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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
A Definitive Guide to Decorating
Having fun with upholstery
with NINA CAMPBELL — World-renowned interior and textile designer. House & Garden Lifetime Achievement Award.
Lesson 36 of 40
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When redecorating any room, it’s important to think outside the box and design creatively. Nina discusses a recent project in which she approached upholstering a sofa slightly differently and achieved an inspired design statement.
From the Lesson Workbook
Having Fun with Upholstery
Textiles make up a huge part of most room schemes, so it's well worth listening to your heart and going with designs you love, and using them in inspired ways.
- If you don't have the budget to use expensive fabrics for large pieces of upholstery, you can still include them within the scheme as smaller elements – cushions, for example.
- When designing your cushions, think carefully about the placement of the fabric, so you showcase the best parts of the design.
- A sofa doesn't need to just be one fabric – you can play around with different colours for the main frame of the sofa, and each of the sofa cushions. Just be sure to put all your ideas down on paper; it'll help you to work your vision into reality.
Further reading
Kazumi Yoshida textile artist and designer
Sourcebook
Curtain and armchair fabric: Kharif Crewel, Clarence House
Cushion fabric: Jembala Print, Clarence House
Sofa upholstery fabrics: Plain wools, from Decortex
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May 31, 2026
Magic in small spaces
Butter's creativity is stunning! Her ability to incorporate brilliance in small gardens is magical!
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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
Your Instructor
Nina Campbell
World-renowned interior and textile designer. House & Garden Lifetime Achievement Award.
British decorator Nina Campbell is undeniably one of the world’s most respected and influential interior designers of our time. In her 50 years in the industry, she has accumulated an unparalleled list of clients and design expertise. Nina’s enthusiasm and interest in design and interiors was developed when, at the age of 19, she went to work for John Fowler at the prestigious Sybil Colefax & John Fowler. Shortly afterwards, she set up her eponymous decorating business, where one of her first commissions was to design a castle in Scotland. Renowned for her contagious wit, brilliant sense of style and her unmistakably rich and elegant colour palette, Nina’s designs appeal to both young and old and sit well in both contemporary and traditional interiors. She continues to work on notable projects - both commercial and residential - across the globe, with both new clients and those who return across the generations.
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