Creative Chat with Interior Designer Helen Izzard

Image by Meg Lovell Photography

We have had some wonderful creative businesses enrol on our Online Course and come along to our Pinterest Workshops. We have so enjoyed connecting with them online and in person and thought it would be great to share our Creative Chats with you here on our blog!

We have reached out to these artists, designers, makers and small business owners to share their business story with us. Details of their creative process, where they find inspiration and the highs and lows of running their own business. Our latest Creative Chat takes us to an interior design studio in Somerset.

Image by Helen Izzard

Our 12th Creative Chat is with Helen Izzard, an interior designer based in Somerset. Helen creates classically elegant, beautifully understated interiors that feel like home.

Tell us about your business and what is the story behind it?

I am an independent interior designer, and my studio is based in rural Somerset, where we live. I started the business nearly 20 years ago, as an outworker for an Exmoor based interior design studio and it really grew from there, as I began to grow my own client base. At that time, I was also working full-time as a Civil Service Accountants Manager, and sewing and interiors was my creative outlet in what was my rather boring day job, I always dreamed of making this my full-time career, having my own business, and creating my own destiny.

As an artisan, I have always used the skills and craftsmanship that I was taught from childhood, which is where my knowledge began. Both my mother and grandmother encouraged me with their hand stitched heritage, which was passed on through the generations. Sewing is rooted in my family’s history and as a child, I was taught the values and principles of sewing, hand stitching, crafts, and art. I would watch, fascinated, as my mother worked, and her boxes of buttons and threads and haberdashery slowly drew me into a new and fascinating world of needle and thread. These early memories are the beginning of what became my lifelong apprenticeship with sewing.

Image by Meg Lovell Photography

“There are many aspects of my business which I love. But the one word that always springs to mind is ‘possibilities’.” – Helen Izzard

What is your favourite thing about your business and what are you most proud of?

There are many aspects of my business which I love. But the one word that always springs to mind is ‘possibilities’. Running your own business allows you to grow and develop in the way in which you choose, and I am incredibly lucky to have so many exciting interior projects, and that brings possibilities and opportunities. When I was employed, the chance for growth was very limited and I always felt constrained, but now I have the opportunity to run a business with my principles, ethics and possibilities. Every project is a chance for new design ideas, that first step over the threshold into a new home, and those first insights as I walk from room to room chatting with the client, the beginnings of new designs, filled with so many possibilities. Every project is exciting and inspiring.

I am proud of how the business has grown, from the many chats my husband and I had about whether I should leave my job in NHS management, as I was incredibly stressed and unhappy, and finally taking that brave step and focusing on the business. It has been a hard journey, we have learnt so much and worked incredibly hard, but I would not change it for the world. My only regret is that I did not take that leap earlier! I know that Mum would be proud of where I am now.

Image by Meg Lovell Photography

“Both my mother and grandmother encouraged me to sew, I always remember my mother sat at the sewing machine and my grandmother doing the finest hand sewing.” – Helen Izzard

What is your background? What or who inspired you?

I am originally from Somerset and although my management career meant that I have moved away, I am always pulled back. We grew up on the edge of Taunton and spent my childhood exploring the countryside on the edge of the Quantocks with my two brothers, riding our bikes and discovering forbidden areas!

Both my mother and grandmother encouraged me to sew, I always remember my mother sat at the sewing machine and my grandmother doing the finest hand sewing. I had my first electric sewing machine as a child, a Christmas present from Mum and Dad, I was so proud of it. I remember one of my schoolteachers asked to speak to Mum, and they told her she was irresponsible, they could not understand my interest in sewing. But I grew up around that machine, the beginnings of my life-long career, something I was not aware of until much later in life.

Image by Meg Lovell Photography

Where are you based?

We are based in Somerset, which we love, although my work takes me across the South and Southwest of the UK. The landscape is so diverse here, moorland, forests, and coastline. Standing on the top of the Quantocks still fills me with so much inspiration. Where else can you turn 360 degrees and see the moors, the forests, and the sea? It is incredible. We are very lucky to have Exmoor, the Quantocks hills and long stretches of coastline on our doorstep. Kilve is one of my favourite places on a wild and wet stormy day, with no one else on the beach, and the waves crashing in. Natures elements at its best, and so inspiring. Walking our beautiful countryside can be so inspiring and focuses me with my business plans and ideas.

How would you describe your business ethos?

I am drawn to natural materials and craftsmanship, and I apply this ethos throughout the business, focusing on artisan products, UK manufacturing, using natural fabrics such as pure wool and linen. Sustainability is so important to me. As an industry, it is something we are not good at and there is so much waste and plastic, but I place it is a central focus in my designs and how I run the business, choosing longevity, timelessness, quality craftsmanship and sustainable materials. As a small business, this is not always easy but all we can do is our best. My ethos is to run the business with honesty, respect, and integrity, and to embrace and enjoy the journey.

Images by Helen Izzard

What do you find difficult, and what are the challenges?

The most difficult challenge is not enough time in the day! There is so much behind the scenes work to do, which I enjoy doing but they are sometimes the most challenging things. Keeping up to date with the website, and social media, the constant changes to algorithms, and processes. When something does not work, there is no IT department to fall back on, so we must try and resolve things on our own, always a challenge! But equally, we have learnt a lot! Keeping up to date with industry news has its challenges too, trying to filter out the trends, and it is not always easy to visit trade shows when we are based in rural Somerset, but thankfully the reps often drop by when they are in the area and I focus on the my preferred suppliers and keep an eye on new designers emerging across the industry.

What does a typical day look like?

Every day is different, but I always start the week by scheduling my list of priorities and jobs, not just the workroom schedule but planning for new client project visits in the diary and any installation visits, and then plan around the admin tasks for the week ahead. I also have a monthly plan too, which I draw on each week.

I am always up early, it is the best time of the day, so I start with the website orders that have come in overnight and responding to emails. Sometimes client visits can take all day and I always prepare the day before. I am so fortunate to see some incredible homes, in amazing places, often remote with no sat-nav signal, so ordnance survey maps are essential! Other days are based in the workroom, with the windows open and the radio on quietly in the background. These are the most relaxing days albeit long ones, and the days where I return to my roots, hand sewing and designing.

Image by Helen Izzard

“I find inspiration from many sources, but my biggest inspiration is from nature, natural materials, and light.” – Helen Izzard

Where do you work from, and do you work on your own?

I work from my studio at home, which is mainly on my own, and which works well as my husband also runs his own business, so we can juggle everything if something urgent comes in. I have a website team who manage the website and help me set up templates, so I can add products and update pages. I am also working with Wildings Studio who are designing my new stationary, which is exciting. And I work with a local fitter who installs all my tracks, curtain poles and roman blinds for me, his knowledge and expertise are invaluable!

Where does your inspiration for your designs come from?

I find inspiration from many sources, but my biggest inspiration is from nature, natural materials, and light. Nature is one of our biggest sources of colour and texture, and light adds to that, light can change colour tones in a moment. I also find great inspiration from clients, and the passion and vision they have for their home. I can gain much knowledge and inspiration from every project.

Image by Helen Izzard

Do you have any news you are excited about, and you would like to share with us?

I have been working on an exciting new trimmings collection for the past year, which I launched recently. My vision for this is natural materials and creating this collection with a UK manufacturer. So many trimmings are imported, man-made and poor quality, and I was keen to create a collection with integrity and following my ethos for using natural materials. We use wool and cotton yarns, and I am so pleased to have just launched two designs, with more colours and designs to follow! Watch this space.

Image by Helen Izzard

What are your passions and interests?

I absolutely love photography and watercolour art. They are both such relaxing pursuits, and I can often become immersed for hours with a paintbrush or my camera in hand. I love taking my own photos for the business, and love learning new camera skills!

“The Pinterest Online course was brilliant for helping me to understand and plan content.” – Helen Izzard

How has Pinterest helped your business?

Social media is an important part of running a business, but it comes with its nuances and challenges, and can be very time consuming! Pinterest is a fantastic visual tool to use, and good images are key to advertising your business. The Pinterest Online course was brilliant for helping me to understand and plan content. I now schedule my social media through a scheduling app, and I aim to pin a few times each week and I have pinned all my products from the website, with a link back to the website too.

The great thing about Pinterest is the brilliant search engine and so regular pins are essential to grow my content, and I love the fact that I can link each pin to my website. There is still so much to learn about this platform, and of course it changes like all the social media platforms, but I can still dip in and out of the Pinterest course for specific things, like when I was looking for a scheduler or when I want to refresh my memory in one of the lessons!

Image by Helen Izzard

Find out more about Helen Izzard’s work and design studio here:

website | Pinterest | Instagram

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