Interiors with Sarah Jane Nielsen, owner and director of Sarah Jane Nielsen Limited, at Staveley.

Are you someone who enjoys a good design glossy? If so I hope you have your copy of Country Homes and Interiors for October. I don’t like to brag, but there is quite a nice nine-page article on our humble home by Windermere this month. We can’t quite see the lake, but it’s waters 200 yards away are a huge influence on my design thoughts as well as our lifestyle.

This being autumn, plus our recent visit to the Copenhagen trade fair with all it’s wonderful sophistication and style seems to have been embedded in my visions and aspirations, and as a direct result are also obvious in our design projects.

I mentioned last week how I extract colour and warmth from artwork to achieve accent to a scheme or maybe taking an element of the view from outside the window. And when I look back at our work, as in a magazine or television show, the combination of these influences are always there either sitting comfortably in the form of a sculptural light fitting, texture of a cushion or mood from a decorative piece.

It seems odd that I should be surprised when I see images of completed work or our home as if it were new to me, but gratefully I am always a little taken aback as we sometimes overlook our surroundings in this way.

I am and will always be constantly aware of detail and presentation, so much so that it drives some people a little loopy as I reposition that vase of flowers or book display, until it is just so. If a little angle on a chair puts the whole impact out, then I will certainly never be content until it is in the right place. I don’t expect anyone to live in a show house, but I do expect a house to be managed and cared for by its owner out of respect for maintaining its value and presentation.

I am delighted as this recent article does exude the colour, warmth and personality of our home and environment. I am also quietly pleased that the ‘Scandi’ style is coming through thick and fast in the media and on the high street. I hope our home is a good example of how influences can be mixed and styles co-ordinated. This week John Lewis have brought out their take on a Scandinavian collection of products. In the studio we are always looking for something a little unique and individual so we hope our collection at nielsenhouse.co.uk will offer an alternative in style and co-ordination. We’re looking forward to its launch in the next few weeks.