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The Design Sheppard

Interior design inspiration for the modern home

  • About this award-winning interior design blog
    • Press and Mentions
    • Legal
      • Privacy Policy
      • Cookie Policy
    • Contact me
  • Inspiration for the home
    • Appliances
    • Artwork
    • Bathroom
    • Bedroom
    • Biophilic Design
    • Books
    • Colour
    • Flooring
    • Furniture
    • Garden
    • Heating
    • Hotels
    • Interviews
    • Interior Accessories
    • Kitchen
    • Lighting
    • Technology
    • Trend
    • Wallcoverings
    • Window Treatments
  • Get interior design inspiration in your inbox
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  • Interviews

    20 Years of The Craft Festival: Insights from Founder Sarah James

    May 22, 2024June 17, 2024

    As Craft Festival celebrates its 20th Anniversary, I talk to founder Sarah James about how craft has evolved and what the future looks like for craftspeople and artisans

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  • Biophilic Design

    Wildwood Spa Retreat: The Ultimate Coastal Spa in the Forest

    June 2, 2022June 2, 2022

    Wildwood Spa is the ultimate luxury holiday retreat. This stunning self-contained spa in the forest of North Devon uses the principles of biophilic design to create a space that is restorative, rejuvinative and healthy.

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  • Impressionist Art by John Donaldson - Beekeeper

    Artwork

    Impressionist Art for a Modern Home

    April 12, 2018June 20, 2018

    Artwork is a funny old thing, isn’t it? It’s such a personal matter. What one person loves may be something that another doesn’t even consider to be art. I remember my parents visiting the Guggenheim in Bilbao and telling me all about it on there return. My dad said it was definitely not their kind

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  • Dream House in Dartmouth Devon as seen from garden

    Places

    My Obsession with the Housing Market

    March 21, 2018April 18, 2019

    So today I thought I’d share with you a bit of a personal post about my guilty secret, namely my obsession with the housing market and visiting property portals like Rightmove, Zoopla and Purple Bricks. Browsing these websites has been something that I’ve done on a very regular basis (probably weekly) for as long as

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  • Heating

    How to Choose a Wood Burning Stove

    January 30, 2018April 18, 2019

    We have almost made it through January! It is such a long and depressing month and for many of us it is really hard to stay upbeat when the weather is so wet and windy and there is such a lack of natural daylight. Most British people find it difficult to deal with the January

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  • Interior Accessories

    Interview : Textile Designer Jenny Evans

    November 24, 2017November 22, 2017

    I love coming across really talented individuals who are from or who are based here in Devon. From my time working on magazines I became accustomed to the design scene being very London-centric. That is, understandably, where everything seems to happen. But over the past few years I have noticed a lot more creative activity

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  • Interviews

    How to Make the Most of Stunning Views

    April 12, 2017April 18, 2019

    As you’re probably aware by now, I am based in Dartmouth in South Devon and I count myself lucky every day to be able to live in such a beautifully stunning location. I have grown up here and spent most of my life living here, except for a brief period of study when I moved

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  • The Naturalmat Showroom in Topsham in Devon showcasing a selection of organic mattresses and bedding and a variety of beds

    Bedroom

    Naturalmat Organic Mattresses and Bedding

    September 14, 2016April 22, 2019

    As you all know by now, I live in Devon and I really enjoy showcasing companies that are local to me. Back in July, I was invited to Topsham, just outside Exeter, to visit a company called Naturalmat that manufactures organic mattresses and bedding. It wasn’t the first time that I had heard about the

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  • Interviews

    Interview : Mario Joakim of Mushroom Designs

    September 2, 2016July 18, 2017

    I have been meaning to tell you guys about Mushroom Designs for so long, and now I have finally gotten around to it. I was first introduced to it by a friend who spotted the shop on Totnes highstreet. She told me all about it because she knew I would love it and she wasn’t wrong.

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  • Interior Accessories

    Visit : Nkuku Lifestyle Store and Café

    March 16, 2016March 18, 2016

    I hadn’t heard of Nkuku until a friend of mine started working there. I was then invited to a special sale night where I was able to get a proper feel for the kind of products that Nkuku sells. I was really surprised to find that such an amazing company is based right here in

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  • Artist Designer Simon Hart at work

    Artwork

    Interview : Artist & Designer Simon Hart

    October 30, 2015April 22, 2019

    A week or two ago, on Twitter, I discovered a number of local designers based right here on my doorstep in Devon and decided to feature them here on the blog. The first, you may remember, was the recently launched Bert & Buoy and I had the pleasure of interviewing the very talented designer behind the

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  • Interior Accessories

    Interview : Bert Fowler of Bert & Buoy

    October 1, 2015October 3, 2018

    As you may or may not know, I’m not actually based in London like many other interiors bloggers. I live right down here on the gorgeous South Devon Coast in a quaint little town called Dartmouth. I’d always planned to live in London though and it wasn’t until my third year at University, which I

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  • Polefit Bed Sheets

    Bedroom

    Polefit Bedding : A New Way to Dress Your Bed

    March 16, 2015April 22, 2019

    Do you absolutely hate changing the sheets on the bed? Do you despise the battle with the mattress as you try to get the fitted sheet, or worse the flat sheet, snugly fitted whilst trying to ensure the sheet remains as taut as possible? I do, and I inevitably fail at doing all of those

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  • Interviews

    Interview : Professional Organiser & Declutterer Jasmine Sleigh

    January 29, 2015September 21, 2017

    Do you ever get the feeling that you are drowning in a sea of stuff? That your possessions are getting out of control and you just have nowhere left to store anything? Especially after Christmas when you have all those new items that you’ve been given as gifts but that may not actually be needed

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  • Interior Accessories

    Interview : Textile Designer Sam Pickard

    October 31, 2014November 4, 2014

    If you’ve been reading my blog for a while now you may recall a very exciting post I wrote back in August 2013 all about the new magazine I was writing for. Devon Home magazine is a really great publication that provides inspiration and information for local residents who are interested in home interiors and

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  • British Ceramic Tile Metro Tiles and Coloured Grout

    Bathroom

    Updating Tiles with Coloured Grout

    May 2, 2014April 22, 2019

    I dream of the day when I can afford to redo my bathroom and my kitchen. The guy who owned our flat before us clearly believed that he was qualified to renovate the place…oh how wrong he was. I’ve never seen such poor quality workmanship and being the design addict that I am makes this

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  • Wallcoverings

    Chateaux Collection by The Winchester Tile Company

    February 25, 2014July 17, 2017

    Blue seems to be very popular in interiors right now and I am a big fan as I love the rich and deep hues that are being incorporated into homes around the world. I’ve recently featured a post all about Delft-inspired homewares and I love the new Richard Brendon meets Patternity bone china collection. It’s

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  • News

    Devon Home Magazine

    August 12, 2013August 24, 2013

    Some of you may be aware of this as I have been tweeting about it on Twitter, but I really wanted to share it here on my blog too as I am so proud of it! At the end of last year, I was approached by a good friend of mine who owns a local

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  • Furniture

    Interview: Dave Young of Young & Norgate

    May 3, 2013May 2, 2013

    Images by Artur Szyperek As many of you will already know, I don’t live in London like most of the other design and interiors bloggers that I know. I live just outside Dartmouth in South Devon, which is the most beautiful rural location and I absolutely love living here. Admittedly I do miss out on

    Continue Reading
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    staceyjsheppard

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    Jul 14

    Open
    This place is beautiful.

I am so lucky to have @nkukulife right on my doorstep. I have to drive past it on my way to the office everyday and it's always so tempting to pop in. 

What I love most about it is not only the expansive feel of the space with the high vaulted ceilings but the fact that everything inside makes me feel a special kind of way. 

You all know by now that I'm obsessed with biophilic design and there is just so much that fits this concept at Nkuku. So many natural materials and so much texture. 

Come with me and take a look around the store. 

#Nkuku #BiophilicDesign #TexturedInteriors #NaturalHome #NaturalHomeDecor #Naturalmaterials #HomeFurnishing
    27 5

    staceyjsheppard

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    Jul 1

    Open
    [Ad] Technical design, master craftsmanship, and exquisite materials are required to create stunning oak framed buildings. 

Ever since I was a little kid, religiously watching @kevin.mccloud1 on @granddesignstv, I dreamed of one day embarking on my very own Grand Design. The idea of building my own home, exactly to my specification, felt like an ambition worth having. 

That dream home looked remarkably like the gorgeous timber-framed homes created by @carpenter_oak with their beautiful beams, floor-to-ceiling windows and honest, authentic materials. 

So when I was invited on a press trip to learn all about how Carpenter Oak works with architects, contractors and self-builders to bring their visions to life, excited doesn't even begin to cover it. 

During the trip we stayed @gitcombe, a holiday let that was designed and built by the team at Carpenter Oak, so we could fully experience such a home.

There we heard all about the employee-owned company, their impressive history and their many projects across the UK and beyond. 

We then headed to the yard in Buckfast to see the master craftsmen at work, and get some hands-on experience building our very own scale model of an oak framed building.

Do I still dream of building my own Grand Design one day? Absolutely! And especially if I had a team like Carpenter Oak bringing their passion, and expertise to the project. 

What about you? Ever considered a timber framed home? 

#CarpenterOak #timberframe #OakFramedBuilding #timberframehouse #timberframehomes #oakframedbuildings #selfbuildhomes
#selfbuilders #presstrip #Buckfast #YardTour #UniqueHomes #ArchitecturalHomes
    21 2

    staceyjsheppard

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    Jun 29

    Open
    Imagine spending summer hanging out here! 

That's absolutely what I plan to do as it's my local just down the road @blackpoolsandsdevon 

Yesterday was the opening event for the newly relaunched restaurant and bar which has been beautifully designed and refurbished and features lots of gorgeous goodness from @nkukulife to give it those relaxed biophilic vibes. 

I can't wait to grab a drink and perch myself under the tiki beach parasol outside. The new menu looks tantalizingly good and with those views while you dine, why would you go anywhere else! 

I'm looking forward to spending summer at the beach and soaking up all the cool coastal vibes that Blackpool Sands will be offering up over the next few months.

Credit to everyone involved in breathing new life into this stunning location. This really is what summer dreams are made of ⛱️ 🌞 🌊🏄‍♀️🍹🍦🕶️🥙🪇

#summervibing #beachcafe #BlackpoolSands #DevonisHeaven #BeachBarViews #BeachVibin #SummerBeachNights #DartmouthDevon #DevonBeach #OpeningNight #LaunchParty #BeachHolidays #UKBeachHoliday #SeaViewBar #SeaViews #SeasideLife #SeasideDecor #Nkuku
    33 13

    staceyjsheppard

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    Jun 16

    Open
    The most stunning flooring I have ever seen (probably!).

I kid you not, I have never been so excited about flooring and I have been writing about residential home interiors since the dawn of ages (ok since 2007).

Botanic Concrete is part of the Muse Collection from @quickstepfloors and combines the beauty of natural stone
with the benefits of laminate with a statement botanical twist. 

The concrete-look laminate flooring features delicate wildflower designs lightly sprinkled on the surface. From a distance, you don’t even notice them but when you take a closer look it appears that someone has sprinkled teeny tiny meadow flowers all over the floor. The result is a hybrid floor with a terrazzo effect that suits minimalist and eclectic interiors alike. WHAT A DREAM!

So dreamy in fact that this flooring is now installed in my own kitchen. (These photos are not my kitchen sadly!) And I'm planning to install it in my hallway too. And maybe the living room. That's how much I love it! 

There is a full interview with Anastasiia Kudashova, Chief Designer at Quick-Step over on my blog if you'd like to know more about this incredibly gorgeous flooring. 

[This is not an advert. I bought this flooring with my own money. But Quick-Step did kindly give me a press discount]

What do you think? Does this concrete wild-flower terazzo combo make your heart skip a beat too? 

Let me know in the comments. 

#Quickstep #QuickstepFlooring #Flooring #LaminateFlooring #BotanicConcrete #FlooringPorn #ConcreteFlooring #TerrazzoFlooring #TerrazzoFloor #TerrazzoFloors #LaminateFloors #BiophilicDesign #BiophilicFlooring #NatureInspiredFlooring
    30 9

    staceyjsheppard

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    Jun 13

    Open
    [AD] I've just been away on a press trip with @carpenter_oak and for the first time ever it was in Devon. In fact, just 17 mins away from my home. Unheard of!! 

During the press trip I stayed at the most gorgeous venue. The @gitcombe estate, just outside Dartmouth, is home to Gitcombe house, a selection of holiday cottages and Gitcombe Retreat. 

I had the pleasure of staying at Gitcombe Retreat which is a beautiful oak framed building. The frame was designed and installed by Carpenter Oak, hence us staying there. 

Gitcombe is the perfect venue for large groups who want to holiday in Devon together. It is suitable for intergenerational holidays, large family holidays, friendship group holidays or even business retreats. 

The facilities are fantastic and include an indoor and outdoor pool, two hot tubs, tennis courts, a kids play park, and a soft play area. 

The rooms are beautifully designed and decorated. And the service we received was first class. The views of the rolling Devon hills are to die for and it is so incredibly peaceful due to its rural location. 

Gitcombe is a family-run business in a beautiful location. Believe me, I know, I live here. 

This is not an advert. I'm just sharing because if you follow me, and you love well designed, beautiful spaces, you're probably going to be interested in Gitcombe too. 

#TheDesignSheppard #Gitcombe #GitcombeEstate #UniqueHomes #DevonHome #DevonHolidayHomes #DevonFamilyHoliday #VisitDevon #OakFramedBuilding #CarpenterOak #IntergenerationalHoliday #HolidayHome #EscapeToTheCountry #DiscoverDartmouth
    23 11

    staceyjsheppard

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    Jun 8

    Open
    On Thursday evening I attended the grand opening of @societyhouse_ in Buckfastleigh, Devon. This 9000 square foot outlet warehouse is home to a fantastic selection of distinctive homeware and furniture sourced from around the world to help transform your house into a unique home you can be proud of. 

If you're looking for something different at great prices, this place is definitely worth exploring. Very exciting that it's right on my doorstep! 

#SocietyHouse #InteriorsOutlet #UniqueHomewares #UniqueHomes #GrandOpeningParty #BuckfastLeigh #DevonHomeMagazine #DevonLife #DevonHomes
    23 2
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