insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 22 - December 2016 | Page 108

Furnished by Anna INTERVIEW
Christmas … just because it ’ s time to decorate your house with tinsel and trees , it doesn ’ t mean you can ’ t be fashionable with it . We spoke to Anna Ward of Furnished by Anna to find out what she thinks of decorating for the festive period .
INTERIORS

A FESTIVE INTERIOR

Furnished by Anna INTERVIEW
Christmas … just because it ’ s time to decorate your house with tinsel and trees , it doesn ’ t mean you can ’ t be fashionable with it . We spoke to Anna Ward of Furnished by Anna to find out what she thinks of decorating for the festive period .
How would you describe your aesthetic ? Stunning designs that are liveable – we design homes that you can ' t wait to get back to , don ' t feel uncomfortable about kicking back in and want to invite all your friends and family over to . Comfortable , colourful with loads of personality and a little bit of an edge .
What is your background ? I studied with a working interior design practice in Bath before setting up the company nine years ago , and I ’ ve been designing and renovating ever since . I have worked on all manner of projects – from new builds to 15th-century farmhouses – and I love the different briefs , wish lists and wants each home and client bring . I ’ ve always been creative and had a huge passion for interiors as long as I can remember ; my Christmas presents were craft kits , fabrics , sewing and knitting machines and I remember taking up curtains and making cushions when I was young !
What has been your favourite design to date ? I can honestly say I ' ve loved every client project I ' ve worked on . Every one has its own exciting design elements – from a fantastic sofa , or colours and fabrics , beautiful cabinetry or scouring salvage fairs to upcycle furniture with history ; every single design I produce I really do love and get super enthusiastic about ! It really is too hard to pick a favourite .
Alongside this , I ' ve been lucky enough to be able to refurbish my own home and I love it as we ’ ve really been able to put our own stamp on it . We bought an old Victorian house and ended up taking down every single wall to redesign the space for a layout that would work for us , mixing modern and old styles together to create the interiors . It ' s been a labour of love for us both for a good few years , with my husband spending many weekends doing carpentry and building things , and it ' s just getting to a stage where we ' re able to relax and enjoy it !
Christmas … how many colours should you have on your tree ? I love colour and Christmas is a time to be brave and make a statement . Personally I love a huge mix of colours for Christmas – with neons , and bright pops of oranges and purples working with any interior scheme and beautiful white fairy lights . Blues are beautiful for Christmas – deep rich blues look stunning and warm . There ' s nothing better than a Christmas tree to really sum up your Christmas spirit – just go for it and make it yours !
Are green ( fake ) trees the way to go ? Or are other colours more on trend ? Green trees are a real Christmas staple and you can do whatever you want to them , making them as traditional or modern as you ' d like . I love a real Christmas tree – the texture , smell and fact that their shape is not always perfect is just unbeatable and evokes so many Christmassy memories . That said , faux is having a real moment and the quality of the faux trees are really great . Scandi minimalist trees can be stunning in their simplicity . Habitat always have a great range of quite minimal trees that are perfect for when space is slightly limited . I ' ve also been known to decorate a huge twig as my Christmas tree – which gained mixed reviews – but it did look fab !
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