uFurnish.com Founder Deirdre Mc Gettrick sat down with Claire Douglas - 2025 uFurnish.com Home Awards Winner to talk all things interiors inspiration and advice for those on their own interiors journey.
Name: Claire Douglas
Instagram handle: @clairedouglasstyling
Website: Claire Douglas Styling
TikTok handle: @clairedouglasstyling
Pinterest: Claire Douglas Styling
Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/clairedouglasstyling
Location: Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Sum up your home interior style in 3 words or less: Bespoke on a budget (ok that’s 4 but it’s my thing!!)
What’s your favourite item in your home?: Probably my DIY resin garden path because it completely transformed the garden and proved you don’t need a huge budget to create something that looks really high-end. It’s become a bit of a signature project for me. That or the microcement kitchen which was another DIY that changed everything for me.
If your home had a theme song what would it be?: Oh that’s a tricky one… maybe My Way by Frank Sinatra or what's the ‘shine bright like a diamond’ Rihanna song!
Toilet roll over or under on the holder?: Over
Do you place your cups and glasses facing up or down in your cupboard?: Glasses down, mugs up. I clearly like to keep life complicated!!
What inspired your home’s interior style and how did you bring that vision to life?
I’ve always loved homes that feel personal rather than perfectly showhome-y but a bit devoid of character and story. My style is really rooted in creating a bespoke look on a realistic budget, mixing old and new pieces, layering textures and adding lots of DIY elements to make spaces feel unique.
A lot of the inspiration came from simply not being able to afford the high-end interiors I loved. Instead of accepting that certain looks were out of reach (because that’s rubbish!), I started figuring out how to recreate them myself for less. That mindset shaped everything from my microcement projects to panelling, built-ins and upcycled furniture hacks and even paved the way for a career change at the ripe old age of 38!
I brought the vision to life slowly over time, one project at a time, rather than trying to renovate everything at once. I think that’s why the house feels authentic to us because it evolved naturally.
How did you balance your design goals with your budget and do you have any clever hacks or cost-saving tips for readers?
Budget has always been a huge consideration for me, so I approach every project by asking, “How can I create the same impact for less?”
One of my biggest tips is to focus on getting creative with materials and finishes rather than brand names. For example, I’ve used MDF to create expensive-looking panelling, flatpack units to fake built-ins and budget laminate transformed with microcement or paint. Buying preloved from boot fairs, charity shops and Facebook marketplace is a great way to both save money and get your hands on pieces you might not have been able to afford when they were new.
Another huge money-saving tip is learning a few DIY skills and get painting and panelling - use my free tutorials for help getting started as I have over 250 of them on my blog.
What has been your biggest challenge designing your home and how have you overcome it?
Trying to balance practicality with creativity has probably been the biggest challenge, especially as a (modest-sized) family home that actually needs to function day to day with two boisterous kids, two cats and two full time work-from-home-ers! We desperately needed more storage as the house is a 1960s with little in the way of cupboards and we have a lot of clutter! Therefore, a lot of my projects have actually come from solving practical problems, like creating extra pantry storage or creating a built-in home office on a wall in a multi-functional room.
I’ve learned that good design isn’t just about how a room looks, it’s about how it works for your lifestyle and how well it can transform to meet the needs of your family which change not just from day to day but throughout the day eg home office to kids’ playroom to homework zone.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting their own renovation journey what would it be?
Don’t compare your story’s beginning to somebody else’s finished home, in fact try not to compare at all…ever! They say that comparison is the thief of joy and it’s so true.
Social media can make it feel like everyone renovates an entire house overnight, but in reality most homes come together slowly over years. Take your time, trust your instincts and don’t be afraid to change direction as you go.
Live in a space for a while and understand its strengths (so you can play to them in your design) and its weaknesses so you can distract from / mitigate them. Find out where the best light is in a room at different times through the day and the natural flow of traffic through a space so you can work with rather than against them in your planning. You need to really get to know a space
before you can plan the best colour palette and furniture layout and lighting plan etc.
Is there a particular space in your home that you’re most proud of and why?
I’m probably most proud of the garden transformation because it shows exactly what my “bespoke on a budget” approach is all about.
The DIY resin path completely changed the feel of the space and sparked so many conversations online because people couldn’t believe it was done as a DIY project. I also love that the garden now feels like an extension of the home rather than an afterthought.
It proves you don’t always need huge renovations or massive budgets to create impact. I’m about to start another kitchen revamp and I’ve got big plans, so I hope if you ask me the same question in a few weeks I’ll say that!
Where do you find your inspiration? Are there designers, Instagram accounts or brands that influence your style?
I find inspiration everywhere, hotels are such a good place to find clever uses of space and storage, restaurants are great for ways to create ambience and atmostphere, I love travelling and especially love being in nature, even little details in coffee shops or bars can spark an idea! I’m always taking photos of textures, colour combinations and clever storage ideas when I’m out. I love timeless interiors that feel warm and lived in rather than trend-led spaces that date quickly. I’m also really inspired by homes that mix character with practicality. Great examples of inspiring designers that I love are Kate Watson-Smyth (@madaboutthehouse), Leanne Kilroy (@goodboneslondon)
Brand-wise, I love getting inspo from the relaxed but elevated feel of brands like Farrow & Ball, deVOL and Soho Home, but I equally enjoy finding affordable alternatives and showing people how to recreate similar looks on a budget by customising a budget-find from Amazon or a charity shop.
What's the next interiors project you want to work on?
There’s always another project idea waiting in the background somewhere and in fact usually quite a few projects that I’ve got a bit carried away in the planning of and have made a start on before I’m really ready (you’ll find many a colour swatch or paint sample stuck to walls in my house!).
The DIY kitchen revamp is the next big one. I’m using sheets of T&G style MDF panelling and DIY rustic shelves and will add moulding details to the cabinet and door fronts and repaint and update the hardware - I’m excited!
Any other information you’d like to share about your home interiors journey?
I’m passionate about making interiors feel more accessible and helping people realise they can create a home they love without needing a huge renovation budget or professional experience.
If my content gives somebody the confidence to pick up a paintbrush, try a DIY project or see potential in their home differently, then I feel like I’ve done my job and I’ve tried to create a huge resource of help and advice on my blog so whether you’re looking for how to build a DIY slat planter or how to paint a mountain mural I’ve got a tutorial or guide to help.
But also, if you aren't a DIYer that doesn’t mean you can't elevate your home. Home styling (especially seasonal styling) is something I’m so passionate about as it allows you to romanticise the tiniest moments in your day. Often it’s the little things like styling a shelf with things that spark joyful memories or creating a little vignette on a bedside table complete with bud vase of flowers from the garden that lift your mood and improve your day and anyone can do that!
Each month we'll be interviewing one of our uFurnish.com Home Awards finalists asking them all about their home renovation journey, their inspiration and more so be sure to come back each month to learn more. Find out more about our Home Awards here, follow us on Instagram here for more inspiration and updates and subscribe to our emails here for weekly offers and more.