I had the pleasure of meeting Sam the founder and creative director of Amara at the Amara Interior Blog Awards last year and invited her to take part in my An Interview With series:
Why did you start Amara?
When it came to decorating my home I couldn’t find anywhere online that stocked my favourite homeware accessory brands so I took the leap with my husband to launch Amara. Amara started as a boutique home store but soon the website took over so we decided to concentrate our efforts on our e-tail business.
Are there any exciting future plans for Amara?
This summer we launched The Amara Collection which has always been one of my main goals when I first started Amara. The Amara Collection has been in the pipe line for a few years but we wanted to make sure we launched it at the right time and didn’t rush the process.
Each collection brings together some of the world’s most renowned home accessory brands and manufacturers and combines them with the valuable knowledge we’ve gained by looking and listening to our customers.
Each season the collection will evolve and develop by introducing new and updated trends. This season we’ve explored four trends for the home; Fantasy-a modern mix of pretty pastel shades with a contemporary feel, Heritage-an elegant collection to evoke a glamourous county home, Graphic-the perfect loft ling home décor collection mixing sleek architectural design and modern geometrics and lastly Luxe-a take on old Hollywood glamour using bold tones and mixed metallics.
Have you always been interested in interiors?
I’ve always worked in a creative environment and interior design was always a passion of mine which led me into turning my interest into a business. I love pushing my interior design limits and introducing new and exciting brands to our customers which they may never have discovered without our help.
How would you describe your style?
My style is an eclectic mix of treasured pieces I’ve had for years, combined with new and modern pieces I’ve bought along the way. I love to mix and match trends and colours to create a unique look.
What excites you about interior design?
Interior design will always be something I love and focus on. We run an interior design service with a dedicated team with over 20 years’ experience. There’s nothing better than transforming a living space and helping develop a house into a home that is suited for the client.
What makes a happy home?
I think it’s important to create a home that suits your family’s interests. For example, the kitchen is the most important room in our home so I designed a kitchen space that reflected our love for all things cooking and entertaining. We spend a lot of time in the kitchen as a family and it holds lots of happy memories for us all. We love to entertain and spend a lot of time in our kitchen and dining area so we’ve made this room the heart of our home with a large table and island which we can gather round.
Do you have any design rules?
I always find that by discovering a room’s focal point can be the most important element to start with before decorating as this is the most emphasised feature. Once you’ve found the focal point, you can decorate around it through the use of colour and accessories.
How important is art in interiors?
When your home is in need of a few personal touches wall art is an easy and effective way of updating your interiors in an instant. Wall art doesn’t have to mean just photos and pictures. Take a different approach on wall art and look towards wall plates or industrial inspired shelves to create a standout style statement in your living space.
How important is colour?
Clever use of colour can be a really useful way of transforming your living space. Neutral colours such as camel, mustard yellow and moss green are great colour palettes to develop a warming look.
Where do you seek your inspiration?
I love visiting different cities and countries and immersing myself in their various cultures and ways. I’m lucky that my role allows me to explore the globe discovering new trends and inspiring me with new ideas for The Amara Collection.
