Readers' questions answered October

5th October 2011 - Yorkshire Post Mid-Week Life & Style Supplement

Homes and Interiors

Each quarter Jamie answers questions from Yorkshire Post readers in his mid-week column. To see the original article and all the images open the PDF link at the bottom of the page

Struggling to find low-cost but stylish lighting? Want to source hard-to-find vintage items? Interior Designer Jamie Hempsall has the answer to all your questions.


We want to create impact with an overhead light, but have a very limited budget. Is there anything that you can suggest to help in a stylish starter pad? HM

For style on a budget, you really cannot beat a paper lampshade. Although, the traditional Boule Japonaise (as found in Habitat) has occasional associations with student flats – they are still a design classic and can always be customised with a bit of imagination and paint flecking (ensuring the alterations that you make are fire proof). At around £5 for a 60cm globe these really are an amazingly cost effective option (www.habitat.co.uk).

However, if you have a little more cash available then I would suggest choosing one of the Kaigami lampshades from All Up and On – a range of sculptured, sophisticated lampshades based on the form of origami.
The shades have been created by designer Guillame Lyons who has taken inspiration from shapes and forms found in nature, from marine life and seashells to the flowing lines of an orchid, to create a number of beautiful lampshades.

Prices range from £19.95 to £64.95 which should satisfy most budget conscious style seekers. Visit www.allupandon.co.uk or call 01462 349 060.


As a couple of Americana enthusiasts, we would like to create a diner in our kitchen. Have you any suggestions as to how to achieve the perfect look? GB

Furniture and ephemera are going to be key to creating this look, so do plenty of rummaging in junk shops and on-line to get a collection going of old movie posters and album covers to hang on the walls.

Drinkstuff have a wonderful range of Fifties inspired furniture which will allow you to inject some American style into your kitchen. Their brightly coloured booth sets will add a pinch of pizzazz and feature sleek black or red seats around a classic dinner table with chrome trim (£1,199.99 from www.drinkstuff.com - 0845 313 3352).

For flooring, keep it simple, but classic and opt for black and white square checker-board floor tiles (either in ceramic tiles or vinyl rolls where budget is more of an issue).

Wall colour is going to be particularly important and the Little Greene Paint Company has a particularly good range of English Heritage Paints which feature a number of pigments authentic to the 1950s. Look at using their Ultimatt finish which is more hardwearing and washable than standard emulsion so great for a kitchen environment (see more details at www.littlegreene.com).

Cook up some burgers and you will surely conjure up the spirit of Elvis in no time.


We have a fairly modern home and our sitting room has a sleek white fireplace. We are looking for a mantel clock that will not look too staid. Any suggestions? JH

I love art pottery and think that British Ceramicists are some of the best in the world. It is always well worth popping into craft shops to see what is on offer. If you would rather your fingers did the "footwork", then head to www.iapetus.co.uk a website that specialises in handcrafted pieces by talented artists.

The Quirky Ceramic Mantel Clock pictured is handmade in the UK by Ian Roberts. The clock is raku fired and hand-painted giving it a unique creamy white finish. The artist hides a little mouse in each clock as well as signing and numbering each one – making these far more attractive than any mass produced item. At £115, I also think that these are incredibly good value. Visit www.iapetus.co.uk or call 01684 566 929.


We keep reading about how on-trend vintage items are and would like to incorporate some pieces in our home. However, we are struggling to find anything decent in our retro store searches. Are there any hints that can help us? KG

If this is your passion, you might want to consider using an antique and vintage interiors sourcing service such as West Egg's SourceBook. They offer a unique facility which allows customers to submit requests for any antique or vintage item. West Egg then forwards the product details to their network of dealers and puts together the Top 10 Matches for the customer. The SourceBook is free to use, personalised, and customers get their matches back within 24 hours.

What makes this service particularly unique is that rather than automatically generating returns like a search engine, the team behind West Egg personally verify and check each match to make sure the customer is getting what they want - it's a little like a dating service for people and home furnishings!

For more information visit www.westegg.co.uk or call 0207 060 2975.


DESIGNER IN AWARD FINALS

Jamie Hempsall Ltd has been named one of the finalists in the UK Property Awards in association with Google and Bloomberg Television, for Barkers Restaurant at Clumber Park; the National Trust's first ever fine-dining restaurant.

The gala awards presentation will take place on October 28th in London.

The event is part of the International Property Awards, which is now in its 17th year and has become recognised as the highest standard of excellence throughout the global industry.

Jamie Hempsall, BIID, is an award-winning designer. Visit him at www.jamiehempsall.com or call on 080 032 1180