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By Joey McGinn We talk to self-confessed interiors addict and warrior on waste, Lynne Lambourne about how she has carved out a career she loves: creating stylish sustainable homes.
Tell us a little about your work and your background.
I’m an interiors addict and warrior on waste. I'm passionate about inspiring people to live more sustainably in a home that looks fantastic and doesn't cost the earth (literally). I design and style people’s homes and upcycle furniture. This year I am designing a show garden at the Ideal Home show on the theme of 'grow your own' and sustainability. My background was really quite corporate - Commercial Director at Regus Serviced Offices - until my friends entered me on to the BBC2 Great Interior Designer Challenge about six years ago and since then I have found my way back to what I always loved - being creative.
What made you decide to start your creative business?
After the Great Interior Design Challenge, people just got in touch asking me to help redesign rooms and style their homes, so it just kind of happened. It’s funny how you find your way back to what fills your soul with joy. As a child, my parents say I spent hours re-arranging my bedroom and painting things. With my creative business, it’s almost like I have come full circle.
Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere... but I would say nature is top of my list. The colours and textures influence my designing and my love of nature also inspires me to think sustainably when I design. I’m not about buying new and spending a fortune; I try to recycle and upcycle what people have. My inspiration for my Warriors on Waste movement comes from my love for the ocean and the situation that I see around me, we have taken so much for granted for so long. I can’t just sit and do nothing, so I decided to start educating the next generation and now it’s the children who inspire me.
Describe your typical working day..
I like to keep fit so I pop down to Angie Best’s Metaphysical and work out most days: I view keeping fit as part of my job, you can’t raid skips for old furniture if you don’t have muscles! It’s also great for your mental wellbeing. Then I crack on with my 'to do’ list. The beauty of my job is that it’s so varied: one minute I’m teaching chalk paint techniques, the next talking at an event on sustainability or I’m sat at my kitchen island designing. I love what I do so it never really feels like a job - more of a mission.
What has been the biggest highlight and biggest challenge to date? My biggest highlight was winning the Channel 4 Grand Designs - Room Set Designer of the Year 2017 for a room set that only used upcycled, vintage and recycled things, and also winning my Sue Ryder Woman of Achievement Award for my Warriors on Waste Campaign work. My biggest challenge is time - so much to do and so little time, every day is a juggling act. I am learning it’s about priorities: if the dishwasher remains unloaded but I managed to convince an event to not sell plastic water bottles then that’s a win in my book! Best nugget of wisdom you can share with your fellow Creative Ducks? Get out of your own way. I speak to so many people who have great ideas and are so creative but seem to talk themselves out of following their dreams. Do it now, take a leap, the only one stopping you achieving something amazing is you. Have faith in yourselves. Where can we find out more? www.lynnelambourne.com www.warriorsonwaste.co.uk Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration @lynnelambourne