Today's lovely guest is English designer Emma Sims-Hilditch. Emma got her start designing sets for Ridley Scott before opening her own firm, Sims Hilditch, in 2009. Her work has been featured in Vogue, House & Garden, The Telegraph, and many other publications. We discuss Emma’s new book The Evolution of Home: English Interiors for a New Era and her tips for decorating the English way.

What You’ll Hear on This Episode:

Decorating Dilemma:

Hi Jackie,

This is a lovely kitchen with fantastic bones and storage. I personally wouldn’t change the white cabinets because I think it’s much easier to paint a wall. If you don’t like it, it’s also much easier to repaint. I would personally do a soft gray like Mizzle by Farrow & Ball. You could also go darker like a blue-gray. A white kitchen is a great starting point and I love the black contrast. I notice the countertops are polished vs. honed; I would recommend getting a quote to see how much it is to get them honed. It’s an easy process that gives a much softer edge and makes a huge difference. I would also recommend some pendant lights over the bar if it’s not too difficult to add them now. You could use fabric-colored shades or even play with patterns. If it’s practical, upholstered bar stools are another fun way to bring color in. I would also even look at the curtain; the soft white curtain could be swapped for something with more texture or pattern that’s more structured and less floaty. I would base it on what you choose for the pendant and barstools. You could also try a coordinating Roman shade above the window as well; whether it’s decorative or functional it will often up that space. I would not wallpaper the backsplash as cooking can be damaging to wallpaper. If you really want to wallpaper somewhere or even if the room carries on around the corner, you could paper one wall. I would pick out a pattern that’s complimentary to the paint color you choose from the kitchen. We all think drawing more attention to the island will be your best bet. With that in mind, you could also paint the island 2 shades darker than whatever you choose for the wall. We don’t think the dog crate is permanent, but if you want you could put a rug under it for now!

The kitchen looks wonderful as is and just needs some finishing touches–you’re almost there! Good luck and please send us some pictures!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Sims Hilditch

Sims Hilditch on Instagram

Emma Sims-Hilditch on Instagram

The Evolution of Home: English Interiors for a New Era

Margot 2-Light Pendant

Hector Finch