Fashion Up Your Interiors

Louise Roe has become a modern style icon, from family life and motherhood to the red carpet, people across the globe are coveting and swooning over her every move and purchase! If you aren’t yet following Louise on Instagram then you are missing out on a daily dose of the ultimate style inspiration: @louiseroe showcases Louise’s fashion, beauty and general self deprecating and brilliant humour to a mere 663k followers and @louiseroehome channels her renovation journey and is complete interiors indulgence.

Louise began her career as the news editor for Vogue.com in London, the quintessential English beauty then jetted off to LA where she became an instant star, writing for top magazines and presenting her own celebrity fashion and beauty programmes on MTV and for E! It was there that Louise met and married Mackzenzie Hunkin, a successful film producer, together they have a daughter, Honor, and we are excited to tell you that hot off the press baby Ines came into the world yesterday!

After 11 years living in LA, Louise and her family relocated back to the English countryside, where many of us have discovered her natural flair for interiors @louiseroehome.  Louise has put the chic back into chintz and is renown for her classic country style with a modern twist. In renovating their Georgian property, Louise was committed to restoring and redecorating it in a timeless style and our founder and ‘colour man’ Edward Bulmer helped Louise choose the wall colour for the beautiful drawing room, she wanted something bright but also warm so they chose Brick which Louise adores and re-created a ceiling rose that was originally in the room

The key to Louise’s success; aside from being uber stylish, funny and of course beautiful, is her unfaltering professionalism and ability to source beautiful things whether designer or at a local charity shop. We caught up with Louise to find out more…

Fashion or Interiors? If you had to choose!

Ooh that’s tough – at the moment I’d say interiors! They are giving me more joy!

You are a style icon to many, who is your muse?

Oh gosh that’s very kind. I just love French women, how undone and effortless and imperfect they are. All the women in Sezane and Rouje campaigns.

Many find interiors to be an organic evolution from loving Fashion in their 20s to designing homes 30s and over…did you? Or do you pontificate over colours and decisions more with your home than your clothes?

Yes absolutely, and I completely agree with the above. I’m working on a new project now and my desk is drowning in swatches, sample pots and coffee table books filled with post-its and notes. I absolutely love putting a room together.

Favourite piece or find for your home that you know you will keep forever?

My bureau desk. I actually hugged it when I found it.

You have opened up the doors of your beautiful home to us all in this digital world as well as gracing the pages of the very best glossies. With this in mind do you have a favourite and private nook which is just for you?

I do love my little Mary Poppins room up in the eaves, it’s quite and cosy. Equally my desk, when the fire is on and recently – when it was snowing – felt like something out of a film!

How would you describe your personal style?

For fashion – quite classic, I like warm neutrals and well-tailored pieces mixed with something relaxed like an old white t-shirt. For the home, I am very traditional and English in my style, I love layered patterns and bright but warm tones.

Whose design style do you most admire?

For the home, Robert Kime, Beata Heuman, Veere Grenney, and Edward of course!

From LA to back home to the quintessentially English countryside, you have mastered the fusion of mixing old and new in your home – do you have any top tips?

I think it’s important to keep some more modern items around – the art, coffee table books, bottles on a cocktail trolley – and living items too – such as plants. I adore antiques, but if a room is only filled with them, it can feel too much like a period drama and not real life.

Throughout this last year we have found customers totally rethinking their homes; some wanting vibrant colours, others wanting to create calming and softer interiors. How have you created balance and harmony in your home?

Yes it’s been fascinating to see the attention people are now paying their homes. I think everything comes down to lighting, and for me – that meant removing all the spotlights in the ceiling and only having lamps, sconces and the odd pendant. It makes an enormous difference and calms the environment.

You have used several of our colours in your home from the beautiful ‘Brick’ in your drawing room, to ‘Trumpington‘ and ‘Fine White‘ in Honor’s playroom and of course the dusty pick ‘Cuisse de Nymphe Emue‘ in your spare bedroom. Do you have a favourite?

It’s hard to choose, but Brick! It is a true chameleon – that colour takes on a new feel depending on time of day and the light. I like it most at dusk. Preferably with a cocktail!

Are you a ‘decorate once’ sort of person or someone who likes to change and experiment? Which of our colours would be on your dream list next?

I like to decorate once when it comes to major works such as flooring, wall colour and furniture, but I enjoy switching up the accessories all the time, or moving bits around. I am currently talking to Edward about some browns and reds...watch this space!

What has helped you cope over the last year throughout these lockdowns? Your go to or favourite?

The Slightly Foxed literary podcast is brilliant – so educational and entertaining, and soothing. Delight by JB Priestley is a gorgeous red leather-bound book commissioned after the war to cheer up the nation, it’s brilliant. And I cannot stop watching Call my Agent on Netflix; set in Paris and so well written.

 What is next on the horizon for Louise Roe, aside from bringing another human into the world!

Haha yes! Another baby very soon! Closely followed by a new business venture that I am very passionate about and have been working on for a year. I can’t wait to tell you more.

Next dream destination when we are allowed to travel?

Oh gosh – anywhere?! Skiing I hope, I miss the mountains.

Finally what is the best piece of advice you have been given that you will pass on to Honor and your children?

Try to laugh as much as you can – even in situations that seem very serious or stressful, there’s usually a way to see the funny side. My husband teaches me that pretty much everyday.

Thank you so much Louise. Congratulations on the very recent arrival of Ines, we cannot wait to meet her and see the new house…to follow Louise’s current renovation and to hear all about Louise’s new and exciting new ventures do follow @louiseroehome

For a full reveal on Louise’s home do see the website Front Roe

If you would like to try some of these beautiful colours for yourself do order a sample pot and to see more of the colours in real rooms head to our gallery, Pinterest page and of course our Instagram @edwardbulmerpaint and that of our founder and the leading designer himself @edward_bulmer