Inside the Design: A Chat with Oh So Daisy's Kelly
Hello Lust Home family!
We were absolutely delighted to recently welcome the incredibly talented Kelly from Oh So Daisy to Lust Home HQ. It was a fantastic opportunity to catch up, chat about all things design, and delve deeper into the inspiration behind her stunning new collection (which, if you haven't seen it yet, you NEED to!).
We know you're just as eager as we are to get to know the creative mind behind these beautiful wallpapers, so we sat down with Kelly for a fun and insightful Q&A. Get ready to be inspired!
Where do you typically find the inspiration for your playful and vibrant designs?
Ultimately my inspiration comes from nature and my everyday life, whether that’s on a walk, someone’s fabulous garden (as I don’t have my own!), it could be decorative details on buildings or an interesting tile seen on my travels. I am constantly taking pictures which I come back to when I am in design mode.
Can you walk us through your design process, from the initial spark of an idea to the final product?
Typically it starts with a colour combination that I’ve seen and just know I want to create with it! From there I'll scroll through my collected travel snaps or my vintage Wildflower books until I find an interesting subject to draw. I may draw and paint it ten times before it comes to life and I can start to visualise how my colour palette and drawings will work together. Everything I paint or draw gets scanned in so I can work on it digitally and offer all the colourways you see in my wallpaper designs. It can be a long process, often one design can take a week or more from concept to completion.
What was the inspiration behind the 4 new products we’re launching with you?
Enchanted Kingdom:
The joy you feel walking through a garden in full bloom. I remember as a child visiting National Trust gardens and feeling so small amongst the towering sunflowers and huge perennials - it’s what I imagine a happy little bug would feel!
In Enchanted Kingdom there’s a rather large nod to nostalgic fairytales and that’s exactly what I want it to evoke; youthful, explorative and a sense of wonderment.
Woodland Strawberry:
I wanted to capture the beauty of Surrey’s wild woodlands in summertime with wild strawberries nestled among a bed of perennials and ferns. Each colourway for wild strawberry represents a different moment:
- Sugar Pink evokes the glow of golden hour - warm romantic and quietly magical.
- Soft Moss is a reflection of the mossy forest trails under canopy light
- Vintage Cream represents the beautiful and wild sun drenched clearings.
It’s definitely a more paired back and refined palette, for me at least! Plus I just really love wild strawberries - who couldn’t, they're so fuzzy and cute!
Ditsy Jane:
Although I tend not to follow trends for interior or fashion, I am human… and I have to say, yes I am obsessed with stripes! They are springing up everywhere this season and Ditsy Jane is my take on this ‘trend’. She’s a slightly more modern take on ‘Cottage Decor’ through the use of playful colours with delicate stripes and although she may be hitting the current interior trend, she’s also no fad. Ditsy Jane is timeless and elegant and I can imagine her in cosy book nooks, colourful hallways, sweet nurseries or the ultimate feminine boudoir.
She’s A Wildflower - Forest Green:
You might remember the original She’s A Wildflower in Vintage Cream. The inspiration for that design came from the wild meadow field just behind my house—now with my studio nestled on the other side of it. This new Forest Green colourway draws from a different part of that same landscape: the edge of the field where it meets the trees. Here, the light dances through the leaves, casting the most beautiful dappled shadows. It's a moment I've always wanted to capture!
Do you have a favourite design from your collection, and if so why?
My favourite design from this new collection would have to be Woodland Strawberry in Sugar Pink. For me personally, it just reminds me of strawberry picking and exploring woodlands on a sunny Sunday as a child.
How do you stay creative and avoid creative burnout?
Tricky one! I would love to have a definitive answer for you but I'm still figuring it out myself! I do have ADHD so it can be tough to balance running a business alone. I’d say in the last 8-9 months it’s something I’ve been working really hard on - trying to create a balance between what ‘needs’ doing and what can wait. I don’t struggle for creative inspiration but also I don't need to give it all away with one collection, so learning to stop has been my biggest blessing.
What sparked your passion for design, and how did you get started in industry?
Ever since I could hold a crayon I was drawing so I always knew I’d want to end up in a creative industry! After studying Fashion at University, I was nominated for the Zandra Rhodes textile award and then went on to commercial fashion for 15 years designing for many high street stores and brands. That took a step up when I became Creative Director for a well-known handbag brand which took me all over the world. It’s been an exciting career, but something was always missing. It was during lock-down which led me back to my first passion - interiors, and the start of Oh So Daisy.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced when building your brand, and how did you overcome them?
There’s several, all the time! It can be really difficult as a sole owner to overcome challenges when you're in your own head. Thankfully along this journey I've been lucky enough to meet some other fantastic female-owned businesses and we can lean-on, learn and grow together.
What are you most proud of achieving with Oh So Daisy?
Probably getting voted number 1 for the Indy Best wallpaper, with you [Lust Home] on my first ever wallpaper designs. What a moment! There is a resounding fear I will never top She’s A Wildflower - but I'm trying!
How do you want people to feel when they bring Oh So Daisy designs into their homes?
Always bring joy. Life is tough and the world outside is hard enough. I want Oh So Daisy to be a safe, happy place to escape these outside noises. I think that’s what our homes should be about, right?
What does collaboration mean to you, and what makes the partnership with Lust Home special?
To me, collaboration is all about mutual respect and a shared appreciation for each other’s vision. I still remember seeing the very first ad for Lust Home before the brand even launched—I was instantly drawn to the bold use of colour, the aesthetic, and the energy behind it all. I just knew I wanted to be part of that journey. I never imagined that five years later, we’d be celebrating such a meaningful and creative partnership.
What makes this collaboration so special is how personal it feels. The Lust Home team has always made me feel seen, heard, and truly involved in every step of the collection process. That level of trust and creative freedom is rare—and it’s something I deeply value.
What's your favourite part of your job?
My favourite part will always be seeing the finished product in real homes. There’s something so special about watching a design go from an idea in my head to a beautifully styled space that someone has made their own. I never get tired of being tagged on Instagram—it’s such a joy to see where my wallpaper ends up, how it’s styled, what paint colours and accessories people pair with it. It’s like the design takes on a new life with every customer, and that’s the most rewarding feeling.
What are some of the biggest trends you’re seeing in home decor right now
Stripe drenching! I’m obsessed. I love how the width of a stripe can change the whole feel of a room. You can go bold with a wide stripe, or ultra feminine as seen in our new Ditsy Jane stripe. It’s also a great way to start introducing colour palettes that typically wouldn't be seen together.
How do you think wallpaper can be used to transform a space and express personal style?
Wallpaper is almost instant gratification, just from hanging a few drops it can instantly change a space, the light and what you do in it. I think that’s what I love about it the most as someone who likes quick projects - I can be rather impatient with DIY, as much as I love doing it, I want my visual to come to life as quickly as possible!
What are your tips for mixing and matching patterns and colours in interior design?
The two most important things are colour and scale when mixing patterns. For a harmonious colour, pull out a complimenting colour from your feature pattern and use this as your main accent colour for accessories, smaller wall areas or woodwork. It will create a soft textured, layered feel that’s well balanced but still interesting to the eye.
For the bolder at heart who want to mix and match patterns, always check the scale of your patterns. If your feature pattern is large, choose a smaller scale clashing pattern to balance, otherwise it can be too overwhelming on the eye.
However if your feature pattern is smaller, you can opt for a larger scale patterned accessories which can print it to life! I love mixing bold stripes and oversized ginghams with ditsy florals. Above all, your home is your home… it’s a place to express what brings you joy, so really, just have fun with it!
What do you predict will be the next big thing in interior design?
I think we’re going to see the ‘drenching trend’ on a whole new level! We’ve seen designers dabble rooms in all one colour, and now all stripes… I fully predict next we’re going to see pattern drenching, ceilings, curtains and all. What’s great about this trend is that it can really lean into your own personal taste. Yes it’s bold and maximalist, but it can also be sweet and light with the wallpaper choice you make.
What are some of your favourite hobbies or activities outside of design?
I’m very lucky that my job is also my hobby! But when I’m taking time out I love to travel and explore - I have family abroad too so I like to get over to see them as much as possible. I love summer festivals, Pride and outdoor gigs - we were fortunate to get Oasis tickets in ‘the great queue’ so I’m seeing them in Wembley in a couple months.
My friends also have their own creative businesses so you’ll always find us crocheting and painting - with a prosecco of course!
We have some plans in the next few weeks to visit a tulip festival and a hot tub lake escape. It’s usually centered around nature and getting away from the hustle of town life.
What’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about you?
That I actually like the colour black!
How has Oh So Daisy evolved since our first collaboration five years ago?
Working with Lust Home has made me delve deeper into my own brand identity. Having my own wallpaper brand wasn’t really on the radar when I started out with prints and posters, but the brand partnership has really opened my eyes to a whole new world. With the success of She’s A Wildflower and the joy it has brought people I just wanted to keep doing that!