Behind the design w/ Edwards McCoy

For designer Sally Anne McCoy of Edwards McCoy, every project begins with a question: how can a space not just look beautiful, but make you feel something? Known for her bold approach, Sally doesn’t believe in playing it safe with neutrals or blending into the background. Instead, she sees each interior as an opportunity to create atmosphere, whether that’s excitement, calm or sheer wow factor and to reflect the lives and personalities of the people who call it home.

Sally began in residential interior design 28 years ago and later moved into hospitality design exploring projects ranging from private members clubs to pubs and restaurants, the way Sally thinks about residential spaces has been heavily influenced by this; she sees residential homes as places that can be sociable, flexible and unforgettable all at once. For the Fryerning Project, Sally brought this vision to life in a home that’s equally about family connection and entertaining.

Here, she shares the story behind the design of the main living space with the bar by HM and why sometimes saying no to a TV in spaces like this is the best design choice you can make.

Did the design intention/concept come straight away, or did it evolve? 

When approached by a client or where I’m given a brief, I have this almost immediate vision that pops into my head very early on.  I see how it should look and feel and I quickly grab it all together in a mood board with materials and get going. I must get it all down, but then of course I build on it as I go. It’s both an affliction and a talent as I tend to do it with any space I sit in or imagine.

How did your design work in commercial hospitality (private clubs, bars and restaurants) influence the design?

When designing any space, I like to make a difference. In a world of neutrals and safe designs, I’m the type of designer who believes that if you are to invest in your interior, you want it to create a wow factor, to not blend in but to create a timeless space that reflects the people living in it. It’s so important to create a mood or feeling when designing an area. If you feel a change of mood, excitement, calm or whatever that room demands, whether entertaining or not, then that is effective design. That is pretty much my ethos in any design, hospitality or residential.

Was it you or the clients who said no TV?

My clients aren’t big TV watchers, it’s an event for them rather than a habit. I am the same, I feel so many rooms can be overtaken by huge TVs, which invade the feel and look of a room. In this particular house, there is a snug which is purely for TV, and the comfiest, cosiest, deep red coloured room designed for total immersion into the TV when they fancy. It’s massively important for me to understand the client, how they live and who they are as people. If I had a client whose life revolved around TV, I guess I’d make it more of a focus.

When you’re placing a bar in a key living space, what do you have to keep in mind?

The bar needs to blend effortlessly into the space, not dominate it, but look like a sparkling piece of jewellery to accessorise the room. My clients are very much into entertaining, so the location and size of the bar reflects this. Humphrey Munson executed this vision perfectly for me and it’s beyond one of my favourites ever, and I’ve designed quite a few in my time.

This is a family home with young teenagers, but it’s a super cool bar and entertaining space – how does this marry up?

This is a family home where the family love spending lots of time together. The house has its separate rooms, but they are very carefully connected so the family members are never too far from each other. Each room has a link to the next, with glass doors and mirrors carefully placed so it can effectively feel like one big space at times. The teenagers have their own spaces designed for them, which they will inevitably spend a lot of time in too.

The lighting design is really exceptional – do you have any tips for anyone looking to create a similar mood/vibe? 

Thank you for saying so! Lighting is so important for setting the mood of a space and all I can say about it is: layer layer layer. Have little nooks with tiny lights to sit and relax in and have statement pieces that add a real wow factor to the room. It is incredibly important to get it right, so get professional advice.

What do you love most about this space?

My clients trusted me to design every area of their home with thoughtful attention to how they live and what they want from a home. The living room, like the kitchen, is sociable, they all lead on to the outside areas, all rooms are connected and you are never far from each other, but there is also the ability to close areas off. When designing a club, a house, a party or any sociable space, it’s incredibly important to have a centre which spills out into other connected areas, but that also allows flexibility when using it. Practical as well as beautiful is key. I love that I know my clients will enjoy each and every corner of this house and it will become a place filled with many happy memories.

This project was a really super collaboration for both HM and Edwards McCoy. If you have a project in mind get in touch with HM here. For more info on Edwards McCoy and how to arrange an interior design consultation, visit their website here.

Images by Paul Craig