - coral!

So my fabric of choice for the blinds: Tetbury Coral!

Every Hillary's rep has a VERY handy visualiser tool on their tablet, which takes a photo of your window and superimposes the new blind in your preferred fabric, you can then "open" and "close" your blinds.

Now, last week, Steve was back to fit the blinds and unlike my husband, made no fuss and practically no sound (apart from the occasional drilling). He made sure I was happy with positioning, ensured the safety latch was in place and then asked me to "quality check" his work.

Steve then also let me know that if there was anything I was unhappy with, he would come back to fix it. Now THAT'S something you don't get with online services and I can honestly tell you I much preferred it to having to rely on my husband's mood before "assigning" the task to him (because everyone known I cannot be trusted with anything that requires a straight line.

The result was BEAUTIFUL and I cannot wait to share it with you. I know I have shared quite a few sneaky peeks but make sure you come back here this Friday 27th October when I post the "Reveal" photos of the Guest Bedroom - hurray!

Update: my guest bedroom makeover with Hillarys

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Jenny Kakoudakis likes to blog about interiors. She launched award-winning Seasons in Colour in 2014 and the luxury interior design blog All The Pretty Homes in 2024.

When she is not chasing criminals out of the financial system (her day job), she gets creative by redecorating her own home.