Carole Coleman is the creative eye behind Carole Coleman Design — where eclectic meets affordable. Carole helps homeowners turn everyday spaces into one-of-a-kind havens, without the luxury price tag. Sussex Exclusive Commissioning Editor, Dee Blick, caught up with Carole to find out more about her design process, what inspires her and how she achieves that perfect balance of style, personality and budget.
You describe yourself as an interior designer with a difference. What is the difference?
For many years now, I have dedicated myself to making interior design accessible to all, regardless of budget. The way I achieve this is by curating my client’s interiors with what they already own, decluttering their space, and choosing quality over quantity. I intentionally source from auction houses, vintage shops, and affordable high street brands. My love of fine things and a good eye enable me to create timeless, sophisticated and affordable décors. Having had the privilege to travel the world in my previous career, I infuse rooms with international flavours, colours, and textures.
Normally, on my first visit with a client, I scan the room, select interesting artefacts, and visualise my client’s life through their belongings. Then our journey begins with a vision board that will deliver a unique interior with the focus on illuminating their stories. I declutter and move around furniture from one room to another, going through every room choosing personal items, artworks and cushions. My clients and I embark on this journey together. We have so much fun! I want to empower them and show how I arrive at the perfect design. It is so important that I deliver unique, intuitive, affordable, and thoughtful rooms for every client, whether big budget or shoestring budget. My designs are eclectic, soulful, timeless with a big slice of ‘je ne sais quoi.’
Where do you draw your inspiration? Famous designers, current trends in colours, textures and finishes, people’s homes?
Nina Campbell is an inspiration for me going back to the 80s. She offers timeless and elegant style, quintessentially English, with the most exquisite artefacts. I love Dar Leone funded by Isatu Funna. I had the great privilege to meet her, at the beginning of her journey, a decade ago in London and fell in love with her creativity. She creates colourful modern designs, inspired by her West African heritage. The colours are vibrant, and their combinations are distinctive to Dar Leone. Martyn Lawrence Bullard is famous for his eclectic, luxurious interiors. He is known for his ability to mix Scandinavian lighting, Japanese minimalism and Moroccan tiles in one room.
I do not follow trends, as I like the freedom of mixing different époques, style and colours that are unique in my clients’ homes and reflect their personality. I don’t have accounts with brands as I want my clients to choose me for my tastes, vision and how I curate a room. I love turning pages of interior magazines from different countries, pure dopamine for my brain and eyes.
What is the first thing you do when a customer asks you to redesign a space in their home?
I schedule a 30-minute consultation session. In that time, I collect crucial information and understand their brief. I want to know the reasons why they want to redesign. I talk about what they like and don’t like. I will ask about their budget and discreetly work out their lifestyle. I will explain how I work, as I take them on a journey with me.
When designing a space, how can you make it look fresh and different if the homeowner wants to keep their furniture?
You can transform a space with original furniture by creating a different space layout and decluttering the area, restaging with different items and artworks. Upgrading the lighting is always a key element and deciding on a feature wall, as is adding plants and balancing the energy in the room.
How do you breathe life into old paintings?
You can change the frame by painting the original in a different colour. You can house the old painting in a float frame, promoting a contemporary feel. Enhancing the lighting where the painting is and linking the painting with a cushion or an object to tell a story in the room works so well.
Are there any projects that have really stood out for you?
Designing my doctor’s surgery was epic, as I had a small budget and was stuck with dark carpets. I embraced the challenge, as small budgets are familiar to my niche. I was honest with my doctor and voiced my concerns at the gloomy and dark waiting room, greeting patients. At the same time, I was not opting for a white, sterile design. The surgery was transformed into boutique, hotel-style. All my choices, from lighting, fabric and colour palettes, were carefully chosen to promote a zen and heart-warming feel. I commissioned an artist for two large canvases, which became the wow factor in the waiting room. The colours and scenes were intentionally chosen to create escapism and a timeless feel. It was a great success for staff and patients.
How does your home reflect your design talents?
My home is a testament to my skills, passions, and love for fine things on an affordable budget. It is eclectic and filled with international flavours. There are stories in every room and a ‘red thread’ through the whole house as we say in France, “fil rouge.” There are common links, subtle, personal items and colours, which are found in every room, promoting a unique and curated design, just for my family and I. And of course, beautiful palettes of colours and funny stories between objects, cushions, and textures. I just love it!
Can you share a low-cost design hack with our readers?
I would say changing light bulbs! Lighting is crucial in a design and getting it right is paramount. The right bulbs can transform what you see in the room, make you feel cosier, or they can simply enhance a specific space. The colour tone of the bulbs and their lighting strength has huge variation (warm to cool). I pay a lot of attention to the lighting at the staging point. In future columns for Sussex Exclusive, I will share much more, so watch this, carefully curated space!
About Carole
Carole is a French interior designer based in the UK, West Sussex, dedicated to making beautiful, liveable spaces, with a fresh and elegant approach, accessible to everyone, no matter their budget. With a passion for creativity that she has cultivated over the years, Carole believes great ideas for design should not be a luxury. She completed a City and Guilds in Interior Design and Decorative Techniques in the 1990s, keen to learn about the history of design and various eras. Carole’s approach combines budget-conscious solutions with a strong sense of style, helping clients create home spaces that truly reflect who they are. Whether it is upcycling furniture or working with limited resources, Carole proves that great design can be both inspiring and accessible.
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