Katie founded Homes by Katie Cardew after training to become an interior designer in 2022. She tells us about her style and how she is bringing her 17th-century home back to life.
How would you describe your interiors style?
Colourful but also classic. I love mixing older items with newer pieces, like pairing antique furniture with new textiles. I like layering textures and colours too. It’s something that I think lots of people feel worried about doing but the result is so homely and lived-in. My ultimate aim is to create a room that invites you in and urges you to stay around for a while once you are there.
How do you use antiques in your projects?
I think antiques are fantastic for grounding a room and giving that soul that we all strive for when putting a space together. I think antiques work brilliantly for larger furniture items like wardrobes and chests. I like mixing in new textiles and carpets but then I will go back to antiques for accessories and art. In our dining room, I have paired a disco-style mirrored pendant with a 17th century rectory table and it works so well.
What do you love most about sourcing antiques?
I go to a fair number of antique fairs and what I have learned is if I love something, and I can afford it, I buy it. Even if I can’t immediately think of where to put it, I always find a place once I am home. I love the excitement of turning up at an antiques fair and not knowing what’s going to be hiding. There will undoubtedly be a fair amount of stuff you won’t like at these things, but once you get stuck in, it’s amazing what you can find.
What does home mean to you?
I am currently renovating a house that I bought last year and my ultimate aim is to make each room a happy place to be in. Life can be hectic and I want my home to be able to provide some solidity and calmness. Living on what has basically been a building site for the last eight months has shown me that when a home is in disarray, it can make you feel pretty horrid. Now that I am starting to complete rooms, I can feel that happiness and contentedness creeping back in.
