Find your creative space at home

Craving creative space in your home? Naomi Cleaver, interior designer and TV presenter, gives her tips on de-cluttering and finding space in your home to let your creative juices flow.

How do you think we can go about making a creative, inspirational space within our homes to help keep our minds clear of distraction? The most successful design is based on a foundation of planning and organisation. If you want to create a space for your own creativity you need to consider how much mess you will make and space you will need. Look at the plan of your home and how best to create that space – would a cupboard space, where you can just open the doors and pull out a sewing desk be enough? Or can you dedicate a guest room that will double up as an art studio? Whatever space you have, storage and flexibility are crucial to use get the best use out of it. When it comes to creativity, think about your senses. Make sure you have plenty of natural light and use reflective colours, and also make sure you are comfortable – your sense of touch and smell is equally important to sight.

What are your top tips on de-cluttering our homes in order to find space and calm? Audit your possessions and divide them between those you love and those you don’t love but need. The best way to go about it is to operate almost like a curator in a museum – if you think about it your home is a collection of objects that represent you. So once you have audited, tidy or throw away the things you don’t like and prioritise the things you do. You’ll make a much more appealing and satisfying atmosphere.

How important do you think our décor and belongings are in representing our personalities?  I think they are absolutely fundamental for a happy home; one that brings you pleasure and joy and protection. That’s why it’s important not just to follow trends, but to discover who you are and what your own taste is. Try keeping a sketchbook and record all the things that appeal to you with cuttings and photos. Eventually you will see trends and themes pop out at you, whether it’s colour, or texture, or even lighting. By surrounding yourself with things that you genuinely love, you are reinforcing a sense of yourself.