Let me introduce you, Elisa, aka @elisainteriors who grew up in Italy loving design and art since childhood, and that was mainly due to her granddad that used to spend hours sketching houses, sunsets over the sea and horses for Elisa.
She moved to England in 1997 after finishing her language university degree in Rome with the idea of moving back to Italy after three years – 24 years down the line, and she is still living in Harrogate!
Since when she first visited England as a student at the age of 18, she noticed how much more cosy the English houses’ interiors were than the Italian ones. The textures, patterns, and colours were very distinctive and made the rooms warm, exciting, and welcoming, especially at night.
At the same time, she saw the excess of patterns and colours forcefully ‘abused’ and the struggle for the eyes to rest, due to the sometimes very ‘chintzy’ look these rooms were oozing. Beautiful original architectural features of Victorian and Georgian houses were lost entirely because of the fussy patterns on the carpet, walls and windows.
Italian architecture is one of the most outstanding examples of ‘balance’ and ‘everlasting’ but ever so ‘functional’ buildings. Take the Pantheon or the Colosseum; one colour in the structure, multiple harmonious shapes (curves, rectangular, square panels) all combined in the right measure to serve a purpose and stand the test of time.
That was the Italian approach towards her first projects, elegant simplicity and balance in the rooms. Not to forget that the Italians do live in ‘homes’, not showrooms. They make their dwellings practical and functional, ready at any time of the day and night for their large families dropping by, often arriving on the doorstep for a ‘quick’ meal or a coffee en passé.
So the prospect of combining the two backgrounds, styles, and trends in her designs and her innate passion for art, and interiors fuelled the idea of going back to college and train as an interior designer.
Can you remember your first design project in your home or your first work project?
Elisa: I will make you laugh now. My first design project goes back to when I was 16 when after pulling together wallpaper, curtain fabric and lights I told my mum I wanted my room to be refurbished. It’s exactly as it was back then to this day and other than the curtains which are now in ecru linen, it’s still on-trend.
Work project instead, of course, I remember! In Harrogate, a Victorian family home, completely gutted, extended and refurbished in 2009 where occasionally I still redesign the rooms as the family grows and space changes with them.
One of my ongoing projects is, in fact, in that house where the children’s playroom is being converted into a workroom space.
What is your favourite Instagram page on design?
Elisa: That’s a hard one to answer and simply because my style is very eclectic, and therefore my inspiration needs constantly feeding somehow.
I love keeping an eye on what happens out of the UK to diversify and tailor my rooms not merely based on what the market has to offer here.
I love comparing ‘the squares’ of @livingetcuk with @livingcorriere, for instance. But then I spend hours checking @vogueliving and @casadevalentina.
But outside the inspiration ‘block’, I have a lovely group of creative people internationally spread, like yourself or Paola @paolaroderdesigns and other talented colleagues I tend to work with such as Annette @atadesigns2000 or Rebecca @rebeccajmillsdesigns or Francesca @francescapaintsltd but the list is endless really.
What inspires you?
Elisa: I’m always keeping an eye on how the world is evolving and continually changing. Not just the world of interiors but also the fashion, one from which I take a great deal of inspiration. It’s good to incorporate new ideas, materials and patterns and customise and use them sympathetically with the architecture of the building you are applying them to and the client’s taste and budget.
What’s the favourite part of your home?
Elisa: The open plan kitchen/ dining and living room area with a big round bay window overlooking at the park and allowing all the natural light during the day. So much positive energy comes from sunlight and nature!
Can you describe your style?
Elisa: Most definitely eclectic and bright. I can’t live without colour and a bit of fun.
How does your family relate to your passion for design? Do they support it?
Elisa: My girls were brought up, seeing me sitting with them at their tiny table doing exactly what my granddad used to do with me, drawing clothes for models and landscapes.
They are very creative and have a great deal of passion and a right eye for outfits and interiors that stick together and stand out.
I know you are a colour lover, but what’s your favourite?
Elisa: I can’t put the finger on just the one, but I can give you an order – pink, red and black and everything in between 😉
What was your design faux pas you did?
Elisa: A floor made out of 3 different sizes slabs of limestone for a total of about 500 square metres, sourced directly from a quarry in Egypt delivered well in advance ready for being fitted but never checked by the builders on delivery day. The slabs turned out to be all of the same sizes, which meant waiting for the replacement arriving by cargo from Egypt and three weeks delay. Thank God there was plenty else to do in that house!
Do you have a favourite designer (or more)?
Elisa: I absolutely adore Kelly Wearstler and her way of creating sophisticated, totally alluring but yet practical rooms.
Is there any design style you don’t like and why?
Elisa: I most definitely struggle with ‘glitzy’ as I’m one for simple, colourful or organic and natural things in my personal life and professional one.
A huge thank you for Elisa for this interview. I’m so happy that I met many talented, strong, gorgeous women during my Instagram journey. It’s not only about followers, numbers but the people who we meet and like. We may live a thousand miles away from each other, on the other side of the planet, but we are friends who support each other. 💖
What’s your favourite design style? Tell me in the comment below!
Love,
Noemi xxx
Don’t forget to follow @noemionebohostreet on Instagram for your daily boho vibes and inspiration.
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