This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Living rooms: interior design with Manuela Hamilford
By Judy Cogan | 17 January 2023 | Lifestyle
The founder of Hamilford Design tells us how UK style compares to our overseas neighbours and how to make more from minimalism
When it comes to adding colour to a home, Manuela advises a “less is more” approach. “Colour is great, but I’m not a fan of adding it everywhere all at once. It can be garish and hard to live with and it expires quickly. The overall design of a house must be cohesive.” A mistake many of her clients make is to seek interior design inspiration from their favourite luxury hotels. “My clients often confuse a weekend at Soho Farmhouse with a place they can actually live in. Hotels are gorgeous, but I emphasise the question: could you actually live with such a bold design day in, day out? Can you imagine yourself waking up in this room every day and drinking your morning coffee? I normally take what they want and deliver a cleaner version.”
Manuela relies heavily on a team of loyal suppliers to get each job done. “They come into the studio to show us the newest wallpaper styles, paint colours and beautiful fabrics. As a team we’re constantly thinking up ways to channel them into a really contemporary look that’s inspiring and exciting.”
A major project for the studio was working on Lakes by Yoo, a new exclusive 850-acre luxury housing estate in the Cotswolds overlooking stunning lakes. The cabins, apartments and houses on the estate were the perfect blank canvas for Manuela.
“From the very beginning, my team was on the ground working out every detail. We started with the colour of the window frames, hinges and locks and built it up from there. They are very big spaces, so it takes a lot of work to make them feel cosy and warm.”
Manuela is constantly trying to find a balance between creating a functional space her clients can live in while staying ahead of the latest interior trends and lifestyle shifts. A major shift in recent years has been a return to the kitchen as the heart of the home.
“Across all the projects we’re working on, people are spending a lot of money on kitchens,” she says. “It’s the heart of the home and everything from the colour of the tiles to hot water tap fixtures are important. The mid-century look is very strong right now.”
The rise in working from home has also impacted interior design with work spaces a priority, but the biggest shift can be found elsewhere. “Children’s bedrooms have changed dramatically. Kids now want gaming areas and a separate place to study. Girls want a theatrical room where they can get dressed up and make videos to post on TikTok.
“It’s all changing, no two projects are ever the same,” says Manuela, who, it seems, wouldn’t have it any other way.