Five Minutes With... Girl About House

Next up on our new 'Five Minutes With...' series, please welcome Sarah Mailer of interiors blog Girl About House.

An interior designer with a classic yet contemporary aesthetic, Sarah loves the finer things in life and has a penchant for period properties, sprawling country estates and gorgeous hotels. 

1. How did you fall in love with interior design?

Without coming across as seriously cringey, I do feel that interior design has always been a part of me and my life. Even as a seven-year-old, I would spend hours planning and rearranging my bedroom (much to my parents’ dismay). Art – in its many forms – has always been my primary passion.

2. What’s your favourite colour to bring into the home?
I am an unashamed fan of neutrals as I love their versatility and the way they work effectively with so many colours. The possibilities are vast. For a colour pop, I love the positivity of yellow (which works so effectively with all the greys) and I’m also a big fan of blues and greens. Anything that nods to nature has to be a winner for me.

3. Maximalism or minimalism?
Minimalism. For me, less is more (more or less)! Whilst I do appreciate the energy and fun of maximalism, I generally tend to pare things back. I like to style with thinking space to allow individual pieces to shine. That being said, I am a fan of print but always combine with some plains to offset the punch.

4. What’s the one piece in your home that always makes you smile?
I painted a textural triptych some years ago to hang above my 4-seater striped sofa in the lounge. I had looked for original, abstract art everywhere and nothing had been totally right, so I decided to take matters in my own hands. Whilst I do like the outcome itself, what really makes me smile is that I painted in when my now 5-year-old was a tiny baby. I remember – most vividly - throwing around plaster, acrylic paint and gold leaf in-between evening bottle feeds and tiny cuddles. For me, my artwork represents genuine mum-multi-tasking!

5. Any interiors disasters you’d care to tell us about?
I had a very ‘90s pink and turquoise floral bedroom. I was a young teen but had chosen everything myself and was immensely proud of my ‘accomplishment’. Everything was pink and turquoise – and very, very flouncy. Saying that, this look is gaining serious traction again so I should tread carefully….

6. What’s your golden rule for interior decorating, the failsafe tip you give everybody?
Plan in advance. ‘Winging it’ is all very well but there’s nothing like a creative moodboard to really set out intentions clearly. Once the look and feel has been established – which includes fabric swatches and paint sample cards – then the rest will follow.

7. What’s your interiors trends predictions for 2018?
Warm neutrals have made a welcomed come-back and look set to stay. Choose ‘greige’ over colder greys and embrace rusty hues from blush to saturated oranges and terracotta. I am also championing the return of truffle and brown shades. Watch this space…

A big thank you to the lovely Sarah for taking part this week - if you'd like to read more Girl About House or follow Sarah's interiors adventures, check her out on Instagram @girlabouthouse.