The Industrial Revolution

Image copyright Clair Strong Interior Design Industrial design came to the forefront as a contrast to decorative and elaborate styles. While it’s usually considered to be a hallmark of modern interior design, it’s actually been around since the turn of the century’s Modernist aesthetic. I think that one of the reasons why the industrial look…

Designer Showcase: Simon Pengelly

Today, I’m showcasing one of my favourite contemporary designers; Simon Pengelly. He is a multi award-winning furniture, product and home interior designer. It seems furniture making is in his blood and design in his upbringing. He was honing his talents in his father’s workshop at the age of eight and had won national cabinet making…

Interior Design Ideas Featuring Your Bicycle

Image copyright Clair Strong Interior Design It seems to be undeniable that our world is getting smaller. By that I mean take just one look in any estate agent’s window and you will see that we are paying even higher premiums for even smaller spaces these days. Consequently as our world shrinks our demand for…

Handmade at Home

Reception desk by Steve McIlveen for my recent office design project at Good Energy in Wiltshire For a small island, Britain certainly has a lot of talent. I’ve been following the handmade trend for several years now and it’s been a real pleasure to see local designers and craftspeople make their mark in a mass-produced…

Designer Showcase: Tricia Guild

Interiors by Clair Strong Interior Design Ltd Tricia Guild is an icon of modern interior design. Her fearless use of colour and pattern has been inspiring the hue-shy public since the 1970s. Guild is a tour de force, an entity of her own with an unrivalled talent and vision. She doesn’t follow trends; she creates…

An Interior Designer’s Homage to the Pastel

Image copyright Clair Strong Interior Design A few times recently I have been approached by clients who wanted to talk about ways to work with pastels in the home. Designers in recent years have promoted stronger, vivid colours or neutrals but this focus is now extending to include innovative ways to work with colour schemes…

Modern Interior Design for Outdoor Living

Image copyright Clair Strong Interior Design Outdoor living not only enriches our daily lives it also brings a whole new dimension to a living, or even a work, space. Modern interior designers embrace this fact as well as the rising demand from clients to be able to incorporate the great outdoors potential as an extended…

Psychology of Colour in Home Design

Image copyright Clair Strong Interior Design For many years’ artists, scientists and researchers have been interested in the psychology of colour. They found that colour can have a profound effect on the human mind and emotions; evoking memory, affecting mood and influencing behaviour. It has been shown that colour can have physical effects, increasing blood…