When did you realise your passion for interior design?

How would you describe your design aesthetic?

To be honest Peter I’ve deliberately moved away from the blanket term ‘maximalism’, as it now conjures up a vision in my mind of something different to where I am and where the brand is going. And also where the world is heading. My aesthetic is always going to be ‘detailed’ as obviously heavy pattern and intricate design is at the core of my ethos, but an overloaded look I’d say now feels dated. I am interested at the moment in actually pursuing a more daytime look, including heavy cottons into my offering, and thinking into a more provencal, neo-chintz lean. I’ll always have an inkling though I think towards Art Deco, Art Nouveau, and Arts and Crafts style, as the pull and beauty of these eras endures for myself and for my clients.

What has your journey into the world of interiors been like?

Biggest challenges and successes in creating your brand so far?

Who is the quintessential Anna Hayman Designs customer?

What are your best sellers?

That “Aha!” moment when you were recognized and knew you created something special?​

One design trend you are loving and one that you are glad is over?

Anna's kitchen in her 1920's cottage in East Sussex

Today we speak to one of our tastemakers - Pandora Maxton (@pandora.maxton). On a lovely sunny afternoon, we join Pandora by the terrace doors in her living room looking out onto her gorgeous garden. With nearly 50k followers on Instagram, she is well known for her eclectic and maximalist style and is focusing on celebrating country living and lifestyle. We delve into some of her tips on maximalist décor and she reveals the top three things that her space must have!

When did you realise your passion for interior design?

​How would you describe your aesthetic?

What are your tips on creating a maximalist space? ​There is definitely a knack to maximalist interiors. My first tip would be to keep an eye on the colours that you use and make sure they are cohesive and work well together, but also that things aren't TOO matchy-matchy as it quickly becomes boring. I usually have a warmer element within my spaces even if it is just the glow of a lamp or some fairy lights. A second tip would be to use a dark colour as a base colour to tie all the other colours together, something like Downpipe from Farrow and Ball works really well instead of having a white/off white. Lastly, I would also suggest that you mix different styles together including mid-century, antiques and rustic elements. Try to overcome the fear and risk making a mistake - but this always something you can learn and improve on. I am constantly turning spaces within my home around, it keeps things fresh and interesting. Just before speaking to you, I moved my dining table around and it just gives the space a new perspective.

​Have you ever heard or given any advice that you think is golden?

​What do you find the most inspiring?

My ideal space has to have these three things:

What is your pet peeve inside your home?

​Must there only be one?? I am so frustrated with the lack of natural light inside our kitchen. I would love to have the opportunity to re-do it and glaze a whole side. We spend so much time in the kitchen and its quite gloomy but I appreciate that we are lucky to have an already beautiful kitchen, so it is not a priority but will get to it eventually.

​What is your favourite space in your home?

​One design trend that you love and one that you hate.

How do you think social media has changed the way people interact with or delve into interiors?

​Today we have the privilege of speaking with Rohan Blacker, the founder of Pooky Lighting. He gives us a sneak peek into his journey into the world of lighting, the values of Pooky and what is next in the pipeline.

Tell me a little bit about your journey into Pooky lighting

It is clear how passionate you are about the importance of beauty and form and despite not specifically having come from a design background you have a definite understanding and appreciation of it, be it in sofa design or lighting.  Did you self-teach along your journey?

​I've always been an appreciator of beautiful things, I guess one can say I have an interest in beauty. Despite never going to interior school, I can tell you what I like and don't like and what works within a given space. I am very careful that I am not designing for myself, but for my clientele. I want to design stuff that lasts, I do not want to be making tomorrows landfill. One of my frustrations with the interiors market is that is has become like the fast fashion industry. People shouldn't be changing their interiors with the seasons as much as they do. When you buy something for your home, assume you will hold onto it forever and pass it down to your children. There are huge numbers of companies that make gimmicky lighting - they are quirky but are going to go totally out of fashion in a few months’ time. Not only because their design is fleeting and ephemeral but also the quality isn't necessarily great. Which is why most of our lights are made of solid brass, which doesn't rust and will last!

How would you describe the Pooky aesthetic?

​I would describe it as above all decorative with a love of colour and shape. At the same time, our designs have longevity and classical roots. We have a lot of lights that are based on a very classic column, but we tweak, such as making a brass base, a green resin shaft and a brass pediment. An example of such is our Longford light, it’s a twist on classicism, not in a silly or quirky way but in a fresh way that will stand the test of time.

Who would you say is your quintessential customer?

​ I am trying to sell, beautifully well made, long lasting, decorative lights that are mid-market.  We start off trying to design for interior designers, who have responded well to our designs. We also sell directly to retail customers of course. We aren't low end at all, but as I said before, lights for a tenner are next year’s landfill. Our lights range from £40-£250, in contrast, at some high-end lighting stores one could easily spend £1000 on a lamp base.

What have been your biggest challenges with setting up Pooky lighting?​

​What are your best sellers and which styles are less popular?

When did you have that big "AHA!" moment when you realized that you were creating something special? 

What are one of the interior trends that you are loving right now and one that you are glad is over?

​Wall lights, despite quite a traditional vibe, have really come back and we love that. Also, people are much braver with colour than they have been, so even though someone might still not be brave enough to paint their full room in orange, they might slowly introduce bright colours in their light shades. Introducing pops of colour can create eye-catching punctuations. The trend that I am glad is over is gimmicky lighting. I think that quirky can be a good thing, it eludes to a sense of eccentricity and fun but if it is pushed too far it becomes contrived. Quirky for the sake of quirky will create short lived designs.

What is the next thing that you are working on?

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