Founder and owner of her own interior company, Helen Izzard talks about her business, her life and the importance of interior design. This interior design company offers beautifully bespoke curtains and blinds as well as custom-made accessories and gifts to compliment your home. These country inspired products are meticulously designed and beautifully hand made to order in Helen’s Somerset workroom.
Sewing was a passion of Helens from a young age, from when her mother brought her a sewing machine to developing her own interior design company. “I had my first sewing machine when I was 7 or 8, I was so keen” Helen explains, “some of the memories of my mother are returning home from school to find her sewing, we never knew anything else. Mum knew that I was keen, so I had a sewing machine for Christmas. The teachers at my school told my Mother that she was irresponsible! But all I wanted to do was learn to sew.
“Losing Mum made me realise that I missed the creative aspect of designs and sewing which I was not finding from the office jobs. My Father saw an advert for soft furnishing outworkers on Exmoor and I applied and started working from home as a second job, which helped me to learn more skills again. After a few years, I began to think that I should be doing this myself and decided to set up on my own. Then Helen Izzard Designs was created.”
Inspiration comes not only from Helens family, but also from her love of Somerset and the countryside. Helen comments: “I was born in Somerset and we spent our childhood exploring the countryside around Taunton, I love the Quantocks and the Somerset Levels, and especially the coastline. My life is inspired by the ever-changing landscape, from rambling lanes and fields filled with cow parsley and flowers to the surrounding Somerset countryside.”
Rather than follow current trends, Helen believes that country inspired furnishings will remain popular and unchanging, unlike current interior trends. The stunning country designs use natural fabrics, with beautiful timeless and traditional designs. Designers such as Peony and Sage, Sarah Hardaker and Kate Forman are just a few of Helen’s personal favourites.
Not only are the fabrics beautifully unique but so are the techniques used to create the products. Helen adds “we still use traditional hand sewn skills and quality workmanship. I also make traditional lampshades, a lost skill in the modern world, and something that very few people can do.”
The lampshade service that Helen offers means that you can order bespoke lampshades in various sizes and styles, from traditionally handmade, tailored and lined floor standing lampshades to the firm style of lampshade in the traditional empire, candle clip or drum styles.
Helen explains: “I want everything to be beautifully made, it’s my name and reputation on each piece. Everything I have made will last for years and may even be passed on to the next generation - who knows.”
Your home should reflect who you are, as a person. So, this new year, make the decision to change your home before you make any personal resolutions.
“I love walking into a customer’s home and exploring new ideas, designs and colours” explains Helen “our homes reflect our personal stories, who we are, our lifestyles, our history. So much of our personalities can be seen through the fabrics we select and the designs we choose.”
Visit her website at: www.helenizzard.co.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here