How Interiors Influence My Paintings
I’ve realised lately that I’m often just as inspired by interiors as I am by painting itself.
Certain spaces, colours and textures stay in my mind long after I’ve left a room — warm timber, layered linen, soft lighting, collected objects, checkered fabrics, burgundy tones, vintage details and little imperfections that make a home feel lived in rather than styled too perfectly.
I think that influence slowly finds its way into my work.
When I paint, I’m usually thinking less about creating something “decorative” and more about creating a feeling. I want my paintings to feel warm, nostalgic, layered and calm — like spaces people genuinely want to spend time in.
A lot of the colours I keep returning to lately have come directly from interiors I love. Deep burgundy, olive green, warm creams, chocolate tones, faded blues and mustard checks have all quietly shaped pieces like After the Picnic and Stillness in Blue.
Even the checkered patterns that keep appearing throughout my paintings were inspired by little details around the home — tablecloths, picnic rugs, fabric textures and collected textiles that feel playful and comforting at the same time.
Bedrooms have also become one of my favourite places to imagine artwork living. I love how original art can completely soften a space and bring personality into a room without needing to overpower it. Some of my favourite styled mockups lately have been moodier bedrooms layered with linen, warm timber and softer lighting.
I don’t think artwork needs to perfectly match a home either. Sometimes the most beautiful spaces feel slightly unexpected — layered slowly over time with pieces that carry memory, texture and story.
That’s probably why I’m drawn to creating paintings filled with small details and imperfections. The hidden hearts in After the Picnic, painted first by my daughter Sage, are one of my favourite examples of that. I nearly painted over them completely, but leaving them visible made the piece feel more honest somehow.
The more I paint, the more I realise I’m not just inspired by still life objects themselves, but by the atmosphere around them — the rooms, colours and quiet moments they belong to.