Last Year we announced an exciting collaboration with John Lewis when its amazing home design experts transformed our show home with incredibly stylish and accessible interior products.
In a real coup we were also able to offer a free home design consultation and exclusive discounts on furnishings for buyers at ‘Railings’, our latest phase of apartments and townhouses. This has proved to be so popular for buyers looking for design inspiration.
John Lewis also co-hosted our festive Christmas events with trend talks and exclusive discounts on the night and we’re set to host further events with John Lewis throughout 2024!
In this months blog we catch up with Sophie Holt, Home Design Stylist at John Lewis & Partners Cheadle to find out what inspires her at Middlewood Locks and what’s in store for our buyers in 2024.
What was your first impression of Middlewood Locks as a Neighbourhood?
I was really impressed with Middlewood Locks when I first visited last year, it already feels like a vibrant and thriving community and it still has a lot of potential to expand. It has the best of both world’s with great links to the hustle and bustle of Manchester City Centre while still feeling leafy and tranquil!
What values did you identify when you were responding to the brief?
Middlewood Locks brand ethos is very playful and energetic and I wanted to reflect this into the new show home, both with our product selections and colour palette. We wanted to design a scheme that showed residents how they could achieve a space that reflected their personality and felt joyful to inhabit, without breaking the bank.
Investing in key pieces you absolutely love and mixing these with timeless designs such as our ANYDAY products which we used throughout the show home. One key value is a sense of community so I also really wanted to curate a space that felt like the perfect hub for friends to gather.
Another main focus was around wellbeing and how we could bring the outside in, continuing to respond to residents need for a calm retreat from urban life.
Please describe the design style/theme that you arrived at?
I would say the design style we arrived at is a hybrid between mid-century modern with a relaxed Scandi edge. This apartment has a clear colour story of soft green and blues with pops of orange which we then balanced with natural wood tones.
One of my favourite things about the apartment is the way that this colour story flows from room to room, expanding the depth of the space. From every angle colour, pattern and tone is in harmony!
The living space design centered around our show stopping John Lewis Lozenge sofa in a lovely cream boucle fabric, which we combined with Harlequin’s fabulous Enigmatic panel in Ink. The wallpaper design is inspired by mid century kinetic art and digitally printed on a beautiful textured ground. The perfect playful talking point for the room!
What are the key future design trends for this kind of living?
Creating a space that feels authentically you and not being afraid to add bolder colours/patterns that really reflect your personality. Wallpaper is making a comeback which is great to see! A bold feature wall is a fabulous inexpensive way to make a large impact on a space.
We are also still seeing an increase in customers needing flexible at home working spaces integrated within their main living areas. My biggest tip is really thinking about your layout and how you will zone your space according to how you live in it before you purchase large items of furniture.
What options are available to buyers through John Lewis?
John Lewis offers a fabulous, free of charge, Home Design Service. Residents can book a virtual or in store appointment with one of our stylists, who can work with them to create mood boards and 3D plans to bring together their dream space.
We offer personalized advice, no matter your taste or budget! Whether you have a clear vision of how you want your space to look/feel but struggle to see how you’ll achieve it or you simply have no idea where to begin – we are here to help!
John Lewis also offers a great range of in house services from made to measure window dressings, fitted flooring and bespoke furnishings. We are a one stop shop for your dream home.
The home is a personal sanctuary that reflects individual taste; however we find that many of our customers at Middlewood Locks like to feel inspired by our show apartment and like to know where they can source furnishings that will work well within the layout of their chosen home.
With our own experienced team, we are working with John Lewis stylists to inspire residents to create a unique space that reflects their personality and feels joyful to live within.