Life & Style | Home & Interiors

William Yeoward: Prince of prints

William Yeoward is a tastemaker, design icon and a stalwart of the European interior scene

By Rin Simpson, InsideOut magazine
Published: 12:43 January 15, 2013

Image Credit: Supplied picture
Designer and author William Yeoward.

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William Yeoward is a man of many talents. From furniture to fabrics, cushions to crystal, there’s no end to what the designer has created since starting out in the business more than 25 years ago. Here, he talks to InsideOut about what inspires him, offers his top decorating tips and tells us why he intends to keep on working for as long as he can.

I have always been fascinated by... interiors. As a child I would spend my time redoing my room, painting my walls different colours and getting in trouble with my mother. Some people say, ‘I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up’ but I always knew what I wanted to do – I was just waiting to grow up.

My criteria with work is... to make beautiful things and sell them to people who appreciate quality and style. My work is steeped in history, with a modern twist. I’ve got one foot in the past and one in the future, and that gives me balance for today. I believe that even though outside influences can encourage you to go different ways, you should stick truthfully to what you believe in.

There are two things I don’t do... one is ‘dull’ and the other is ‘failure’. I don’t want to know about them – they just depress me. If I try to force something to happen in my head, it won’t work, but if I can do it in an organic way and naturally develop an idea, then it does. If you think something is a good idea, try it.

My top decorating tips are… firstly, be bold. It’s all about confidence. If you think it looks nice, it will make you happy. Secondly, don’t ever think that blue is a cold colour. Blue is incredibly diverse and easy to use. And thirdly, concentrate on your lighting and make sure that it’s not overhead – that’s very ageing! Also, everything doesn’t have to be very expensive. Some things can be modest. Good design is often controlled by a reasonable budget because it makes you think. You need to focus on what you really want.

My home is... an eclectic collection of things that I love. I hate the idea of downsizing. How depressing! That’s just throwing away everything you love. I’m not a minimalist; my house is full up. If you really love something when you buy
it, you’ll continue to love it.