Sarah Simonds Dark and Cosy, Bohemian Home

Today's home tour is a particular favourite of mine belonging to Sarah Simonds, otherwise known as My Off the Wall Interior. Sarah has created a dark and cosy home, eclectic in nature due to her being influenced by travels. She has a lovely collection of furniture and unusual items, and her home showcases beautifully her macramé art which you can read about in a corresponding posthere.

I'm particularly enamoured by her gorgeous garden, being a closet gardener myself. I love the tropical feeling she has created, something I tried once, until the snow that we get in Leeds killed off all my lovely tree ferns.

Anyway, please read on for a lovely home tour.

I’ve always stepped out of the proverbial box when it came to our own interior.  My husband David and our two Children moved to our current property 13 years ago. We have completely transformed the space…

There was quite a bit of demolition. The majority of the work was done by ourselves, with a little grafting help from friends on the odd occasion.  I took my first room dark (including the ceiling) some 12 years ago. I’m a great believer in being fearless, and although we all observe ‘trends’ I know what I like with my aesthetic and I stick to that. I like to create a cosy space with plenty to draw the eye.

We’ve always had to be thrifty with it as funds have not been at a premium.  I have a few classic pieces of furniture that I’ve had for years, I adore curves and architectural form. Barbara Hepworth has always been a huge Inspiration, as have my travels… Morocco and Norway have left a lasting impact, and have a huge influence in our home. You can see the Moroccan Influence particularly in our bedroom. 

I’ve always had to get creative.  I have sourced quite a few pieces from online auction sites and our home and style have organically developed. I love salvaged finds such as the telegraph pole in our sitting room that’s there to be functional as support for the ceiling, yet aesthetically pleasing too!

I love re-purposing items and giving them a new lease of life.! enjoy having a very hands on approach, so this has allowed me to express myself and my creativity further.  I have a passion for rusticity, wood and earthy tones.

Our home is eclectic but cohesive. Every space is linked in some way so each area flows into another. The tropical garden was started from scratch 13 years ago a lot of hard work research and effort has gone into creating our little piece of paradise at home. I’m what you’d call a very old school Bohemian I suppose!

the girl in home