The Telegraph
·Aug 2026
I Hated My Cluttered Childhood Home Growing Up. Now I Love the Lived-In Look
Interior designer Rachael Gowdridge once felt embarrassed by the richly decorated Edwardian home where she grew up, preferring the minimalist interiors of her friends. With age and professional experience, she came to see her family home’s abundance of art, books, furniture and souvenirs as a meaningful archive rather than clutter. Influenced by her mother’s house and by working with maximalist designer Martin Brudnizki, Gowdridge now creates layered interiors built around personal history, inherited objects and vintage finds. Her nearby Victorian flat reflects the same philosophy in a lighter, evolving form, combining restored period features with contemporary furniture, collected art and atmospheric lighting.