Welcome To Mad About The House
“The best interiors blog on the Internet” - The Guardian
I believe passionately in the importance of how we decorate our homes. It’s so much more than a pretty curtain or a lick of paint. Our homes tell the story of who we are – and when they are designed for the way we live, in colours that we love, and arranged in ways that make best use of the available space, they become not just a roof over our heads, but vital support systems for both mental and physical health and wellbeing.
I have been a writer for more than half my life. I started out on a local paper as a trainee news reporter to learn my craft. I graduated to writing for the UK national press, including The Guardian, The Independent, The Daily Mail and The Sunday Times. In 2012 I founded Mad About The House, which went on to win many awards and became the No 1 interiors blog in the UK. I currently write a monthly column for Red magazine. Words are my jam. Not videos, not reels, not music over the top of everything. It’s all about the words for me –both reading and writing – and for that reason I’m so happy to found the space and elegance of Substack after the hurly-burly of social media.
During 11 years since starting my blog, I have covered everything from why the kitchen table is the most important piece of furniture in your house, to how to plan your lighting, and what pieces you should buy if you rent. All of that information has now been moved over here into my archive and is instantly available to paid subscribers. (If you’d like something you can hold in your hands, there are also five best-selling Mad About The House books to consult!)
I have kept some of the archive free for now, so you can see the sorts of things I write about if you are wondering whether a subscription is for you. Examples of posts that are currently available to everyone include: How to Make Good Interior Design Decisions, The 10 Most Important Pieces of Furniture You Need and 15 Interior Design Rules to Live By.
Now, about those subscriptions… Here’s what you’ll get:
· FREE SUBSCRIBERS
You will receive two free posts a month, published every other Monday, to give you some inspiration to start the week. Helping you find your own style and understand what you need, so you can make the most of your own places and spaces is (and always has been) the reason why I write what I do.
But I really want to bring you more…
· PAID SUBSCRIBERS (£6/month or £65/year)
As paid subscribers, you will have a chance to connect with me directly and to consult me for advice and ideas via a monthly drop-in Design Clinic.
You will receive four posts a month – published every Wednesday – in addition to the two free Monday posts.
You will have access to my full archive of more than 100 essential posts covering all aspects of home decor – from how to plan the perfect kitchen, to creating a lighting scheme, tips for buying vintage and understanding how to choose the right sofa.
You will be able to read my secret address book – including unmissable design destinations and the best places to shop for all budgets.
You will be the first to receive invitations to Mad About the House Design Retreats that I will be hosting at my house in Italy (starting next year), as well as behind the scenes access and previews of the house as the renovations take shape.
FOUNDING MEMBERS (£350/year)
If you want to be become a Founding Member, then for £350 you will have a a 45 minute one-to-one design consultation with me (less than half the usual price). We can discuss everything from room layouts and architectural features to lighting, styling and shopping, and selecting paint and paper.
You will also receive a signed copy of whichever of my books is right for you at the time of joining. At the start of a project it might be my first bestseller, Mad About The House: How to Find Your Style. But if you're a little further down the line, it might be 101 Interior Design Answers, or the Mad About The House Planner with specially formatted pages for lists, decorating prompts and graph paper for floor plans. Or my most recent book Home: The Way We Live Now, with cut pages so you can put together design tips for small spaces, rented spaces and working from home spaces - whatever works for you.
Does this sound like something you’d be up for? I hope so. If so, hit the button below and I’ll see you on the other side!
