A Q&A With Interiors Journalist Linda Clayton

Working on the PR and Marketing team here at Burlanes, I am lucky enough to be able to flick through lots of lovely interior magazines daily, and I regularly chat with interior photographers, journalists and magazine editors about current trends, trend predictions and of course our beautiful bespoke kitchens and furniture. Whilst discussing an upcoming feature, I had a quick chat with Devon based Interiors Journalist Linda Clayton about her current home renovation, likes and dislikes, and what Linda cannot live without in her kitchen...



Working on the PR and Marketing team here at Burlanes, I am lucky enough to be able to flick through lots of lovely interior magazines daily, and I regularly chat with interior photographers, journalists and magazine editors about current trends, trend predictions and of course our beautiful bespoke kitchens and furniture. Whilst discussing an upcoming feature, I had a quick chat with Devon based Interiors Journalist Linda Clayton about her current home renovation, likes and dislikes, and what Linda cannot live without in her kitchen...

You're currently undertaking a renovation project on your home, what has been the most challenging aspect so far?

I didn’t quite anticipate just how many things need to be decided at once, and how lots of decisions have a knock-on effect. Like the 15mm thick encaustic tiles I bought that meant the floor will be too high to have wall-hung taps (without moving the window up), which would then mean the wall lights need to be repositioned etc etc.

Describe your dream kitchen…

It changes every day because I fall in love with nearly every new kitchen I am sent for the Homes & Gardens’ Dream Kitchen feature I write every month. At the moment I am lusting after natural oak base units, with really sleek worktops and a handle-less design to make them feel more modern. I am also fighting the case for a 4.2m long island unit in our extension…my younger sister is threatening to move into it though, so I might have to down-scale my ambitions just to avoid squatters. 

Name a kitchen gadget that you couldn't live without.

Not sure it’s technically a gadget but my induction hob has been the biggest game-changer since we got our first dishwasher. It’s so fast we’ve ditched the electric kettle completely and it’s much easier to clean than fiddly gas burners. A boiling water tap is top of my shopping list for the new kitchen though. I’m all about speed and ease. 

What do you think makes a house a home?

Warmth. In both the physical sense (you can’t beat the heart-of-the-home warmth of an AGA in my opinion) and visually via a nice nature-inspired colour palette and/or textures. Acoustics are often underrated, too. I’ve been to some really vast, impressive homes that just feel hollow because the noise echoes around like you’re in a factory canteen.

With Summer on the horizon, can you give us your top tips for transitioning your home between seasons?

The first thing I do is switch the cushion covers (I say first, but I often don’t get round to it until summer is well underway). Packing away the faux fur, wool and velvet cushions and digging out the linen and cotton prints is pretty easy and makes the living room feel fresher. I’ll usually ramp up the greenery with a quick trip to Ikea’s houseplant section as well, but otherwise we just tend to be outside more. I treated myself to Morso’s Grill Forno outdoor oven for my 40th, which you can cook anything in - roasts, curries, bread - and it all has a lovely flavour. Our kitchen is usually pretty redundant on the actual cooking front in the summer.

This or that...

Separate kitchen & dining room or Open-plan living space? 

I like a kitchen-diner and then separate living room for hunkering down in the evenings. Completely open-plan living leaves you nowhere to hide.

Red wine or White wine?

White every time but only because red gives me a (worse) headache.

Natural stone worktops or Oak kitchen worktops?

Stone. We’ve had both but wood is never wise around a sink. Saying that, I do prefer wood on a breakfast bar as stone is too bangy and crashy on mugs and bowls in the morning. I’m not a morning person.

Dark & moody vibes or light & bright space?

Light and bright. I’ll take a small but bright room over a large but dark room any day. 

Spring/summer or Autumn/winter?

Spring/summer. I’m way grumpier in winter.

Follow the current trends or stay classic & timeless?
A bit of both. I’ll invest in timeless then go for cheaper items to get my trend fix. Most fast-moving trends will be replicated on the high street sooner rather than later.  

Pinterest or Instagram?

Instagram. I can’t cope with the non-accreditation on Pinterest. If I like something I need to know where it is from!

Linda is currently one of our favourite accounts to follow on Instagram for her regular renovation updates on her home in Devon, as well as trend predictions, insights and her wonderful wit and humour! @lindaclaytonwrites