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The Scotsman Magazine : Feathering her nest
:: A pink mirror, a Rave table and plenty of space for the sequinned shoes: Jan Milne’s bedroom is a girly heaven.
When Jan Milne decided her bedroom needed an overhaul, she went looking for inspiration in some unusual places. Wandering along the shore at Kirkcaldy one blustery day, the textile designer found the kind of starting point she was hoping for: an eagle’s feather. “Well, it just made sense for a duvet cover, didn’t it?” she laughs.
This freewheeling approach to design is an essential part of Jan’s style. After all, this is the woman who came back from a trip to New York with a stack of rubbish bins because the colours and finishes were so much funkier than what was available at home. “I know,” she sighs. “Most people bring back clothes. But if I spot something I like that’s a bit different, I just have to get it.”
Jan’s flat in Glasgow’s West End has given her plenty of scope to experiment with all the interesting bits and pieces she’s picked up, and when she moved in four years ago she set to work on the decorating right away. She began by painting the bedroom completely white, including the floorboards. The large-scale floral prints that have characterised her collections since her college days are all here, but it’s the bold cerise feather print that makes the biggest statement. “I did worry the pink might look a bit girly,” she confesses, “but then I thought, who cares? I’m not really bothered what colour’s in and what’s out. I believe in going with your instincts.”
This refreshing attitude spills over to her dress sense. Her bedroom, like her sparkly sequinned trainers, is nothing if not individual; she’s a designer who isn’t a slave to designer labels. Catching me admiring her collection of Gucci-esque sunglasses, she pipes up: “As usual, I couldn’t decide what colour I wanted, so I got one of each!”
So how does she overcome this indecision when it comes to co-ordinating her room? “I don’t really believe in co-ordination,” she reflects. “I think if you have a certain taste it will all work together.”
The blend of materials and textures is matched by a mixture of bargains and expensive items.
Jan’s work frequently takes her to America, where she has designed prints and furniture for restaurants in Las Vegas and Miami, and it’s obvious there’s some overlap between her home and her work.
There’s certainly fun to be had in the serious business of design.
source :: Fiona Reid
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