Maximalist Victoriana - Discover a magical Somerset home

 

Nestled in between the Somerset coast and forest lies a house that can only be described as a magical gateway to a fantastical land, home to Marta Hutt, painter extraordinaire (you can admire her work at Lush Eclectic) and collector of my vibrant cushions.

Marta has created a true wonderland, a cacophony of bold deep colour, luxurious fabrics, antique furniture, all decorated with a mix of pieces from small designers and her own beautiful paintings.

I sat down to and asked her a few questions about how she goes about creating such a magical space, how she finds pieces for her home and what fantasy place would she want to visit above all...

 

How would you describe your personal interior style?

I would say that I'm an eclectic maximalist with a love for period homes and antique furniture. I love colour - especially jewel tones and I don't shy away from bold patterns and quirky elements. I'm a big advocate for repurposing and up-cycling and most of the furniture in my house I discovered in second hand treasure troves.

 

 

Where do you look for inspiration for you art and your home?

I'm a big fan of art but none of the styles or elements of my favourite artists are reflected in my own art. Most of the inspiration for my paintings comes from women, their lives and stories. I usually have an non visual idea of what I would like to paint or draw and then I figure out how to present it in a visual form. Sometimes it can be year or months until I will find an image in my head or a reference photo to illustrate the story or mood I want to portray. 

When it comes to my home I've got a little obsession with all things Victorian and I love to get inspired by visiting period properties. I also find a lot of it in people's homes in magazines and on Instagram. I don't follow the trends. I'm just slowly renovating our home and reflecting my own character in it.

 

 

We are all trying to find our own sense of style.  How did you find yours and what are your top tips for someone still trying to figure it out?

Go with your gut and what makes you happy. If a colour, pattern or an object sparks a joy - go with it. I always loved antiques and this hasn't changed since I was a kid. but I guess each home with it's space, style and character influences your style as well. 

 

 

 

What do you look for when buying pieces for your home?

Sometimes it is something specific that I look for and I will always look at the design / visual aspect of the item as well as it's quality and how it was made. I would rather buy something handmade, made sustainably from an artisan or a small business or a good quality vintage/ antique piece than a low quality mass produced item.

"Absolutely love this cushion! The detail in the design is stunning, the colour are vibrant, I love the contrasting pink back of it. The cushion feels sooo goood that I keep on hugging it - the quality is superb! Thank you Leila for designing such a fantastic product!"   Marta

 

You have a machine that will take you anywhere, at any point in time. Where do you go?

I would go back few years back in time to when my dad was still alive, back to the lakes district in Poland where we used to go sailing every summer. In the end of the day we would sail back to our pine woodland. I would be cooking some food on the fire and my day would play guitar and sing. I would give anything for a one more evening like this. In our family we are all nature lovers and we would always choose our pine woods by the lakes over any place in the world. It is so peaceful there, the air smells amazing, the sound of the wind in the trees, birds and the lake waves crushing on the shore is so soothing. I can sit there for hours and days just staring at the reeds moving in the wind.

 

Discover Marta's own beautiful paintings at https://art.lusheclectic.com/

 

Shop all of Marta's magical cushions