My Doris Meets...

Interior Designer Lara Bezzina. 

Those of you who follow Lara on Instagram will know she has a keen eye for interiors, styling and renovating. Lara has renovated four homes and knows exactly how to lift any room and transform a space. I think we can all agree, following the last two years, that our homes really are our kingdoms.

Cue Lara....

I have always had a creative side and studied art at college but didn’t take it further. It was when we bought our first house that interiors became my creative outlet and passion. Our current home is the 4^th house we have renovated and it is here that I discovered my love for all things shiny and gold. I really wanted a copper bath but it was well out of budget so I decided to try covering a second-hand roll top bath from eBay in copper leaf. Let’s just say, I was a little addicted after that and have been adding golden touches all over the house ever since.



Over lockdown I recorded my online gold leaf course which is available for any décor and craft lovers out there. I have recently completed an Interior Design Diploma and am currently busy getting my website ready to launch interior design services and can’t wait to help others fall more in love with their homes too.

What inspires your interior style?

So many things!! Travelling to different cities and countries, taking in different styles, artwork and architecture. I love old buildings, whether they’re dilapidated places showing hints of their former glory or grand palaces with opulent luxury and intricate details. Old and new interior design books, magazines such as Elle Decor, Reclaimed and apps such as Pinterest and Instagram. I have always been a nature lover and find the natural world super inspiring, from colour combinations of flowers and trees to the life plants can bring to an interior space.

I think it would be my living room, it’s just so cosy and I love the original fireplace, improved by the gold leaf in my gold obsessed opinion! It is quite a small room in a Victorian cottage but the focal point of the large golden fireplace feels like it belongs in a slightly grander room, which I love. It’s also where we installed a wood burner and I love being warm!



What interior techniques do you enjoy?

I’d say gilding (applying gold leaf to surfaces) but that’s too obvious. I also love a bit of panelling, I think it’s pretty versatile, from the more traditional rectangles to geometric or abstract, it can add some interest to any interior style. I’m also a big plant fan, it seems to have been a growing trend to have lots of plants but for me it is definitely not just a trend and I will always have lots of plants in my interiors.

Top tips for a room refresh?  

I would start with the main elements of the colour scheme, using above sources of inspo, think about how you want the room to make you feel and what activities you want to be able to complete in the room once finished. Use a mood board tool such as designfiles to put colours and elements together to enable you to see visually what works best together before you start on the room.

To avoid expensive and time-consuming colour mistakes, try not to rush paint decisions. Always try your paint out in the room, on different walls and look at it in different lighting to make sure you’re totally happy with it before committing to it.

I love to revamp / recycle furniture so I would always start with thinking about what is in the existing room or other rooms in the home that could work in the new scheme, potentially with a new look. I rarely buy new furniture and most of my furniture is second hand/vintage. Added bonuses are that it’s good for the environment as well as being budget friendly. If you need to buy additional items, I would always look for second hand items first or consider basic furniture that you could adapt to give a unique / higher end look.

Lastly, I would try to avoid getting carried away with current trends, unless it’s something you really love and feel you will still love in 12 months time. It is much more important to fill your spaces with things you really love regardless of trends. You’ll create less waste and it will be better for your finances.

My next project is most likely to be for someone else’s home, I am in the process of helping someone with their colour palette and general décor vibe. My own home is currently on the market as we have been itching to get into another renovation project (or maybe we’ve just forgotten the pain of this reno!). We’re hoping to get something even more special with lots of character to bring back to life, then I will have an abundance of projects!

I don’t have any currently but if we manage to move I will be having all the dilemmas to share! We have had many DIY dilemmas and disasters over the years and have tackled most jobs ourselves. You tube is a great source for DIY tutorials, someone has a video for everything on there! I would say give it a go yourselves, as long as it’s not dangerous, you can save yourself so much of your budget which you can then spend on the pretty things.

What attracted you to our Velvet Eye Cushion? 

The gorgeous rich warm colours really spoke to me, the unusual design and the fringe edge. I totally love a fringe, both on furnishings and on my head!



You can find out more about Lara's work and 'Get Creative Golf Leaf' course via her website: 

Web: larabezzina.co.uk
Insta: lara.bezzina

**Shop My Doris homeware here**