How this West Yorkshire interior designer has thrown out the rule book to create joyful homes

Spread across streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime, viewers will find heaps upon heaps of interior design buffs like Marie Kondo and The Home Edit duo, all helping budding minimalists clean up their homes and kick back in style.

Yet for some decor lovers, it’s not all about clean lines and splashings of white on white.

For interior designer Siobhan Murphy, it’s all about taking things to the max.

“I’ve always been a ‘more is more’ kind of character,” said Siobhan.

“I always take that kind of approach in most aspects of my life, whether it’s in fashion or interiors.

“I just absolutely love maximalism, and I just think there's a lot of myths that need to be busted about it.”

Unlike minimalist decor, maximalism brings together an explosion of colour, print and pattern in a cohesive way, allowing homeowners to decorate with their much loved items and reflect their personality in the design.

“There's this misconception that with maximalism, you just throw everything at it, and that it’s a big mash-up of things with absolutely no consideration,” explained Siobhan.

“Whereas actually, I think it's harder to get a really cohesive, beautiful, maximal scheme. I think for me, maximalism is a celebration of your personal style.

“It's throwing the interior design rule book out the window and just really going for it, and that's what I'm all about - decorating and creating joyful spaces that are full of beautiful things.”

It’s this idea of set interior rules that Siobhan is challenging with her work, destroying myths about clashing colours and patterns, one throw or rug at a time.

“We've had all these rules, like you can't mix patterns and you've always got to have this neutral Scandi scheme, but actually, if that's not your style, why should you care?” said Siobhan.

“You should have a house or a room that makes you feel happy and that brings you a lot of joy.

“Maximalism is all about using colour and pattern and texture in a really, really joyful way, showcasing your personality and showcasing the things that you love.

"It’s taking all those things and mixing it into a little pot, and that's when the magic happens.”

Despite being an interior designer, Siobhan recommends that to truly find a sense of style, aspiring maximalists must first turn towards their wardrobe.

“Clients often come to me and say they want to try maximalism but they don't know where to start.

“They love colour but their house is really grey or really white, so I'll tell them to start in their wardrobe. In there, there might be a bit of colour or leopard print going on, and that’s a really fun print.

“You can actually read quite a lot from someone’s wardrobe in terms of what kind of colours they might be into for their homes.”

Once all the colours and patterns have been decided, Siobhan then gets to work transforming each of her clients’ houses, using soft furnishings as well as repurposed items to complete each project.

By not relying on buying completely new furniture and accessories in each redecoration, she is able to make the renovations as sustainable and cost effective as possible.

"I'm really keen on this concept of ‘shopping your home’, which basically means you don't necessarily have to buy a whole lot of new stuff,” explained Siobhan.

“It’s about moving things from one room to another and analyzing what you've got, you might have lots of decor and art that you've tucked away or that you don't use anymore, so what I tend to do is get everything out and move stuff around the house to get different looks.

“You can do that with furniture, with cushions, with drawers, all that kind of stuff. So that's quite a good way we're not actually spending loads of money and still getting a new look for a home.”

But the impact of Siobhan’s work runs far deeper than a beautiful home. Through colour, texture and pattern, Siobhan is able to create happiness in rooms that now, after the pandemic, have to meet the standards for both relaxation and work.

"Our living spaces are so important now, and with a lot of us still working at home, they need to be multifunctional,” Siobhan said.

"So when I'm decorating, either for myself or when I'm decorating for a client, I'm always thinking how do I want to feel in this space?

"When you walk into this room, do you want to feel cozy, and feel zen and relaxed? Do you want to feel energized?

"There are spaces like the living room that you use on an evening, so it should be a space to relax, kick off your shoes and put your feet up.

“Everyone needs a separate, really cozy space, and a room to give you a bit of a hug – feeling good is so important.”

Siobhan is set to release her latest book, More Is More Decor: A Handbook For Maximalists, on 18 August on Studio Press.

A book launch is also being held at The Faversham on Wednesday 17 August at 7pm until 9pm.

For more information about More Is More Decor: A Handbook For Maximalists, or to find out more about Siobhan, head to www.interiorcurve.co.uk/.