Fay Allison Interior Design

Fay Allison Interior Design Welcome to Fay Allison Interior Design, your partner in creating beautiful, timeless spaces.

I spent last Friday morning at The Dragon in Willington with a fellow interior designer — and as always, my eye went str...
23/04/2026

I spent last Friday morning at The Dragon in Willington with a fellow interior designer — and as always, my eye went straight to the room.

What I love about this space is how well it walks the line between rustic character and considered design. The rich blue painted wall, rustic plank oak floors, and exposed ceiling beams give it warmth and authenticity — but this isn't a space that's happened by accident. The painted beam finish, the carefully chosen furniture — someone made deliberate decisions here, and it shows.

There's a real skill in designing spaces that feel effortless.

I love taking in design inspiration where you find it — even over a Friday morning coffee.
📍 The Dragon at Willington, Derbyshire

Deep in fabric sourcing this week. This is the part of a project most people never see — the handling and rejecting of a...
22/04/2026

Deep in fabric sourcing this week.

This is the part of a project most people never see — the handling and rejecting of a lot of swatches before anything makes the cut.

How a fabric feels in your hand. How the colour holds when the light shifts from morning to afternoon. Whether the texture sits well with the other materials already confirmed for the scheme.

The fabric choices often make or break a room. Get them right and the whole thing lands. Get them wrong and even a well-planned scheme can feel off.

More to come

Buying a sofa without thinking through these three things is how you end up living with something that never quite works...
15/04/2026

Buying a sofa without thinking through these three things is how you end up living with something that never quite works.

Swipe through — it's a two-minute read that might save you months of quiet regret.

Beautiful sofas by:
Cover image: Loaf
Image 2: Collection Seven
Image 3: Arlo & Jacob
Image 4: Barker and Stonehouse on M&S
Image 5: Oka

Quiet luxury doesn't shout. This living room — warm neutrals, layered textures, proportions that actually work — came to...
14/04/2026

Quiet luxury doesn't shout.

This living room — warm neutrals, layered textures, proportions that actually work — came together over several months. Nothing was rushed. Every piece earned its place.

This is what thoughtful design looks like.

Shelf Styling 101 🖤Here are my 6 tips for beautifully styled shelves: 1. Limit your colour palette — In this instance, I...
01/04/2026

Shelf Styling 101 🖤

Here are my 6 tips for beautifully styled shelves:

1. Limit your colour palette — In this instance, I’ve gone with white, black and brown tones

2. Layer from front to back — Place items in front of pictures, records, large books stood upright

3. Play with height — Create stacks of books, magazines, boxes and place smaller items on top

4. Make it personal — Include family photos, momentos and items with meaning and memories

5. Nature is your friend — Something missing? Add some faux greenery, dried flowers or the real deal

6. Don’t forget the lighting — Rechargeable lamps will bring a cosy glow and transform your shelves on gloomy days

Shelves are one of my favourite things to style for clients — they’re such an easy way to add personality and warmth to a room without a big budget or a big project. Give one of these tips a try and let me know how you get on!

Got a shelf you’d love some help with? Drop me a message or comment below — I’d love to help.
👇
Fay | Fay Allison Interior Design
Classic interiors with a contemporary twist | Nottingham & Derbyshire 🏡

Last week I was in Manchester with Neil while he was in the office for the day. I didn't want to stay cooped up in the h...
30/03/2026

Last week I was in Manchester with Neil while he was in the office for the day.

I didn't want to stay cooped up in the hotel room, but I wasn't really in the mood for a busy coffee shop either.

I ended up settling into the lounge area at Hotel Gotham for the morning. A former bank building from the 1930s — dark, considered, full of rich materials and that quiet sense of grandeur that Manchester does so well. The kind of space that just makes you slow down a little.

I ordered a coffee, opened my laptop, and found myself reaching for my notebook before long. There's something about being surrounded by genuinely good design that shifts how you think.
And it cost the same as a cappucino anywhere else on the high street.

Worth knowing — if you ever find yourself with a free day in an unfamiliar city, it's worth finding a hotel with a bit of history to it rather than defaulting to the nearest chain. 🏨

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