10 Mins With: Lara Bezzina

There are few creatives who can stop us mid-scroll quite like Lara Bezzina . A true visionary when it comes to home styling and DIY, Lara Bezzina has a magical knack for turning everyday interiors into something spectacular; often with nothing more than a bit of elbow grease, clever thinking, and her signature touch of gold! You may remember the viral sensation that was her gold leaf ceiling rose ; an incredible diy feat that caught our eye and captivated over 9.3 million others. That reel alone amassed nearly 1 million likes when we shared it on Rockett St George, co-founder, Jane Rockett's Instagram , and we’ve been hooked ever since.

Today, Lara Bezzina is not only renovating her home with her signature style on a budget, but also running her own interior design consultancy and teaching others the art of gold leafing through her expertly curated gold leafing workshop .

We recently sat down with Lara Bezzina to chat all things interiors, creativity and what inspires her most - both at home and in her work. From her proudest DIY moment to the style rules she swears by, Lara Bezzina opens up with warmth, wit and plenty of fabulous tips along the way.

Read on for the full interview with Lara Bezzina…

1. We’re still dreaming about that incredible gold-leafed ceiling rose reel; what a moment! What inspired you to create it, and did you ever imagine it would go viral?

"It was the first room we tackled in our big renovation project, and it had the only decent ceiling in the house. Although I thought the existing ceiling rose was a bit small and uninteresting for the room, I really didn’t want to mess with the ceiling to remove it. That got me thinking about how I could make it more of a feature, and the idea of the sun was the first thing that came to mind. As I’ve used gold leaf so much, it was the obvious choice to make the sun shine in the room, always. I had no idea it would go so crazy, social media is so unpredictable. I quite enjoy reading the negative comments when something goes big!" 

2. You’re the queen of budget-friendly transformations. How did your love for DIY and upcycling first begin? Have you always been creative?

"It was through being broke at first. When we managed to buy our first house, it was a struggle and we had little left after bills. We watched a lot of YouTube DIY videos in those first few years! I also started buying second-hand furniture from second-hand shops and eBay. Doing those pieces up became my creative outlet and my love of interiors started to grow. I definitely think a lack of budget can make you more creative, not having the funds to buy what you want makes you consider alternative ways to get the looks you want for less. I have always been creative, I loved making things and drawing when I was little. I studied art at college but didn’t really know what to do next with it and didn’t know what creative career options there were at the time. I’ve done evening courses in metal jewellery and clothing design as I love design and making things, whether it’s clothes, shoes, interiors, furniture or jewellery. However, interiors is definitely my favourite."

4. How do you approach designing your home? Is it instinctive, planned, or a little bit of both?

"Well, I should probably say it’s all planned, but I’m not so good at following my own advice! Sometimes I have a clear plan that I usually hold in my head, sometimes it evolves, and I make last-minute decisions as I go. I just don’t have enough time for the planning at the moment, as we are constantly moving forward with the renovations. As soon as one room is nearly done, it’s on to the next. I usually think about how I want the room to feel, the colours and the must-haves and work the rest out from there."

5. What’s a recent home project that’s got you excited, proud, or pushed you creatively?

"The hallway and landing that we are currently working on. I have had a vision for it for a couple of years and as it’s the first thing you see when you walk in the door, it feels like a huge step forward. It has generally been an absolute state since we moved in, full of building materials mainly. I bought the tiles for it over a year ago as they were on sale and I knew they were exactly what I wanted. We thought we needed a professional to lay them as they are marble, there are lots of curves and doorways to cut around and I chose a diamond pattern. Due to funds, we decided to do it ourselves, it has taken 3 weekends, some evenings, broken my work boots and given me a back ache, but I could not be happier with it!" 

6. You’ve built a brilliant Instagram presence; what made you decide to start sharing your creative projects with the world?

"I was never that into social media before Instagram, I’ve never used X and was bored of Facebook and when I found so much interior inspiration on Instagram I really wanted to be a part of it. I also didn’t have many creative people around me in real life so connecting with other interior designers and renovators was inspiring and really helpful too. I love to hear when I have inspired others to take on a DIY project or something creative that they wouldn’t have otherwise, makes me super happy. It’s a great community for advice and support and my DMs are always open, I try my best to give back too."

7. How would you describe your interior style in three words, and has it evolved over the years?

"Gold, bold and colourful – I think my style has always been creative too, experimenting with using paint and gold leaf to create interest, features and different effects. I also love to mix old and modern, love that relationship, such as an antique sofa next to a modern abstract rug or coffee table. I have definitely gained confidence in my style over years of experimenting on my own homes, especially with the use of colour. I have got bolder and bolder with my use of colour and for me, a really warm colour palette is what brings me joy in my own home. Also remembering that it’s only paint and it can be painted again helps, but taking time to ensure the pricier, more permanent things are what you really want long term is important too." 

8. We’re big believers that every home should tell a story; what’s one object or piece in your home that holds the most meaning to you?

"I love personal touches around my home, especially items I’ve picked up on holidays/travelling. Items that my husband, myself and friends have made are up there with my favourites too. But there is one piece of furniture that started my love of upcycling and getting creative with furniture. It was when we had moved into our first home and had no cash. We were at the local tip, and they had a cabin with reusable items for sale. There was a vintage dressing table I liked, when he said it was £5, I nearly bit his hand off! I couldn’t believe it. That’s where my obsession with second-hand, vintage furniture started, so that piece signifies a lot for me. It’s currently buried in piles of clothes in our dressing room to-be!" 

9. Looking ahead, what’s on your creative vision board for 2025—any new projects, big changes or wild ideas?

"Oh, where to start? I have a bird mural to finish on the landing ceiling (I had to do part of it from some slightly scary, wobbly scaffolding!). I’m making a bench for the hallway. I also need to add lots of finishing touches to my studio which is part of our cellar conversion – planning to get some subtle stripes on the chimney breast in there. Then onto the utility room, a bedroom and ground floor WC. I’m definitely getting creative in there, love going to town on small spaces and making them fun. Planning on birds and gold leaf all over the walls – watch this space! Oooh also need to get the garden looking prettier with phase 2. The whole thing was tarmac when we moved in so adding some grass was phase one. I also want to add to the outdoor bath – definitely no ice allowed, warm relaxing baths allowed only!"

1. I am happiest when… eating something amazing or doing something creative, I’m obsessed with food as well as design.

2. If I could gold-leaf anything, it would be… Ooooh, I’m struggling with this one. What haven’t I gold-leafed?! Maybe a golden door or the garden bath. 

3. When I need inspiration, I... usually have a read of my backlog of elle décor mags. I struggle to fit in reading them so it feels like a luxury when I get to. 

4. My dream holiday would be… It has to be hot, surrounded my amazing nature and loads of wild animals. I recently went to Costa Rica and it was an absolute dream come true. More places like that please. 

5. My ideal day would be spent… eating breakfast, lunch and dinner at some delicious restaurants I haven’t tried before, with some vintage shopping, walkies in the countryside with my dogs and doing something creative in between. 

6. I wish someone had told me… to be way more confident in my abilities, to be true to my tastes and not try to please everyone, it’s not possible! 

 7. My guilty pleasure is… Married At First Sight, Australia. I don’t watch much reality TV but got hooked on this in the Covid days and can’t stop now! 

8. My favourite film / TV series is… My favourite film is ‘Amelie’, closely followed by ‘Withnail & I’. Two very, very different films! 

9. In five years' time, I want to… have finished the house renovation, be hiring it out as a shoot location and loving living in it without all the dust! 

10. The three things I can’t live without are… cake, my heated blanket in the winter and my phone! 

It’s always inspiring to see what creative minds like Lara Bezzina are up to, and her projects are full of clever, budget-friendly ideas that anyone can try at home. From gold leaf ceiling roses to thoughtful home updates, Lara Bezzina proves that a little imagination can go a long way. Be sure to check out her page if you’re after some fresh DIY inspiration — there’s plenty more where that came from!

Lara Bezzina's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lara.bezzina/

Lara Bezzina's Website: https://www.larabezzina.co.uk/interior-design-services