The key to successful interior design is not only about creating a beautiful home but somewhere that reflects your personality, enhances your lifestyle and sparks joy every day.
But achieving a perfectly put-together space is no easy feat, from choosing the right colour palette to placing furniture and knowing how to maximise a room’s potential. This is where having the expert eye of an interior designer is crucial.
Missy Peck and Davina Cooke, co-owners of MIDA Interiors Limited, use their artistic knowledge and flair for the finer details to transform properties into elegant and timeless homes suitable for modern living.
Having met while working with world-renowned interior designer, Henrietta Spencer-Churchill, they share a genuine enthusiasm for blending contemporary and traditional styles to create innovative and bespoke design solutions.
We spoke to Missy and Davinia about the benefits of working with an experienced interior designer and how to create a home you can fall in love with.
Q: Firstly, what is the role of an interior designer?
A: Having a collaborative relationship with our clients is vital and it’s what we love the most about our job. There needs to be a constant conversation when designing a space and a good interior designer can get into the psyche of their client and unpick what they like and don’t like when it comes to style, colours and textures.
Even if you have a passion for home décor and know how you want your living space to look and feel, bringing it together can be overwhelming, and this is where our expertise is so valuable.
We see every project as a different challenge and an opportunity to create something exciting that is unexpected. The way we create homes is always personal and we want to make the experience as enjoyable as possible for our clients.
Q: What types of property do you work on?
A: Our portfolio includes everything from large heritage properties and country estates to Cotswold farmhouses and London townhouses. Having both lived abroad, we bring a worldly approach to our designs and have carried out work on several international properties.
It's important for us to respect the fabric of the building and highlight the quirks and architectural features of period properties. For example, if we were working on a 1920s house, our design would nod towards the art deco style.
Q: What is your process for designing a space?
A: The process usually starts by looking at the type of property and the person’s lifestyle. For example, to suit the routine of many of our clients with country homes in the Cotswolds, we try to incorporate practical elements that will make daily life easier for them, such as utility rooms where they can wash their pets and muddy boots.
When it comes to details such as choosing colour schemes, we often take inspiration from a striking piece, whether it’s a beautiful antique rug, an inherited painting or a 200-year-old mahogany table.
It could also be as simple as asking someone what their favourite holiday or film is, to put together a picture of what they want their home to look and feel like.
Q: How would you describe your interior design style?
A: We like to create spaces that look like they have evolved over time through an accumulation of antiques and art, as well as incorporating the latest technology to bring properties up to modern standards.
Our interiors have lots of layers with unique pieces that bring out the personality of the homeowner. We find that mixing traditional styles with modern accents, such as mid-century furniture with contemporary lighting, is far more appealing than the matchy-matchy look.
Multi-purpose living spaces are increasingly popular, and we often incorporate designs and furniture that can be adapted for different uses. This could be a bespoke kitchen island that functions as a family breakfast area or dining table for dinner parties, or lighting that creates a different ambience depending on what the room is being used for.
Q: Why is interior design important?
A: Your home is your biggest investment and where you build a life for you and your family, so it’s important to surround yourself with wonderful things that make your heart sing. Every room should have the ‘wow’ factor and make your day-to-day life easier and more enjoyable.
No one wants to live in a museum or a show home – a space needs to be practical and functional as well as beautiful. When we’re doing a full renovation, we try to find a design that works for the client in the best possible way and create the dream home they deserve.
Q: What services do you offer?
A: We offer a full interior design service, from meeting with clients to get an insight into their vision to obtaining required planning permission through to designing and creating the space.
As well as helping to pick out colours and textures, we can also advise on the most energy-efficient appliances as well as sourcing or designing bespoke furniture and joinery.
We have connections with highly experienced suppliers and makers who are familiar with the development and renovation of different styles and ages of property.
For more information, visit midainteriors.com or email studio@midainteriors.com.
