For me, recently, that answer wasn’t ambitious or productive. I didn’t want to learn something new or tick anything off a list. I just needed to sleep.

I’d been running on empty for months; juggling work, family, life, and putting myself last. And my body started to let me know. Another cold. Constant tiredness. That low‑level emotional drain that creeps in when you’re stretched too thin for too long.

So over the bank holiday, despite us initially having plans as a family, Clark (my partner) took my son River to his mum’s, and I stayed in bed. No alarms. No rush. Just rest.

But I realised I could only truly relax because the washing was done, folded and put away.

It wasn’t sitting on the spare bed like it usually does, that familiar pile that somehow takes up space in my head as well as the room. That small detail gave me permission to rest.

That weekend, I used a few more of those reclaimed hours for myself. A coffee on my own. A rare but oh so needed self care day. Nails done. A massage. Simple things, but restorative ones. Time that helped me come back to myself. And it made me realise something quite important.

The slow drain of a home that doesn’t quite work

The reason the washing usually feels so heavy isn’t the washing itself. It’s the effort around it. The back and forth. The lack of flow. The fact that it never has a proper home. And I started thinking, if my home were planned just a little differently, and if we had a dedicated utility space with carefully curated storage, how much easier would that task be each week? How much time would it give back to me? And then a whole other stream of thought nagged at me, that our house just isn’t big enough for our needs as family of three and we now need to upsize (but that’s a story for another day!).

Usually with interiors, the initial thinking is to talk about finishes and colours and furniture.
But rarely about how a space either supports your energy… or slowly drains it.

A well‑designed home doesn’t just look good. It reduces frustration.

It makes everyday tasks lighter. It removes decision fatigue. It helps things happen more intuitively. And more importantly, it gifts you time. That’s where the real luxury lives.

Even as a designer, I find it hard

I’ll be honest, even as an interior designer, someone with the skills, years of experience and knowledge; I find it incredibly hard to carve out the time and mental space to properly design my own home.

Because good design takes deep thinking. It takes time and it takes focus. And when you’re juggling a million other priorities, often being our clients homes, it’s always the thing that gets pushed to the bottom of the to-do list.

So rooms stay “nearly finished”. Decisions get delayed. Spaces work… but not optimally. And if I find it hard with all the tools and training, how must everyone else feel?

A message that made everything clear

A few days later, I received a voice note from an old school friend. Five years ago, she’d done an extension. At the time, she thought involving a designer would be unnecessary, after all, how hard could it be? They were her words, not mine!

Now, years on, she said she regretted not getting me involved sooner.

“Truth be told, I wouldn’t have done the extension the way I did it, if I was to do it again, I just don’t think I’m doing it justice”

” I didn’t think I’d have a problem doing these things but then you realise, no this is actually really hard”

“Even when everything is tidy, I just don’t like it and I can’t put my finger on why.”

As she talked, her frustration bubbled over, fumbling through everything she disliked about the space, then suddenly stopping to shout out because she’d just stood on a toy. It was such a reality moment.
Exhausted and time stretched with two energetic young boys fighting for her attention every second of every day. Trying to solve something complex in the cracks of an already full life.

It’s not about taste. It’s about time.

Most people do have design instinct. They have taste. They know what they like and dislike. The problem often isn’t a lack of ability. The problem is time.

Time to think strategically. Time to step back and see the bigger picture. Time to consider flow, storage, light, proportion and how a space will actually be used day to day.

Instead, decisions get made in spare five‑minute windows at the end of long days. Once the kids are finally asleep. When you’re tired, depleted, and just want something decided.

That’s when impulse decisions happen. That’s when things look fine individually, but don’t quite come together as a whole. And that’s not a failure, it’s human. It’s just not the right environment for well considered design.

What a designer really gives you

Hiring a designer isn’t about outsourcing style and taste. It’s about outsourcing the mental load. It’s about having someone hold the vision when you don’t have the capacity to. Someone who can think clearly, calmly and strategically on your behalf. Someone who can design your home not just to look beautiful, but to work harder for you.

To save you time, to reduce frustrations and to support your energy rather than drain it. In that sense, design becomes deeply practical and actually quite generous.

It gifts you back hours you didn’t realise you were losing.

Time, reclaimed

When we talk about luxury in interiors, it’s often framed as something visual or material. But perhaps the greatest luxury a home can offer is time.

Time to rest. Time to breathe. Time to enjoy the life happening within it.

And sometimes, allowing someone else to help design that, to think deeply so you don’t have to, is not indulgent at all, and it’s not a failure. For many of us, it’s exactly what we need.

If this blog resonates with you, then please get in touch, and let us know what is currently draining your time and energy within your home. We’d love to help give you some time back!

Natalie x

Recent blogs

• Welcoming Crisis as Our Charity Partner
• Design for daily life: The washing pile and the mental load
• Design for daily life: Dinner time tantrums
• West Didsbury & Didsbury: Period homes, leafy streets and why we love designing here
• Telfit Farm House – Retreat design inspiration

The post Design for daily life: The washing pile and the mental load appeared first on Natalie Holden Interiors | Interior Design Service In Liverpool, Cheshire and Manchester.

Natalie attended Liverpool John Moores University and graduated with an Interior Design Degree in 2010, before establishing Natalie Holden Interiors in 2018.

Get to know Natalie in our interview below!

Why did you decide to establish your own interior design business? 

I felt like there were so many interior design companies offering a very similar look, and I wanted to offer people something a bit different; a service where I would tailor our designs to each and every person or business. I also really wanted to explore how design can enhance wellbeing and I was excited by the idea of how I could improve people’s lives through well designed spaces. You can read more about my why here where I wrote a blog about this very subject back when I had recently started the business.

What would you say sets you aside from other interior designers?

You will see that each of our projects in our portfolio have a very different identity to them, and thats why I love doing what I do because I try my best to ensure every project is unique. With a different brief, a different property and different people living and using the spaces, it would be a dis-service to our clients if I churned out projects that all looked the same. We also have a tight knit, in house team of three interior designers including myself, meaning we have enough resources to tackle big projects efficiently, but are small enough to offer a flexible service where you are treated more like a friend and not a number.

What does a typical day look like for you? 

There is no typical day! Every day is so different. One day could be spent putting concept mood boards together, or it could be problem solving when a product we have sourced has gone out of stock. Another day could be putting technical drawings together ready for the trades to follow on site.

What’s one interior design style, theme or product which you would ban if you could. 

Mirrored furniture!

What’s your interior design style?

My style changes depending on the property I’m designing. I’d probably have to pick a few categories, it would be either Transitional, Eclectic, Boho or Contemporary. In my home at the moment we’ve gone for more of a mix of Boho and Contemporary as it suits the property we are living in, but my dream house is a Victorian town house. If I ever got the chance to own my dream home I’d go for mainly Transitional with a few Contemporary or Eclectic elements thrown in too.

What is your favourite aspect of interior design?

I love the part where everything is complete and you get to see how all of the ideas in your head have turned into reality. It’s when everyone sighs a breathe of relief after all the hard work and our clients get to enjoy their gorgeous new spaces!

Interior pet peeve

Oh dear I have a few. When people buy rugs that are too small for the room! When cushions are positioned on a sofa on an angle so the corner is at the bottom. When paintwork isn’t straight along the edges, it drives me insane! I have many more but the last one I’ll share is… when plug sockets or radiators are not in the right places to function for the room. So many properties we have worked on, have plug sockets in the most questionable places, and as it’s already been done its not always appropriate to change at a later stage. I just wish we were involved early on so we could have sorted the lighting and electrics layouts too!

What’s one interior feature which you think every home should have?

Bespoke joinery, I just think clever storage solutions are always a bit of a dilemma in any home and being able to design a place for everything to be stored away neatly and organised gives me so much satisfaction.

Where do you take inspiration from the most?

Travel. I love getting the chance to explore different cultures to see how they do things, and bring ideas back into my projects. My brain literally lights up when I explore places I’ve never been before! My last adventure was in Marrakech and I came home filled with so much colour inspiration. It’s a designers dream.

If you could design a space anywhere in the world, where would you choose and why?

Hmmm, I’d have to say my dream project would be to design a boutique hotel by the sea somewhere. Either on the Amalfi coast in Italy, or somewhere in Portugal. Italy and Portugal are two of my favourite places to visit because they have fabulous food, gorgeous scenery, amazing weather, lovely people and great design.

What’s the most challenging aspect of the job?

Managing so many moving variables within a project. We have to balance design aspirations, fitting within budgets, stock availability, delivery leads times, client’s needs and sometimes changing ideas, trades availability and schedules, and unexpected problems that often arise on site which delays things. It’s not easy, but it’s so fulfilling when it all comes together at the end!

Do you have a current interior obsession? 

It probably has to be wall panelling. I just love how adding panelling to a room can really elevate a scheme and I love experimenting with different styles and layouts. Getting panelling right is a skill in itself; you need the right spacing, scale and size of profile for the property, in order for it to work well. I’ve seen many panelling disasters that I wish I could have designed.

Get in touch with us today to book your free design consultation and find out how we can help with your upcoming project. 

Don’t forget you can also keep up with what we’re getting up to behind the scenes by following us on social media. Find us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

The post Meet the team: Creative Director Natalie Holden appeared first on Natalie Holden Interiors | Interior Design Service In Liverpool, Cheshire and Manchester.

The Importance of a Renovation Strategy

Since Natalie Holden Interiors was founded in 2018, we’ve worked with over 150 different clients on their interior design renovations across Cheshire, Liverpool and Manchester. We’ve helped our clients when they have realised they’ve either outgrown the house they’re living in or moved into a house that isn’t quite right for their needs. We’ve allowed them to achieve the vision and aspirations that they have for their dream home.

Instagram vs reality

On the surface, interior design looks glamorous, you often see all the good bits over on instagram, but very rarely do you get to know or see all the moments that lead us to pulling our hair out and whispering ‘WTF’ under our breath on a daily basis! We’re currently developing a blog series as part of our renovating guide, which will share some of these unknowns in more detail, along with information about the different types of projects.

Renovating a property is exciting, and it’s rewarding when it’s complete, but the reality is, the process of getting from a to b is never straightforward so this is why it’s extremely important to have a strategy in place to ease the many bumps along the road.

Toolkit to support you

Our years of experience mean we are equipped with the knowledge to mitigate problems, know how to deal with the unexpected problems that can arise, and how to lower the negative impact when they do happen. We want to share our knowledge and expertise with you. I think we’ve probably had to deal with every type of renovation problem you could think of, and we’ve built up a valuable tool kit and plan that supports our clients to navigate this with the least stress as possible.

Think managing budgets, planning and managing timescales, managing and choosing the right suppliers, choosing and co-ordinating trades; all of which are moving variables in a renovation project that take a lot of time and brain space to plan.

Renovation Strategy Session

We are excited to share that we have developed a renovation strategy session for anyone who is in the very early planning stages of a project, who want to gain advice, discover what type of renovation is going to be best suited for them, avoid costly mistakes, and learn about how to do it successfully.

You will receive personalised expert advice and useful tools and strategies giving you the knowledge and the confidence to move forward with your project. This is a first port of call if you are unsure what your project requires practically and will include:

A 2 hour in person consultation within your property to assess the project needs and priorities. (Available in the North West UK)

Following the meeting you will then receive:

• An overview of the recommended consultants/professionals required in order to facilitate your project successfully
• A personalised project plan, timeline and milestones for what is required at each stage
• A project checklist to ensure you avoid costly mistakes
• A budget guide outlining estimate costs needed for a renovation
• A proposal on the best direction for your renovation, how its best phased and how we can help facilitate the interior design with a tailored quotation for our interior design services.

£385 + vat

“Have you ever watched Grand Designs and wondered why the outside of the buildings look amazing but the insides less so? I think it’s because those projects don’t usually involve interior designers…

If you are wondering whether you need an Interior Designer, or whether you can figure it out yourself or ask your architect to do an interior design, I would highly recommend involving Natalie Holden Interiors in your project.

We found that interior design is hard – there are so many things to consider (colours, textures, lighting, materials, quality of fixtures, atmosphere of a room, …) and so many decisions to make, and it can be completely overwhelming.

Natalie is helping us with a whole house refurbishment and it’s been a great experience. We saved many headaches and arguments, and we feel these designs will really stand the test of time.”

The post How To Plan A Renovation Successfully appeared first on Natalie Holden Interiors | Interior Design Service In Liverpool, Cheshire and Manchester.

What is a ‘wellbeing interior’?

Since the pandemic, we have all learnt the importance which our wellbeing plays in our lives. We have also put emphasis on valuing, cherishing and enjoying our homes in which we spend so much of our time! Many people have revamped their homes during this period but we are no longer wanting just somewhere we sleep, eat, entertain etc! We would all like our habitat to be a place of solace, comfort and contentment which is how we should feel when we are truly happy in our home environment.

Therefore, in recent times, both interior designers and scientists have done a lot of research into the factors of how our homes can enhance our wellbeing; not only by making our homes look beautiful but by combining the thinking and philosophies behind biophillic design, colour psychology, human biology to name a few, to inspire thoughtful design decisions which support the overall health and wellbeing of a person’s mind, body and soul.  

The intended benefits of a wellbeing interior include improved cognitive functions such as concentration, productivity and creativity plus an enriched mood and reduced anxiety! These well designed homes aim to promote harmony and balance for the people who live in it; helping to calm the mind, benefit from positive emotions and also embracing the occupants personality.

I think we could all do with some wellness in our lives so why not incorporate it into the place you spend the most time?

Below are our five key points which will help you create your very own wellbeing interior…..

Choosing sustainable materials…..

Holistic design is built on a thoughtful and respectful approach to materials. Choosing to avoid the use of all synthetic materials in favour of natural linens, leathers, jute, wool, wood, bamboo and cork for example, will help to create a harmonious palette of textures, colours and patterns. Many of these materials also evoke a strong connection with nature and the earth. 

As a bonus, if we choose to use bio-based or recycled materials it ensures we have minimal environmental impact!  

Also, creating a multi-sensory experience using sound, scent, texture and colour all adds to a setting which can be especially powerful in wellness terms as they provide an immersive experience by allowing us to engage all our senses!

Use colours which create a restorative space: think soft, earthy tones that are grounded and which are visible colours within nature; these will be your most effective choices.

However, in colour psychology, all colours evoke emotions; green’s tie into nature, blue’s are calming, yellow’s symbolise happiness & white’s promote calmness; just remember to always keep hue’s muted and soft in this instance. 

Natural light is an essential building block for good health. We require constant moderate levels of Vitamin D to boost our overall mood and energy levels.

Whilst maximising natural light in our homes is largely the architect’s role however for those with existing homes, we can help in a number of ways.

Choose window treatments which allow light to spill through and also by choosing colours and materials to bounce light around a space.

Pay attention to your furniture layout, ensure you aren’t blocking windows/doors with furniture.

If you don’t have many windows at home, gadgets such as sunrise clocks mimic the natural cycle of the sun rising and have proven to significantly help to wake our bodies and minds naturally. 

Good air quality…..

Good quality air in our homes is helpful in several ways. Going back to material choices; by using natural materials we can also ensure there are no chemicals or toxins on furnishings/textiles which we come into close contact with. 

Having air purifying plants dotted around the home such as the ‘Peace Lily’, ‘Aloe Vera’, ‘Spider Plant’ & the ‘Boston Fern’ can help to remove toxins from the air whilst looking appealing and bringing nature indoors.

Finally, good ventilation is always helpful. Opening windows and allowing air into your rooms helps to freshen up the spaces, moving air around the home and removing stagnant air at the same time! 

Biophilia…..

Biophilia is a hypothesis which suggests that humans possess an innate tendency to seek connections with nature and other forms of life.

Therefore, surrounding yourself with plants in your interior, preferably at a variety of heights and a mix of styles, can significantly reduce anxiety, improve mood whilst enhancing concentration and creativity output.

Landscape photos & artwork displayed in the home can also enhance positivity & vitality. 

Access to nature…..

Finally, there is countless amounts of research to show that reconnecting with nature visually is extremely good for your wellbeing!

Be it outdoors on a balcony or garden, to simply be directly exposed to natural light or subsequently, to be indoors but around plants, trees and even aquariums (if you have no access to outdoor space).

These can all reduce stress and anxiety, restore concentration, provide a sense of vitality and generally make your day more pleasurable! 

The post Considering Wellbeing In Your Interior Design….. appeared first on Natalie Holden Interiors | Interior Design Service In Liverpool, Cheshire and Manchester.

Ahead of the 20th anniversary of the Northern Design Awards, which will take place at the Titanic Hotel, Stanley Dock, on Friday 18th November, judges have named the finalists, including several prominent Liverpool designers and architects.

Director of Events, Shelley Mears, said: “The feedback from the judging panel this year is that the standard of entries has been better than ever. We are so excited to view these projects on the night and, of course, to award our winners at what will be our 20th event, making it a very special occasion for all involved!”

Natalie Holden Interiors are delighted to be shortlisted as a finalist for our Heswall contemporary house renovation project in the category ‘Interior Design Project Under £250k’. We cannot wait to go back to Liverpool and celebrate, where the business first launched. We’re in good company amongst other Liverpool creatives, including illustrator, artist and designer, Rebecca Christian, who has been shortlisted in the Designer Maker category, the team at KKA Interiors (in the Hotel Interior Design Category) and Unit 3 Design Studio who have been shortlisted as Best Architectural Practice.

The judging panel is made up of some of the most respected names in design and architecture, including interior design expert and TV presenter George Bond and former BIID President, Susie Rumbold. In previous years, judges have included broadcaster Linda Barker, Red or Dead founder Wayne Hemingway and George Clarke of BBC’s ‘Restoration Man’ and ‘Amazing Spaces.’

The awards have been held at a number of striking venues, including the Devonshire Dome in Buxton, Manchester’s stunning Monastery, the Chester Grosvenor and, of course, Liverpool’s iconic Titanic Hotel.

Shelley Mears said: “We last held the awards in Liverpool in 2016 at this very venue. It’s such a commanding and impressive space with such history. Our guests were so wowed by it, that it seemed an easy choice when we made the decision to bring the awards back to Liverpool for 2022.”

On the night of the awards, former Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year contestant, Emma-Leone Palmer, who has been making waves with her latest collection celebrating female desire and sensuality, will be showcasing five pieces from her new series at the Titanic.

Emma’s work has previously been censored by Meta for showing uncovered nipples and the artist said: “It’s very forward thinking of Shelley, who I immediately recognised as a fellow firework, to bring this to the awards. It’s really important that people push things forward and address censorship of the female form.”

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen (who has been involved with the Northern Design Awards in previous years) said that Emma: “has absolutely captured the now but done it with the flawless technique of a classicist.”

The Northern Design Awards were launched out of a sense of frustration at the lack of representation for designers in the north, and a London-centric awards calendar which meant that the majority of high-profile design events took place in the capital.

Shelley Bond said: “The Northern Design Awards started as a small event designed to prove that there was an appetite to celebrate the huge amount of design talent that we have in the North of England. Now, 20 years on, we’re enormously grateful to the judges, sponsors and nominees who not only showed that there was a demand for this kind of event, but also made it possible for the awards to grow and develop over the years. I’m counting down to raising a glass to thank everyone who’s supported the Northern Design Awards, and to celebrating the achievements of this year’s winners. It’s shaping up to be a very exciting night!”

The post Northern Design Awards 2022: We’re Finalists! appeared first on Natalie Holden Interiors | Interior Design Service In Liverpool, Cheshire and Manchester.

Lockdown was a time when so many people realised the importance of having a comfortable and well designed home, and how the space you inhabit can dramatically impact on how you feel. Even though I knew this already (as it’s the core reason for why I do what I do), I didn’t prioritise our home as I’m always busy pouring my time and energy into making my client’s look lovely!

Throughout the pandemic we spent so much time at home staring at the four walls and noticing all the things that were wrong and it drove us insane. The walls were smothered with paint samples and unfinished decorating, the house was filled with clutter, our temporary second hand sofas were really uncomfortable, the boiler and pipework was on show and the kitchen was practically falling apart! The lighting in our kitchen area was awful and the space felt dark and drab. Over that period we realised just how much our environment was adding to the stress and we needed to prioritise the renovation. We were yearning for a calm and comfortable place to relax and feel at home and decided to initially tackle the ugly kitchen that was falling apart (which came with the house when it was bought). Our vision was to have a clean and simple look, extra storage, modern appliances and a contemporary and practical worktop that was easy to clean.

Kitchen design : Before

One of our biggest pet peaves was the peeling laminate worktop and how it interacted with the hob and tiles. It was nightmare to clean and completely impractical for a small kitchen. Our main criteria for the new worktop:

1. It needed to look simple and uncluttered so we decided to choose a material that could also act as a back splash too

2. I was keen to look at what environmentally friendly options were on the market

3. We needed a surface that was easy to clean and durable

Cosentino

Cosentino are one of my favourite worktop suppliers and I’ve specified their finishes on multiple client projects. After learning about their sustainable Hybriq + technology and the new finishes available, I decided to explore the options for our kitchen design. We arranged visit at their Manchester showroom and it was fantastic to have a tour around the showroom and warehouse whilst learning all about the sustainable credentials of their brand new ranges. Hybriq + technology is a high performance blend of materials including 20% recycled content. The factory in Spain is operated by 100% solar power energy and they use 99% recycled water throughout the process. You can find out more about the technical specification with some really interesting videos!

We fell in love with the Ethereal Glow polished finish, which has a beautiful honey colour veining running through to add a touch of warmth. It ticked all of the boxes and worked perfectly with our colour scheme. *Cosentino gifted this worktop as part of this collaboration.

Kitchen design : After

If you are looking to update your kitchen, we’d love to help! Get in touch to find out how we can improve the look and functionality of your kitchen.

Natalie x

The post Kitchen Design: Before and After appeared first on Natalie Holden Interiors | Interior Design Service In Liverpool, Cheshire and Manchester.