We are delighted to have chatted with Flora Soames, one of the UK’s new generation of leading British interior designers, Flora is a regular visitor to the Decorative Fair.

Flora Soames set up her design consultancy business in 2009. One of House and Garden’s Top 100, her discerning eye and instinct for channelling both old and new has been formed through a lifetime love of collecting furniture, textiles and accessories. With a background in both the furniture and art worlds, Flora’s design philosophy is based on retaining the essence of a building or interior whilst adapting the design in a way that is comfortable, stylish and practical.

Flora has developed her first fabric collection which launched in June 2019. This new chapter is driven by her passion for colour, texture and heritage in design.

Here’s what we talked about:

When you think of British interior style, what springs to mind?

What I love about quintessentially British style is that the idea of conforming to any one trend or aesthetic rarely sticks, and eclecticism is at the heart of true British interior design.

Do you have a favourite period of British design?

There’s no one specific period that I collect but I would certainly say that early 20th century furniture, art and textiles always interests me. The crude nature of some Arts and Crafts designs, combined with the scale and often quite simple compositions, provides a real presence in a room.

As one of the new generation of classic British interior designers, what inspires you from the past and today?

It goes without saying that design of note today always derives from somewhere or something, and it’s therefore really important to continue to be openly inspired by, and give credit to, the extraordinary examples of interior designers and makers spanning the centuries. For me, drawing from these influences and with a fresh and confident eye hopefully results in work with its own originality and integrity.

You are renowned for your love of textiles – as a decorator and as a designer of your own fabric and wallpaper collection, many of which are influenced by antique pieces you have collected over the years. Please tell us more about why they appeal to you and how are textiles a key element of your own style?

From a very early age, the colours, patterns and textures of textiles spanning the centuries have always appealed to me – I’m drawn to a metallic thread in an unusual beaten up old weave like a moth to a flame! A sense of patina in any room is of real importance to me and it is these pieces that provide that character and sense of layering. In terms of how I translate these early works into new designs is hinged on what I feel their reincarnation brings to a room, and I find the process of developing a collection of textiles using traditional techniques endlessly gratifying.

Tell us why you love the Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair so much?

I wouldn’t miss the Decorative Fair for anything, and I long to attend in person again soon. The cross-section of dealers and sense of enthusiasm for what they do is infectious. I’ve never walked away with something for both myself and for a client that we weren’t both thrilled with (and likely as not didn’t anticipate necessarily needing, nor buying!)

Thank you Flora – and we look forward to seeing you at our next Fair very soon.

You can see the Flora Soames fabric and wallpaper collection, inspired by lifetime love of collecting unique textiles spanning the centuries, and all printed or woven in dedicated British mills, here https://www.florasoames.com/fabrics-wallpapers/