That Room You Keep Shutting the Door On
By Catherine, Co-Founder of The Living House - online interior designers based in the UK, with 35 years of combined design experience
Can I be honest with you for a second?
I have a leak in my kitchen ceiling. It's been there for - well, longer than I'm willing to put in writing. Every time there's a heavy downpour, there's a puddle on the floor. I know it needs fixing. I know. But I'm busy, I'm not entirely sure where to start, and if I'm really honest, I'm a little scared of what the investigation might uncover, and what it might cost.
So I mop up the water. I put a towel down. And I choose, very deliberately, not to think about it until the next storm rolls in.
Sound familiar?
We all have one. That thing that lives in our phone notes or floats at the back of our to-do list. The thing we don't tackle - not because we don't care, but because we do, and it feels too big, too uncertain, too easy to push to next month. It takes up more mental space than it has any right to. It sits there, quietly costing us.
For me, it's the ceiling. For a lot of the people I speak to, it's a room.
You know the one. You don't need me to describe it, because you thought of it immediately. The door you pull shut when people come round. The room that makes you feel a little flat when you walk in - not quite right, not quite yours. The one where the ironing pile lives, and the exercise bike you swore you'd use, and somehow also a collection of things that belong everywhere except there.
It might be your living room - the room you spend most of your waking hours in, that still doesn't feel like somewhere you can truly relax. Or a dining room that sits unused, because it's never quite worked and you've stopped trying to make it. Or a grown out of playroom you shut the door on years ago and learned to ignore.
The thing is, that room - the one you've given up on - is taking up a big chunk of space in your house. Imagine it at Christmas. Imagine the children's birthday parties you could actually enjoy hosting in there. The cup of tea with a friend that feels lovely and easy. The cosy night on the sofa that genuinely restores you, rather than just being where you end up. The mental and physical cost of an unloved room is real. And it doesn't have to be.
‘The thing is, that room - the one you've given up on - is taking up a big chunk of space in your house.’
Why The Complete Design Exists
This is why we created The Complete Design.
I know what you need, because it's what I need with my ceiling! Someone I trust. Someone who knows what they're doing. Someone who will take it off my hands, make the decisions, and guide me through - so I don't have to figure it out alone and hope for the best.
That's what Becky and I do for you. The Complete Design is our most comprehensive online interior design service - two dedicated designers, 35 years of combined experience, working entirely around you. We start with a proper conversation: how you live, what's not working, what you love, what your family needs from the space. Then we build it - layout, concept, full design dossier, shopping list curated across the whole market (yes, Facebook Marketplace and Soho Home in the same list; it's all fair game). We show you exactly how the finished room will look, and we walk you through every decision so it makes complete sense to you.
When we're done, you know exactly what to buy, where to put it, and why it works. No more expensive guesses. No more paralysis. No more shutting the door.
The Complete Design starts from £2,400 - which, when you weigh it against the years of money quietly wasted on things that weren't quite right, and the cost of continuing to live in a room that doesn't serve you, tends to look rather different.
I'll be honest - I haven't sorted the ceiling yet. (If you're a friendly roofer reading this, do get in touch.)
But if your room has been on your list long enough, let's talk. Book a free Discovery Call and we'll work out exactly what your space needs. No obligation, no sales pitch - just a proper conversation about what you actually want, and whether we're the right people to help you get there.
Book your free Discovery Call →
Now excuse me while I go and check the weather forecast.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Complete Design
What is The Complete Design? The Complete Design is The Living House's most comprehensive online interior design service. You work with two dedicated interior designers who create a full room plan - including layout, moodboard, 2D visualisation, and a curated shopping list - tailored entirely to how you live. It's delivered within four weeks, with post-design support included.
How does online interior design work? You start with a 45-minute video call where your designers take a thorough brief - covering how you use the space, what isn't working, your style, your budget, and your family's needs. From there, the designers handle everything: layout planning, design direction, sourcing, and a full design dossier that shows you precisely how your finished room will look.
How much does The Complete Design cost? The Complete Design starts from £2,400 for a room up to 20sqm. Exact pricing is confirmed during a free Discovery Call, based on the size of your space.
Who is The Complete Design suitable for? It's for anyone who is ready to transform a room but finds the process overwhelming - whether you're redesigning a living room, bedroom, dining room, or any other space. If you've been putting it off, spending money on things that don't quite work, or simply don't know where to start, The Complete Design gives you a clear plan and the confidence to act on it.
Is The Complete Design available across the UK? Yes. The Living House is an online interior design service, so we work with clients across the whole of the UK and beyond, no matter where you are.
What do I get at the end of the process? You receive a full design dossier including your floorplan, layout plan, moodboard, 2D visualisation, a designer walkthrough video, and a curated shopping list spanning the full market. You also have two weeks of post-design support and one round of professional refinements.
The Living House is an online interior design studio helping families transform their homes into spaces that are beautiful, functional, and unmistakably theirs. Browse our services at thelivinghouse.co.uk.
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