I put my ‘Everything Test’ to the test in 4 very different homes – could it finally reveal your interior style?

Strategist and content creator Francesca Swan is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on the concept of 'Everything' and what makes a home special to you. See the rest of her articles here.

If you regularly frequent this little corner of the internet (thank you and welcome back!), you will already be well versed in my Everything design philosophy. If you’re new here, you’re also very welcome – in fact, you’ve arrived at a very good time.

I am passionate about creating moments of beautiful connection in our homes that submerge us richly and deeply. For a second, that feeling is Everything, all that exists – the antithesis of nothing. These moments matter, because our noisy world becomes still and we feel present and grounded.

I devised the Everything Test to help me join the dots between this ephemeral holy grail and how I design my home. I’m relatively new to interiors and often struggle to define my style. I hoped that by properly investigating why I repeatedly choose and love certain things, some clear guiding principles would emerge. In turn, this might make my ever-flighty creative muse more reliable, reducing costly, time-consuming mistakes in the long run.

The question 'Do I like this?' (often a changeable answer on any given day) is replaced by something simpler and easier; "Does this belong in my story?".

Having ventured down this rabbit hole, I then began to wonder how the Everything Test actually worked in real life. It’s all well and good doing it myself, but would it hold up and deliver under the scrutiny of others?

I embarked upon some highly scientific (ahem) research and inveigled a crack team of wonderful creators whose diverse homes I hugely admire, to complete the Test and share their findings with me.

A huge thank you to these infinitely generous and talented creatives who contributed to bring this to life. So much life in fact, this is Part One of Two!

Stepping up to bat this week: Helen, Natasha, Tess and Laurie.

The 'Everything Test' in a nutshell

Firstly and very importantly, several commented how much they enjoyed doing it. Which, in truth, made my day, because this shouldn’t feel like homework – it should be fun!

Doing the Test is simple. You can find the full version here, but in a nutshell: walk slowly around your home and consciously use all your senses to pick five to eight special pieces that instinctively spark your Everything feeling.

Ask of each piece: What does it make me feel? Why do I own this? What story does it tell? Would I choose it again? What does it reveal about me?

Look for the themes: stories, memories, colours, shapes, materials, texture, provenance, craft, humour, nostalgia, practicality, people, places, values.

Then ask what they reveal about your personality, experiences, how you want your home to feel and the decisions you make. The answers begin to form your Everything design language.

One test, four very different homes

The homes featured could not look more different. Natasha’s graphic, eclectic and colour-confident; Tess’s period home punctuated by marble and art; Laurie’s restoration warm and quietly considered; Helen’s layered with vintage, pattern and colour.

So, what happened when they stopped describing their style and started digging to find what lay beneath it?

1. Helen Somers

Helen describes herself as 'a lover of colour, pattern, vintage and heritage. Decor can be slightly excessive but absolutely no beige'. Her experience with the Test gave me some very positive early news:

'This has been very enlightening – goodness, you’ve got me thinking. So much so, I actually did it twice!

'I always say my style is lots of colour and pattern. I still think that’s true, but I’m also shocked at just how much vintage and natural wood I have.

'I love the idea that homes and furnishings have history, which also explains my love of one-off pieces that feel unmistakably ours. My living room display cabinet and its handcrafted detailing. The touch and smell of an Edwardian sideboard in the hall. My brassy and sassy cinema chairs living their best life. All these pieces have a unique story and character.

'Red is everywhere – it’s so joyful and lifts my mood.

'Texture and natural materials are important – silk, wool, cotton, glass, marble and wood. I’m very tactile and far more interested in how a home feels, than creating a showroom. I want my home and guests to feel comfortable, so a slightly scuffed velvet cushion is most welcome.

'After my first take on the Test, I later also realised how happy my marble fireplace makes me. It was reclaimed from a stately home being demolished and we have given it a new home, so it lives to fight another day. I love touching and appreciating the chips, wondering who else has done the same over the years. It’s definitely part of my Everything; made from a natural material, pattern in the marble AND a pop of red with the William de Morgan tiles I adore.

'I’m very drawn to pattern; I find it soothing and joyful. I was initially surprised that some of my choices were “plain” wood, however I’ve re-examined them and each piece has pattern – inlay on the glass cabinet, the shape and form of my classic Ercol table.

'Then I realised how little "new" mass-produced stuff I have. I bitterly regret our built-in wardrobes. We do have modern kitchen cabinets, as a compromise with my husband who likes a more contemporary look, however I then added a vintage display cabinet to soften and age the space.

'I’m also more aligned to durability than I initially thought. I grew up in a make-do-and-mend family; we never threw things out if they still had purpose and I’ve inherited these values. I’d rather source crockery and cutlery from vintage outlets than the high street.

'Now knowing how fundamental the vintage/mismatched/layered approach is for me, I don’t think I’ll rush decisions like fitted furniture again. I love the idea of repurposing and giving furniture new life. Perhaps that’s why I’m enjoying my upholstery course so much?!”'

For Helen, taking the time to let her findings settle, then revealed something deeper and more meaningful she hadn’t consciously realised before.

I admire how she applies her wonderful eye for design by using vintage to balance her husband's taste for modern. A useful practical example of two styles living harmoniously together under one roof.

2. Natasha Landers

Natasha wears many hats (literally!): interior designer, gallery owner, curator and location homeowner. Her favourite phrases are 'there is never too much art' and 'shop from home'. She’s a big fan of slow renos, which she’s applied to her home of 26 years.

Natasha's response was short and confident – she is an experienced interiors and creative professional, and it shows.

'My home is highly curated and everything has been picked with a curator’s eye. Each piece is intentional and has attached meaning, as if its own story. As much as aesthetics are important to me, the stories I associate with these things are what makes it feel like my home.

'A piece of art called “don’t touch my hair”, because as a black woman I navigate a world where I have to stop white people seeing my hair as a curiosity that they can touch without permission.

'My mid-century coffee table bought from a house clearance sale. The woman selling it used to play cards and do jigsaws with her brother as a child.

'The yellow wall organiser in my kitchen, which is the perfect balance of design and practicality. My green velvet sofa in my living room, designed to my specification and reflecting my personality (also my favourite colour).

'I wasn’t surprised by the findings, as I create my home wearing my interior design hat. This means I consciously think about the stories my pieces tell, along with their curation and how they align with my values.

'This is a great test for anyone trying to find the important elements that create a unique home. It simply reaffirmed how much my home reflects me and my design style: colour, upcycling, eclectic and rebellious.'

That point matters. Natasha naturally has a wider design vocabulary and an established way of interrogating taste, because it's literally her job. For many of us – faced with too much choice, too many tabs open, too much Pinterest – the real question is often just: where on earth do I even start?

3. Tess Atkinson

Tess is a recent London leaver, now renovating her Georgian home in the countryside whilst raising her two girls. She pens a Substack called The Lost & Found Club and her findings were a particularly delightful read.

'It’s nice to notice an element of madness and fun. My chosen things literally do spark joy, trigger memories and make me happy.

'A chrome crown fruit bowl – a total bonkers piece that everyone should have. My “Jane Fonda Workout” book makes me smile so much. I love her and this book is so stunningly of its time, reminding me of simple pleasures. The Beata Heuman bow handles on my wardrobe drawers are also very pleasing to me; they feel special to use and their shape is a fun way to elevate the room.

'A Ren Condry painting of very glitzy ladies in our living room, which we first fell for in a gallery when I’d tagged along with my husband’s work trip. Unbeknownst to me, he then bought it for my birthday, hiding it under our bed for weeks before he gave it to me.

'The gorgeously bright Alicante Rosso marble in our en-suite and the detail on the vanity turned the room from a beige box into a beautiful jewel.

'My number one vintage find: a Constance Spry vase from Fulham Pottery. When we viewed our home, I pictured this exact vase on the living room mantlepiece, so when I found one for an embarrassingly low price, it felt like I’d struck gold. My heart was racing and I was sweating a little, as you do only when you find amazing vintage. I remember that every time I look at it.

'I am surprised that my favourites were the mad pieces – perhaps my style is a little more eccentric than I’d given myself credit for? I was trying to be chic and pick classics, but if I’m being true to myself, it is the silly things that draw me in. I’m encouraged to lean more into the fun elements of design, which then sit alongside practicalities.

'Perhaps they also reveal a commitment to quality products, good materials and to not take things too seriously, which is exactly how I want people to read my home. It’s a grand space, with gorgeous original features, but we are a young family who like to live life fully, which you can see in these pieces and their meaning.

'Some of my items are decades old, whereas others are newer, but importantly, all of them will now stay with me for life. I don't want a home that lasts just one season – I want it to work and evolve over a lifetime. My pieces also aren't space-specific; they could, and likely will, move around and that's exciting. I love shopping my own home!

'It’s also reminded me that Rome wasn’t built in a day and it’s more fun to slowly find pieces with meaning than buy something because ‘we need a rug in that spot’. Sometimes we should let the right piece find us and make a home for it.

'It proves to me there just isn’t a one-size-fits-all interior design ethos. A home simply must have pieces with stories and nuance, or you’re entering catalogue territory.'

Interesting…slow considered shopping, fun and not taking it too seriously, not to mention more stories and meaning. Also, top marks to Tess’s husband for such a marvellous birthday present.

4. Laurie Morgan

Laurie is the creator of Bricks & Boughs, documenting the restoration of her Victorian country home in the Surrey countryside. With a background in home and interiors, she takes a considered, instinctive approach to creating spaces that feel lived in, layered and full of character.

'I adore my old farmhouse kitchen table. I wish I could say it’s been in our family for generations, but it was a Facebook Marketplace find. It carries the marks of a long life, and I love to think about all the people who have sat and shared meals around it, making memories over the years. There’s something special about giving a piece with so much history a new chapter.

'I fell in love with the George Nelson Apple Bubble Light whilst working at Heal’s during university and thought how wonderful it would be to eventually own one. Years later, when we bought our first home, it was one of the first pieces I invested in and it’s been with me ever since. It’s a design classic, but to me it represents the beginning of my interiors career and those early days on the shop floor, where much of my love for design started.

'I thought my least favourite colour was probably yellow. But some colours simply speak to you and I could instantly picture Butter BH by Mylands London in our family bathroom. The way the light moved and the warmth of the yellow against the raw terracotta floor just felt right.

'A collage artwork my mum made for my daughter’s first birthday is incredibly special to me and the story behind it makes it even more meaningful. My mum suffers from rheumatoid arthritis in her hands and can barely hold a coffee cup, yet over a year she painstakingly cut out hundreds of tiny pictures and assembled the most beautiful and thoughtful piece of art I will ever own.

'When selecting fixtures and fittings for our restoration, it was important to create a sense of continuity, so I’ve used Corston Architectural throughout. From kitchen handles and light switches to wardrobe hardware, the consistent narrative of these subtle yet thoughtful details quietly brings the whole house together.

'I’ve noticed that what I choose to surround myself with hasn’t appeared overnight and is a considered blend of the new, the old and the storied. In the end, I’m drawn to things that feel they belong rather than simply fill a space.

'As much as I love perfect homes in magazines, I want our family and friends to feel they can relax here and for our home to be lived in and enjoyed. If a glass of red wine leaves a stain on the kitchen table, then so be it. We’ll always remember the good time we had.

'I would now describe my interior style less through aesthetics; what drives my design process is actually creating experiences and, ultimately, memories. Of course I care about how things look, but I’m more interested in how a space makes you feel and what you touch, hear and smell. You might not consciously notice these small sensory details, but they make a house feel like home.

'It’s reconfirmed for me that to create a space that works for you, you should always trust your instincts.'

Laurie’s findings are different, but also the same in many ways. It’s clear that slow design, even more stories and memories, are recurring themes alongside the importance of comfort and experience.

So, did the test actually work?

Encouragingly (and much to my relief!), everyone discovered something useful, whether new or simply reaffirming something they already knew. The Test helped to both confirm and uncover. It clarified something unconscious or half-formed, with either a lightning-bolt realisation or a slow revelation.

Ultimately, it’s not just about the very different things in these homes – the main takeaway is the stories they hold and our relationship with them. Values, memory, identity, sensory experience, instinct, humour and plain old joy all matter equally. Things that stand the test of time, small yet vital details, along with unique vintage and personal treasures, also get the seal of approval.

What is your 'Everything' made of?

My hope is simply that the Everything Test gives you a fun starting point to understand your own style, trust your instincts and help future-proof your design decisions against the algorithm.

Perhaps you can then experiment more freely and confidently, knowing you’re more likely to make lasting choices and create a cohesive, meaningful and personal home that grows slowly with you?

Maybe try it as a couple or family to discover the shared ground uniting your design languages under one roof, rather than shoehorning everybody into one?

As I write this, I’ve also been reflecting on whether my own Everything Test findings were too broad. I'm relatively new to interiors and often overly conscious of what people think of me and my home. Did I perhaps unconsciously lean to what I thought people wanted to hear rather than the truest possible answer?

It's very easy to drift towards what's deemed tasteful, rather than what may be unglamorously true. This Test is intended to be an antidote to exactly that. The answers may be funny. Odd. Universally tasteless, even. None of that matters. What’s important is it’s true to you, and you alone.

But we are only halfway through. Do the same threads of story, memory and attachment show up in the next chapter? Does the professional versus non-professional gap hold? Or does the second group complicate everything I think I've just learned? And what happens if I sit down and redo my own Test?

In the meantime, have at it! Pick your five to eight pieces and ask yourself why. What's your Everything actually made of? Tag me with your findings – I’m fascinated to see what you discover.

Part Two is coming… stay tuned!