Louise Roe at home with Alternative Flooring’s Wool Pebble Omaha carpet

 

Louise Roe is a broadcaster and journalist, specialising in fashion and interiors. You can read her articles on Front Roe which in her words is ‘a celebration of my favourite fashion, beauty and lifestyle moments, I hope you’ll be inspired by the pictures and ideas you see – to try out new trends – both in your closet, your beauty routine, and in your home.’

After 11 years living in LA, Louise Roe and her family relocated back to the English countryside, where she renovated a country-house. This year she moved again, to a beautiful London home, and you can follow her interior decoration @louiseroehome 

Louise chose Alternative‘s natural sisal for her country pad and we have now worked with her on the wool carpet for her beautiful London house.  It was a pleasure to chat to Louise again about her flooring choice, interior inspiration, and the decoration of her new home.

Why the move from country to town – the English countryside to London life?

It was a big jump to go from Los Angeles to the countryside, and although we loved our village, we missed the hustle and bustle of the city.

Louise Roe’s bedroom with Alternative Flooring’s Wool Pebble Omaha carpet

It is another Georgian house and what attracted you?

No, it’s late Victorian, so quite different. But there are still lots of original period features, like the cornicing and fireplaces, which give it so much charm.

Louise Roe’s room with Alternative Flooring’s Wool Pebble Omaha carpet

Was there grand plan for the interior design?

There was! I was 9 months pregnant when we renovated, so I knew I’d have to plan it and order everything in advance. We brought a lot from the old house too, including curtains, which I had adjusted to fit the new windows.

Louise Roe’s bedroom with Alternative Flooring’s Wool Pebble Omaha carpet

What inspired the interiors and are you decorating differently?

A couple of rooms are very similar aesthetically, but I wanted to have fun and switch up the paint colours, try new wallpapers. I absolutely loved reimagining pieces in a different context. The striped ottoman from the end of our bed is now in my dressing room and inspired the colour of my wardrobes – a deep maroon. I also used a lot of the art and photography in completely different rooms, reframing some of them – they feel like entirely new pieces.

Why chose carpet in your bedroom and stairs, what did you want to achieve?

From a practical standpoint – something squishy and soft to walk on at the end of a long day, and for a baby to crawl on. Aesthetically, something neutral but bright to reflect as much light as possible on a dark winter day.

View from the landing with Alternative Flooring’s Wool Pebble Omaha carpet

And this design and shade in particular?

It’s not white, but it’s a beautiful light cream, which goes with pretty much any colour palette on the walls. I also wanted a thick weave; it feels so luxurious and gives a real texture to the rooms and staircase.

Flooring detail with  Alternative Flooring’s Wool Pebble Omaha carpet

Is natural fibre important – why wool?

The less chemicals and processing the better, in all areas of life! I love that it’s not dyed. I love my dark wood antiques- also a sustainable option- and I think the carpet just goes hand-in-hand with that vibe.

Any tips for fitting and using wall-to-wall deep pile luxury carpet?

To be honest I don’t have any fitting tips, because the team did that so efficiently and quickly while I was busy having a baby – perfect! Tips for using it – I don’t allow snacks or shoes upstairs because I want to keep it clean, and we went for a thick underlay for maximum cosines.

Louise Roe’s living room with Alternative Flooring’s Wool Pebble Omaha carpet

Any interior trends for this season – do interiors follow fashion?

I think interiors shoots are becoming more ‘fashion’ and editorial for sure, I love seeing the small independent brands that have been founded during lockdown – many of them tabletop, or framing, hand-embroidery etc. Personally, I love a rustic, eclectic, Granny-esque feel- but a chic Granny, of course!

Describe your style in three words…

Hand-made

Antique

Eclectic

Watch our interview with Louise here…

For more of Louise’s design inspiration, follow her @louiseroehome where she shares the decoration story of her of beautiful London home.

See more of Alternative designs and explore our collections here

Find more flooring and interior design inspiration on our Alternative blog.