Interior Design | Upholstery | Curtain Making | New Forest

I, Catherine Brennan, always had a passion for dancing and art. When young, I was told it would never bring me fame or money and to follow my brain instead of heart. This discouraging message stuck with me and led me to study tourism and recreation management, with the word management in the title I was bound to be successful right? My love for travelling also encouraged me to hope that this career path would propel me into an active and exciting life. Sadly, after six long years of study and a further 5 years working in hotels across Ireland and England, I realized that I was unhappy and unfulfilled in life, owing to my ill-suited choice of career.

At that stage of my life I decided to make some changes for the better and undertook a variety of fitness courses to satisfy by burning desire to be active and creative through dance and fitness. Whilst being a dance and fitness instructor in my spare time certainly fulfilled part of my creative nature, it wasn't enough. Seeking new pastures, I began working as a document controller, then a design controller on big construction sites. Despite the grand job titles the roles were not exciting and boredom set in. Time spent in these roles were not completely wasted as I learned how to build and use drawings. However, creativity was still calling me. I longed for art and craft and to re-ignite the smoldering embers of my passion to create beautiful things. It dawned on me that in-fact, the final stages of the building process is where I belonged, I could find my place in the realms of interior design.

It took three residential projects to design and renovate, three years to study interior design and taking professional curtains, blinds, pelmets, cushions and upholstery courses, and a whole lot of intensive practice until I gained enough confidence, experience and skills to label myself a professional interior designer.

Then things started to get really exciting. I set up New Forest Designs in 2017 and have never looked back. I followed my heart and found where my passion is. As the business grew, the natural changes occurred like expansion of the team partners. We have Emma, who has been working in close partnership with the company for over two years. Emma is experienced in creating fabulous handmade curtains and blinds. There is also Pawel. You may not be fully aware but Pawel has been working for New Forest Designs for almost a year now! He is a brilliant builder, decorator, floor layer and also not bad in joinery too. Pawel can deliver majority of our designs. Our latest partner - Julia, who is a qualified interior designer and has recently joined New Forest Designs. She has graduated at Arts University Bournemouth and her main role is to meet clients, deliver home design consultations, manage projects where required plus create designs with my help and ongoing support. And there is me... Catherine, I look after the accounts, marketing and provide a support to the clients and our team.

So, when you ask us to design your house you don't only get qualified expertise and skills but you get our full attention and passion. We will design your house so that an impersonal space becomes your beloved home, and one you love to share with your family and friends.

When you enlist the services of New Forest Designs you can expect so much more than just a design. We will create the magical touches, the highest quality handmade curtains, bespoke blinds, uplifting transformation of your home with stress free management.

We call it Home Design.