Trust your instincts
Most of the pottery and hand-painted tiles in the thatched-roof house are Michael’s own handiwork. “The cobalt-blue tiles that have been used throughout the house and garden are handmade – I wanted to create a sense of uniformity. The hue has even been repeated in the furniture,” he explains.
Michael describes his décor as unique. “My motto is not to follow rules. I don’t plan anything and I don’t follow trends. I think people should use their imagination and trust their own instincts when designing their homes. Be unique, stop imitating others. I don’t buy my furniture from one store only; if you do that, you run the risk of having a home that’s identical to everyone else’s.” Michael admits that a touch of lunacy lies behind everything he does on the farm. “If it’s at all feasible, I’ll decorate whatever I can lay my hands on. I buy furniture from all sorts of places, from junk stores to antique shops. I’m always on the lookout for bargains!
“I’m definitely not worried about my dogs climbing on my furniture. I have two pure-bred short-haired Dachshunds, Rembrandt and Lautrec, and I’ve put washable slipcovers on my furniture so they can’t damage it.
“There are storerooms full of furniture on the farm. When I was still in the interior design industry, I always ended up with furniture that was being discarded. One day I’ll find a use for it all.”