Interior and exterior confidence
Create Academy has been such a great resource. I'm in the middle of renovating a bungalow with a very large garden and the courses have offered a wealth of inform...
Harvey
Jun 10, 2026
How to Be A Successful Interior Designer
Inspired by travel
with EMMA SIMS HILDITCH — British interior designer and founder of the acclaimed interior-design studio Sims Hilditch.
Lesson 4 of 44
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Travel has been a constant source of inspiration for Emma throughout her career. She reflects back on the early years of her design journey and muses how her travels were fundamental in forming her design style.
From the Lesson Workbook
Inspired by Travel
Whenever my husband and I were able to travel, we made a conscious effort to absorb everything we saw and treat it as a learning exercise. I recommend making sure to take reference photographs of specific details that catch your attention, as you can look back at these when it comes to designing for inspiration.
When you are next abroad, turn your eye to:
- architectural detailing
- building materials
- reclaimed materials
- how historical features have been maintained
- the use of artisan crafts
- flooring and ceilings
- design details
- furniture placements
- styling techniques
- colour palettes.
Using travel as a source of inspiration has been a constant throughout my career and, in the early years, was fundamental in forming my design style.
Places we love to travel to for inspiration.
- Florence, Italy
- Provence, France
- Venice, Italy
- Antwerp, Belgium
- L'Isle sur la Sorgue, France
Further reading
- La Bastide de Marie hotel, Menerbes, France
- Santa Maria Novella perfumery, Florence, Italy
- Doge's Palace, Venice, Italy
- Saint Mark's Basilica, Venice, Italy
- Axel Vervoordt's Castle, Antwerp, Belgium
- Markets of L'Isle sur la Sorgue, France
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May 31, 2026
Magic in small spaces
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Interior and exterior confidence
Create Academy has been such a great resource. I'm in the middle of renovating a bungalow with a very large garden and the courses have offered a wealth of information to dive into and explore new ideas. I'm...
Harvey
Jun 10, 2026
Absolutely love Create Academy
Absolutely love Create Academy! The instructors are extremely informative, and it is beautifully filmed. Create Academy is great value for money and plan on renewing my subscription yearly because there are ...
SG
May 31, 2026
Magic in small spaces
Butter's creativity is stunning! Her ability to incorporate brilliance in small gardens is magical!
Carla
May 30, 2026
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Your Instructor
Emma Sims Hilditch
British interior designer and founder of the acclaimed interior-design studio Sims Hilditch.
Emma Sims Hilditch is the creative founder of Sims Hilditch, one of the UK’s leading interior design studios. With a background in film production and a lifelong passion for art, architecture, and design, Emma launched the studio in 2009. What began as a small business has evolved into a powerhouse of interior expertise, renowned for its extraordinary and elegant approach to British living. Under Emma’s guidance, Sims Hilditch has been recognised as one of the top design studios by leading publications, including House & Garden, Country Life and Spear’s
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