Torn & Cotton Interiors

We (well my husband) did a lot of research to find someone to help us with our kitchen and utility room project. We live in a very old house and were really keen to make the rooms practical, useful and good looking. We arranged to see Kerrie and Charlotte of Torn & Cotton Interiors and the adventure began. From the beginning they were professional, friendly and approachable. They provided options, knowledge and also opinion! Kerrie and Charlotte explained the various steps in the process, the timescale for costs and how much involvement they would have so we knew exactly what to expect. They came up with three design options for our kitchen space and we agreed to mix two of them together. One of the main reasons that we wanted the support of interior designers was for colour schemes but Torn & Cotton provided so much more, from the layout of units in both the kitchen and utility room, the addition of an adorable window seat, flooring and wall tiles, paint colours, fabrics for all the soft furnishings and handles and knobs. They also added all the lighting detail which we would not have considered beyond some spots – we now have lighting in the cupboards, over the window seat and a feature light above the table. Kerrie and Charlotte were also able to recommend all trades and suppliers and make the necessary arrangements. We are absolutely delighted with the finished result. Our large kitchen is a lovely space and we have enjoyed using it for entertaining – the window seat us a huge hit and so many people have complimented us on the space that has been created. We certainly could not have achieved this without the support and guidance of Kerrie and Charlotte from Torn & Cottons Interiors. Kerrie and Charlotte have already provided us with plans for our bedroom and ensuite project.

We would highly recommend using interior designers to help shape and deliver a project. We are delighted with the results Charlotte and Kerrie achieved for and with us. Charlotte and Kerrie took time to understand us and our vision and then pushed us to develop this. Their creativity delivered an end result we simply could not have envisaged or achieved, yet the outcome still feels like ours. We love the look and feel of our home. Thank you Torn & Cotton Interiors. We would not hesitate to recommend and use again. Mike and Helen.

Our journey of renovating our period home is nearly complete, and we owe an awful lot to the brilliant partnership at Torn & Cotton for creating the master suite of our dreams. We had a good idea of how we wanted to feel, knew what we liked, and had vague ambitious and crazy ideas of how the layout and finished product might look. Torn & Cotton managed to climb inside our brains and turn those thoughts and ideas into a beautiful design, whilst carefully thinking through the practical side, and gently reasoning us away from some of the more madcap thoughts. We always felt listened to, and on the incredibly rare occasion the proposed product didn't work for us, there was no debate and alternatives quickly proposed. Looking back, we wouldn't have achieved anywhere near the same result without Charlotte and Kerrie's expertise and passion, and we would thoroughly recommend them. We fully expect them to be huge in the near future, and we are so glad we got to work with them.

So…Interior Designers, not something we’d really thought about or ever thought we needed, we’d done ok, created a comfortable home but then there was the lounge – the room that didn’t feel quite right, where the furniture we’d picked didn’t fit properly, the room that despite having a huge window felt dark and uninviting, the unloved room we ignored for years, the room that should be relaxing and cosy but we were choosing to sit at the kitchen table, perhaps we did need help... and that’s when we found Torn and Cotton. From our very first meeting with Kerrie and Charlotte it was clear they truly love all aspects of interior design and enjoyed a challenge. We weren’t easy Clients, we didn’t really know what we wanted and had no idea where to start so they approached things differently - what didn’t we want? that was easier and before we knew it we’d come up with lots we didn’t like but a very short list of what we did, all we knew was that we wanted a new fireplace and a classic feel, a room that fitted with the age of the house and a space that we would finally use. After a few weeks they came back to us with their ideas and a concept, quite how they managed that with the limited information we gave them we will never know. Their design was a surprise, it pushed us to think outside our comfort zone and opened our eyes to the rooms potential, how to incorporate the fire we’d chosen, change the door round to make it flow better, make the room appear wider, lighten darker areas, make it comfy and inviting, ideas we would never have been able to come up with ourselves but were exactly what we wanted, even though we didn’t know it! The mood board bought it all to life, flooring, rugs, sofa, wall colour, fireplace, bookcase, cushions, how they’d tied everything in together so subtly and cleverly with some truly beautiful unique pieces but also items from well-known High Street stores, their enthusiasm was infectious and they really cared about helping us achieve a beautiful lounge. In addition to the design there were some building issues we needed to address, the fireplace was unsafe, the wiring needed replacing and the walls & ceiling needed re-plastering. They took on all these issues without hesitation, recommending and contacting local tradesmen, arranging quotes, booking them in and getting the work done to an exceptional standard. It hasn’t been the easiest, pulling everything together during a pandemic but they overcame all the challenges that arose, patiently spending time finding and suggesting solutions when needed. Through their hard work, creativity and vision we have achieved something we would never have been able to do on our own, their enthusiasm, professionalism, knowledge and design skills are exceptional. They are both calm, patient, caring and considerate. Nothing was too much trouble, going above and beyond to ensure we have a lounge that has finally achieved it's potential a room we love and choose to spend time in.

Using Torn & Cotton to help us with the design of our lounge was our very first experience of using Interior Designers. We are renovating a Victorian house in Bedford which had stood empty and unloved for seven years before we moved in. The house has needed significant work to make it habitable, including new water main, full rewire and complete heating system. We've been living here for three years, and (with some blood, plenty of sweat and definitely a few tears) have completed around 75% of the renovations. We engaged with Torn & Cotton at a point where we were quite exhausted by it all (the decisions, big and small, are endless!) and we needed help to figure out how to make one of the most important rooms in the house look and feel perfect - the lounge. On our first meeting we had a lovely chat and had a tour of the house. Charlotte and Kerrie asked plenty of questions about our tastes, budget, and lifestyle. They were quick to pick up on all the important factors - and we were convinced that they would help us to 'be brave' and pull together an amazing design. On presenting the initial concepts, it was clear that Torn & Cotton had understood us and our brief perfectly. They came up with a stunning design and room layout that was faithful to the age and original features of the house, but that also pulled it smartly into the 21st century. From there, T&C continued to help us by developing a shopping list of items including furniture, artwork, lighting and fabrics. They were able to find items to fit our budget from many sources, including some beautiful antiques. Their creative skills continued as they provided advice for the layout of our art wall. They were adaptable, flexible and patient; and very sensitive and responsive to our needs. Our lounge is very nearly finished, although there are some delays on our furniture deliveries and curtains due to the Covid-19 situation. We are utterly delighted with our new room and are so pleased that we had the services of Torn & Cotton to help us with the design. We are hoping to use Torn & Cotton again, we've got a few more rooms to tackle yet... and we wouldn't hesitate to recommend them! Clare, Neal, 3 kids and a dog, Bedford