Amy Nicholas Amy Nicholas

AT HOME WITH

Amy Nicholas

Owner of her namesake interior practice in North West England, Amy Nicholas and her experienced team deliver a personalised design service to luxury residential and hospitality clients throughout the UK and overseas. Here she talks exclusively with Lusso about all things design.

What would you say is your core design style?

Amy Nicholas Interiors does have its own inherent design style – contemporary with a nod to traditional, with a particular affection for natural finish and texture, chalky tones and sculptural form. This certainly doesn’t mean we interpret all projects using this distinct style. We have a wide appreciation of many genres of design and can’t wait to use all of the beautifully crafted fabrics, wallpapers and furniture we see on a regular basis. Whether bold colours are your style, or you love Art Deco, we can create a scheme to suit any individual style.

Are you influenced by seasonal trends or do you prefer to focus on timeless design?

We think that any design scheme should stand the test of time, and not fade into the realm of old-fashioned after a season or two. With this in mind, our designs tend to have a timeless quality allowing a certain longevity. But how do we make this timeless character feel up to date? We love to use contemporary furnishings such as boucle upholstered sofas and cushions or statement light fixtures – this allows an on-trend feel but without the glaring appeal to the “fashionable” seasonal trends that change with rapid regularity. Adding the odd nod to the in-vogue style, through soft furnishings and styling items can lift the whole scheme whilst being easily replaceable. We are very much of the mindset that purely focusing on trends within the fast fashion industry is not sustainable or environmentally considerate and prefer to design with sustainability in mind.

In your latest project you’ve converted a disused working men’s club into a stunning Victorian townhouse - why did you choose Lusso fixtures as part of the renovation?

Lusso was the obvious choice for this project, initially because of the wide range of unique products that are on offer. As our client wanted an elegant high-end finish for their bathrooms, we could also be confident of the superior quality of the items we specified through Lusso, having used the brand on previous projects. The tiles, bathroom furniture and fittings we decided on are simply stunning whilst unusual and fit the brief perfectly.

We just loved the clean lines and deepness of the Picasso Freestanding Stone Bath - with its matte charcoal finish it truly is a statement piece and heightens the natural palette of the bathroom scheme in a way a white bath would not. It’s unusual and elegant despite being a solid and simple design. We’ve reflected the colour of the bath in some of the other fittings, like the taps and the edges of the privacy screen, all little details that enhance the scheme and truly give a professional finish.

"WE JUST LOVED THE CLEAN LINES AND DEEPNESS OF THE PICASSO FREESTANDING STONE BATH - WITH ITS MATTE CHARCOAL FINISH IT TRULY IS A STATEMENT PIECE."

AMY NICHOLAS

Luxe Matte Black Wall Mounted Basin Mixer Tap

Urban Gunmetal Thermostatic Shower with Handheld Shower

When choosing fixtures and fittings, what are the key qualities you look for?

Quality is the top priority when we specify fixtures and fittings – there is little point in delivering a stunning design only to have elements fail to last. We know hiring an interior designer is often a big decision and relies upon our clients trusting us with their budget, so we won’t betray that trust by sourcing items that however gorgeous or cheaply priced, simply aren’t fit for purpose. Using quality products ensures not only longevity but guarantees a professional finish that exceeds our client’s expectations.

What advice would you give to homeowners embarking on a renovation?

Be realistic about your budget and understand the limits of this. No matter how hard we try, a budget cannot be stretched indefinitely – costs have a tendency to spiral if you have no limits in place, and product and contractor costs have increased substantially over the last few years. When there is a budget in place from the outset, we can work with this and assign funds to their best advantage. We often work with clients who want to spread out the renovation process, dealing with just one or two rooms at a time, to allow time to save for the next phase of the project. It also means there is less disruption due to the installation process all at once. This means we can make the most of the available budget at each stage, ensuring a quality finish that meets and exceeds the brief.

Take inspiration from Amy Nicholas and elevate your home with the addition of a striking Picasso Freestanding Bath - exclusively available from Lusso.