With a gorgeous eclectic style full of antique pieces and charming details, it's no surprise that Alice's home as known as @strikeme_pink is one of our all-time favourites!
This year, we've had the pleasure of collaborating with Alice as she decorates and renovates her wonderful home to create a one-of-a-kind scheme with a fearlessly fabulous edge. With her own Rockett St George Edit of pieces for the hallway, office, bedroom and garden, we simply love Alice's eye for making a space ooze with character. So, it was only right to interview the lovely Alice about her home renovation and how she found the interiors that she has carefully curated in her home! See below to discover the full interview...
1. Let’s start at the very beginning, tell us about yourself and where your love for interior design started?
I guess I love all things design really. I'm a graphic designer by day and so I think that bleeds through into all aspects of my life. My love for interior design really started properly with our second home (the one we live in now). The house needed a lot of work, so it felt like the right time to really inject our own style and I guess I just got a bit carried away.
2. You’ve been renovating a house and turning it into your home, can you tell us a bit more about the property and what made it the perfect candidate for a full renovation?
We moved from a 2 bed flat and were looking for more space and a bit of a project. As such, we only ever wanted to buy a period house and wanted something with good bones and with bags of potential. We wanted a fixer-upper but we need to be able to live in it. As soon as we walked in we knew this was our next house. It was built in 1901 and still has lots of period features. It’s a 4-bed terraced house with a decent garden but hadn’t been renovated since the 80s. The staircase is what immediately sold it to me. With all the original bannisters and end posts, I could just see how amazing it could be.
3. You have created so many glorious spaces in your home, how do you go about planning the design for a room?
It really does start with a bit of a gut feeling about what I want the room to feel like followed by lots of moodboarding. Sometimes I have one piece of furniture that I want to include, and I design the room around that. My design skills also come in handy, I photoshop and even 3D model every space. I like to see how different wallpapers and colours are going to look in the room before I commit.
4. Your home is full of eclectic treasures, beautiful antiques and statement pieces too, what are you drawn to when shopping for a space?
We both just love anything old and anything unusual. We always have one eye open for treasures. On top of this, we love lots of different styles and time periods but I think it all works together.
5. You are so brilliant at mixing styles and making a space feel personal, what advice would you give to someone wanting to create something special in their own home décor?
I think combining old, new and upcycling makes things feel personal. Having things in your house with a story I think is important. I love being surrounded by memories of adventures and people. When buying new items, ultimately you just need to like them and it will start to feel personal to your style. Try not to follow trends too closely and just go with your gut. If you like it, that’s all that matters.
6. There are plenty of creative and unique corners throughout your home which can be seen on your lovely Instagram @strikeme_pink, talk us through which parts you decided to DIY?
Basically, anything we could DIY we did. Our budget has always been tight and very much paid for pay-cheque-to-pay-cheque. This forces you to be creative and also to learn new skills. The bathroom was the big thing that we paid a professional to do and things like plastering. It's been tough and don’t get me wrong, if we could pay contractors to just do it all we totally would because we both have very hectic day jobs but it has been good to feel the massive sense of achievement at the end of it. But if I ever have to strip wallpaper again it will be too soon.
7. Which room have you most enjoyed transforming so far and why?
Oooo tough one. Probably the bathroom or kitchen as they have the biggest impact on your life. They also feel like the biggest transformations.
8. What advice would you give to someone who is renovating an entire house for the first time?
Do not underestimate how much everything costs. We were so naive! It has basically swallowed every spare penny we have had for the last 2 years. We had grand plans of extensions and dramatic building work but that quickly went out the window. I think next time we do this we will also move out for a few weeks and get a building firm to strip/replaster the whole house and do any structural/electrical work at the same time. It’s definitely cheaper to do a lot of work at once.
9. Do you have any exciting plans for your home design this year?
Mainly a lot of finishing jobs but I’m super excited for our final room renovation which is our guest room. Once that is done I'll probably change the design of the living room.
10. Finally, name three new Rockett St George products that you love!
Oh my gosh sooooo many!! The 3 faves in our house are…the Star Shaped Beaded Chandelier, Boho Beaded Cotton Garden Umbrella and Vintage Style Palm Tree Floor Lamp!
Quick Fire Questions
1. I am happiest when…Relaxing at home with Rhys with a G&T in hand and with no weekend plans at all! An empty diary is bliss.
2. My favourite podcast is…The missing crypto queen
3. My dream holiday would be…Indonesia or the Maldives for the scuba diving (I was an instructor in a former life)
4. My ideal day would be spent….Brunch somewhere cute with friends, a little home wear shopping, afternoon nap, followed by dinner and a film with Rhys in the evening
5. My personal motto is…You can't take money to the grave haha
6. My guilty pleasure is…Below Deck
7. The last film I saw was…Birdbox
8. My favourite book is…I read a lot of trash books but probs The Girls by Emma Cline
9. In five years’ time, I want to be…Happy and healthy (still) – and maybe running a Airbnb in Australia haha
10. The three things I can’t live without are…Rhys, chocolate and yoga in that order