by Janet Tansley, Liverpool Echo
TALK about putting your money where your mouth is! Liverpool interiors guru Elaine Cunningham spends her life advising people on their homes, but when it came to putting her skills to the test she stepped out of her comfort zone and in front of the cameras with her own.
Elaine, from Hale Village, entered the TV programme May The Best Home Win – and won.
Says Elaine: “I have been in the home interiors business now for 25 years, the last five as an interior designer with my own company Elaine Cunningham Interiors.
“So, for me, it was about stepping out of my comfort zone a little, it’s important to challenge yourself to do things that you wouldn’t normally do.
“It was wonderful to win. My home is my haven, I have brought my family up here and it is wonderful to have people comment positively about a place that you love.”
In May The Best Home Win four people visit each other’s houses before marking each one out of 10.
Says Elaine: “People expect my home to be flamboyant and typical of a designer and they are very surprised to see how cosy and comfortable it is.
“It is my family home, where I retreat after a long day on the shop floor so I have worked hard to make it a relaxing and welcoming home.”
And she adds: “It is funny, the producers try to get you to be unkind about other people’s homes, but that is just not my style. Every home is unique and we all feel a sense of pride about it.
“I think that people feel instantly at ease when they come into my house, it is very welcoming and homely.
“I love all of the rooms, but if I had to choose a favourite the one room I would choose would be the lounge. It overlooks the garden and it changes with the different light each season brings: in the winter it is cosy and festive, with its original art deco fireplace installed when the house was built in 1937. In the summer it is light and bright and cheerful.
“I find my inspiration in this room for my work. I only have music in there, no TV so it’s a wonderful space to be in.”
Needless to say Elaine comes into her own in the festive season, but goes for a very traditional look with her Christmas decorations.
“I like to work with classic red and gold and lots of ornamental willow,” she says. “I like to bring the outside inside as it lends a contemporary twist to the traditional Christmas.
“I use lots of candles, big church candles add drama, while I have loads of little candle holders that create mood and, of course, fragrance. It can be a really inexpensive way to change the feel of a room.”
If you are designing your own home Elaine urges people to think about using the space, and plan furniture to get the best out of rooms.
“Think about the light and use many light forms to create a mood in a space,” she says. “I find it’s nice to make a home timeless so that people can then interpret it in their own way, then piece together their home with their own particular style and emotion.
“Think how you live, what do you do at home, how do you spend your time; think about the things that will annoy you. Think about what makes you happy, what are the pleasures that you enjoy, think about how you live at the moment, but take into account your hopes and dreams and aspirations for the future.’’
Elaine smiles: “I look for inspiration everywhere and every day.
“My home fits me like a glove and I feel so lucky to be living here, it’s not grand but it says something about me and how I live.”
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