Linda Barker talks to AboutProperty
Tuesday, 11 January 2011 10:08 AM
She's one of TV's best-known interior designers and as well being a key player on the 60 Minute Makeover team, is one of the faces of the 2011 Ideal Home Show. Here, Linda Barker tells AboutProperty what makes her tick.
What's it like working on 60 Minute Makeover?
It's really fast and furious. When I first started working on the show I couldn’t stop laughing because everything happens so fast, it took my breath away! An enormous amount of planning goes into the show; everything is prepped to within an inch of its life before we go on air.
You used to work on Changing Rooms, which became infamous for the occasional bad reaction following a makeover. Have you ever had a similar reaction on 60 Minute Makeover?
No I haven't actually - it's a very different animal to Changing Rooms, not least because a lot of money can be spent. Of course, I'm always trying to push it a little bit, do things that look different, but it's important that the person whose home it is loves it. These people are incredibly deserving and the last thing you want to do is upset them in their own home.
How much would you say the most elaborate project has cost?
Oh, I've probably spent in excess of £40,000 on a single house on 60 Minute Makeover! We've been able to use some really top-end furniture because if a company wants the credit on TV then they are sometimes willing to supply us with extremely expensive items which cost thousands.
How would you describe your personal style?
It's contemporary but bohemian and quirky - it's not about a show house finish. I'd like to think that if people walked into a room that had just been decorated by me, it would look lived-in and they'd immediately be able to imagine themselves living there. I'd hate to make a home where everything was too perfect.
Are trends important in interior design?
You should never be a slave to trends - it's too dangerous because you want your home to have longevity. You've got to please yourself rather than doing things just because they're fashionable. But saying that, I love looking at new trends because they fuel my creative spirit.
What are your favourite trends for spring/summer 2011?
My favourite is the trend for crafting and all things handmade. I'm loving the knitwear and tweed fabrics trend, which would work fantastically on cushions, sofas and chairs.
That sounds quite wintery - how can you make that work in a summer context?
If you have, for example, a pinstripe or maybe a tweed fabric on an armchair, I would just put a brightly coloured cushion on it in the summer. I do think reflecting the seasons within a room is important: my winter look involves lots of throws on beds and sofas and thick cushions everywhere, and you would adjust that seasonally - not crazily so, but just try to keep the room fresh. It's quite easy to do and you don’t need to spend lots of money doing it.
Where do you get inspiration from for your ReallyLindaBarker.co.uk homeware range?
All the trade shows in the UK and abroad - Frankfurt and Paris are my favourite destinations. Plus as a designer you're always keeping your eyes open if you go to a new bar, restaurant or hotel. My personal favourite designer is Kit Kemp, who designs Firmdale hotels.
Where do you like to shop for interiors products?
I like places that nobody else knows about - I love reclamation yards, they're very interesting sources. It's a good way of keeping the cost down and it's always better to spot something off the beaten track than at Chelsea Harbour or on the King's Road in London. But it's more about finding something that's unique.
Do you prefer interior design or product design?
I get a massive buzz from interior design projects and I really love putting whole room schemes together, it's a wonderful job. However, you've got to remember that interior design is as much about the business and making the books add up as picking colours and fabrics. I like variety as well, I like doing the craft-makes for events like the Ideal Home Show.
What's the most challenging project you've ever worked on?
Every new project is a challenge; I'm never in my comfort zone really. Perhaps it would be an easier life if I was, but I very rarely am.
Speaking of escaping your comfort zone, we hear you're going to climb Mount Kilimanjaro later this year - have you started training?
I've been training for years. I go to the gym quite a bit and walk lots, and I think my yoga training will be very good for Kilimanjaro, so I'm hoping that I'll get to the top! It's a charity walk; I'm doing it for the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance as I'm a patron of theirs.
Good luck with that! You've also got the Ideal Home Show coming up - what's in store for visitors this year?
The new owners of the show prepared the whole thing in just six weeks last year and did a fantastic job. They're very dynamic people and now they've had a whole year to work on it so I'm expecting great things. I think people who haven't been along to the Ideal Home Show for a few years will be surprised by how exciting it is.
In what way will it be exciting?
They've always got a spectacular arrival - last year the whole building was covered in Astroturf and it looked amazing, so I think as a spectacle this year's show will be fabulous. I don’t want to give too much away though, it might be better for people to arrive and be wowed...
Linda Barker will be hosting the Ideal Interiors section at this year's Ideal Home Show in London's Earls Court from March 11-27, 2011. Book now on 0844 415 4144 or at IdealHomeShow.co.uk. Group bookings can be made by calling the Groups Hotline on 0871 230 5581. 50p per ticket goes to the Ideal Homes For Heroes appeal which supports ABF, The Soldiers' Charity.
Interview by Ele Cooper
