‘High-Low’ interior design – Charis White Interiors

I have to admit a clear-out and reorganisation at Blog HQ was a bit overdue. There were piles of old paperwork, samples and props from years of interior styling and writing for the UK press and brands. The idea of creating more of a multi-functional space that would incorporate a serene ‘room of one’s own’ was taking hold. Think Victorian day-bed for swooning after a marathon morning at the laptop. Or at least another spare bed for guests. So this summer when the temperatures were sky high, I set about transforming the smallest room in the house. And the design strategy? Well, let’s just say that it was what is now being dubbed a ‘High-Low’ approach …

What is a High-Low design strategy?

There has been some chatter in the press recently about ‘High-Low’ which I found an intriguing description of how to put together an outfit or interior design scheme.

‘High-Low’ is something I am fairly sure most of us already practice in our every day lives. It is the strategy employed when the budget isn’t open ended and you need to make decisions on where best to spend money and where you can use a more budget friendly item alongside it.

This approach was something I learned when interior styling for magazines and newspapers. Every feature had to offer readers a mixture of price points (high and low) and was also a way to attract a variety of advertisers to a publication.

The first thing it taught me was to never be a brand snob and that good design and quality doesn’t always come from where you think it might. Keep your eyes peeled as buyers come and go and the design fortunes of a company such as M&S rise and fall with it.

M&S has always been one of my favourite go-to’s for well made classic designs for fashion and the home (not just because I had the pleasure of styling some of their home catalogue for years). Because of the scale of their business, they are able to buy good quality fabrics such as wool, cashmere and linen for less. It is nice to see M&S once again attracting fashionistas to their AW26 fashion collection and me for their 100% linen bedlinen (in the sale)!

So here was my High-Low approach to decorating Blog HQ’s ‘room of one’s own’ …

Colour scheme

The Lewis & Wood Alhambra 100 wallpaper in Verdure designed by Flora Roberts is based on a middle Eastern carpet with Arts & Crafts influences. It leads my scheme with its rich tapestry of colours from dark bluey greens to mustard yellows. To this I have added highlights of pale blue to the scheme with cushions, bobbin lamp base and a border blind. I contrasted the wallpaper with a brighter mustard paint colour and a hint of black. The black pulls together some personal accessories such as cushion fabric, an old Pooky lampshade, picture frames and the ribbon on a vintage sun hat.

The bed

I have my nephew and his wife Sophie to thank for highlighting this rather brilliant bed to me. I was thinking about a wooden antique bed but felt it might enclose the what is already a small room space too much. Ramnefjall Klovsta Grey/White stripe upholstered bed (with removable washable covers – a great plus) rather usefully also looks in certain light like pale blue/white stripes. It wasn’t available to view in-store in Reading but IKEA have it on-line.

In real life it has the impression of a much more expensive bed (I am not sure IKEA’s online photography reflects this) with self-piping on head and footboards. The sprung mattress is comfortable and the bedframe is an attractive piece of functional design. Zippered storage fits neatly underneath the skirted valance. I am so pleased with how the bed works with the wallpaper and paint and at £229 plus mattress it helps the budget. Thanks Ed and Soph.

Wallpaper

I was so lucky to buy just over 2 metres of Lewis & Wood’s Alhambra 100, wide width wallpaper in one of their brilliant sales in Gloucestershire. |I have been saving it for some time and hoped that I had enough to paper at least one wall in my home office/Blog HQ.

Sadly, I didn’t have quite enough to cover the whole wall behind the bedhead, but hoped that I could perhaps, just maybe? get away without pattern matching it. Controversial I know! but I couldn’t bear to live without this piece of stunning design and thought it more sustainable to use it. Because it is so arresting and intricate, I don’t think the eye immediately jumps to where the wide width joins. I know I am kidding myself but can still appreciate the overall effect in my own space.

Paint

For contrast to the wallpaper, I used Farrow & Ball’s Print Room Yellow on 3 walls (with white ceiling/paintwork) as I wanted the room to feel a bit more up (particularly in the winter time).

Bedlinen and cushions

I like my beds to be invitingly plumpfy (plump and fluffy!).

Buying better, means buying less and one good way of doing this is to buy 100% linen which I believe along with mattress toppers (ideally wool) helps to create and maintain a plumpfy bed. Linen needn’t break the bank as M&S had a wonderful self piped linen duvet cover/pillowcase set recently in their sale at 50% less. You will also be able to find vintage bedlinen and Kanthas that have sustainably stood the test of time at The White Door Brocante who have a Noel gift event on the 3rd December 2026.

I recommend you keeping your eyes peeled for linen bedlinen online at La Redoute who I have also bought from. This gorgeous plaid single wool bed throw adds heaps of cosy texture, pattern and colour from a West Pembrokeshire we had holiday several years ago. The pale blue cushion is also from the past and was made I think from a piece of Mark Alexander embroidered fabric and the other cushion in black velvet ribboned stripe was a Jane Churchill fabric.

Antique bobbin hall chair as bedside table

I used an auction bought (approximately £24) antique bobbin hall chair as a bedside table, perfect for books, flowers and table lamps with their flat seat. To soften what can sometimes be an unrelenting amount of wood on hall chairs, I like the contrast of painting the lower half of the chair. I did this using an off black chalk paint by Annie Sloan.

Styling wall art

I found grouping images by size and colour helped make this small room not feel too overwhelmed. I also love adding the odd vintage fashion item.

Delightful affordable wall light

This budget/design friendly £20 plug-in wall light came from Dunelm (disappointing instore styling in Reading which maybe means they don’t have enough staff to deal with the large amount of products they have. Worth looking on-line though as not everything is in store anyway). Classic in style, in a putty off white/cream it has a silk covered wire which makes all the difference. The pretty ruched Dunelm lampshade works well with the wallpaper and cost £8. Easy to put up without an electrician or handy man.

Vintage and antique furniture

An essential ingredient of any room is the contrast and design of vintage and antique furniture.

Small details can transform a piece of furniture

I am very fond of our honest utility/mid-century desk (originally from Fanny’s Antiques) even if it could do with being a bit smaller for the room, it adds character and offers good storage. But felt it also needed a little attention and decorative love. So I glued this bone escutcheon onto the middle drawer. I got it from Louisa Maybury Home years ago who has a shop in Woodstock, Oxfordshire and an online site selling stylish Indian and Central Asian home accessories and fashion.

Blog HQ’s ‘room of one’s own’

Packed full of inspiring pattern and colour, I hope the new look will help Blog HQ to do its best to inspire with #moretalesfromtheriverbank. If nothing else, our guests will hopefully enjoy it!

Thank you

Thank you so much for reading this. I hope I haven’t made you sea sick with my wonky phone photography! If you have enjoyed this and would like to receive email alerts for free future blog posts, please subscribe below.

With many thanks,

Charis x