When it comes to creative legacies which continue to inspire and shape the way we live, Sophie Conran’s career has spanned cooking, tableware, wallpaper, textiles and bedding, with innovation in her DNA
The only daughter of designer and retailer, Sir Terence Conran – founder of Habitat and The Conran Shop – and half-sister to designer Jasper Conran, it’s fair to say she’s been at the hands of creativity since day dot
“I don’t remember the first photo shoot I was in because I was a baby, naked on a rug in a Habitat catalogue,” Conran, 60, tells the Press Association
“So that side of it started a very long time ago. And then my mum was an amazing cook writer [Caroline Conran], so I helped her in the kitchen… I was kind of a little assistant, and ran around getting vegetables and stuff.”
“But my first creative thing was probably when my dad (who owned Mothercare) and I did a range of children’s wear when I was about 12… I’ve always worked with dad and my brothers doing all sorts.”
From summer jobs at The Conran Shop where she was a buyer, and also ran the children’s department and stationery. “Which I loved, and then later on, I worked for Jasper on and off
“I think the first time I worked for him was when I was about 17, and then went back to him in 2000, and worked with him on his Debenhams projects; and that’s when I started doing designing and product development.”
Subsequently, she launched Sophie Conran pies, a gourmet collection of handmade pies. “And that sort of led to working with Portmeirion [Pottery] because I developed these pie dishes… and that was 20 years ago,” recalls the mother of two
Today, Conran is focusing on the importance of creating a comfortable and aesthetically pleasing environment, drawing inspiration from her love of nature, sense of wellbeing and inventive upbringing
“There was Dad and Mum creating Habitat, the catalogues, and all the people they worked with always in the house
“And my brothers doing amazing things… there was always a conversation about how we live, what’s important, and how we can improve that.”
“That’s always been a part of how I get into any project or point of view,” she highlights. “So it’s all about how you feel, and make the people around you feel… and there’s a practical element to it as well
“So that’s part of my style, I suppose. And when I was little, I liked things… I was obsessed with four-poster beds and an 18th-century aesthetic with lots of flowers and nature, and you know prettiness, joyfulness.”
And with the wellbeing trend dominating interiors, creating a bedroom which enhances a better night’s sleep – think calming, nature-inspired decor – reflects her desire to nurture both body and mind
A self-confessed insomniac, Conran says she gets anxious if she doesn’t sleep well. “My world very quickly falls apart
“I’ve realised if I haven’t had the right amount of good sleep, everything just seems much heavier… I don’t cope with things as well and feel stressed
“We live in a very fast-paced society, we’re always scrolling on our phones, and there’s so much information being piled on us… I think that does take up your mental capacity if you’re surrounded by clutter.”
Passionate about interiors and soothing atmosphere she aims to achieve in her designs, such as the Sophie Conran for Dreams Collection, she says: “I also think beyond just seeing.”
“You’ve got all your senses, so it’s what you hear in your room. If you’ve got a lot of upholstery, it absorbs sound. So if you’re living in a kind of a box with metal and glass, that’s going to make a lot of noise.”
She continues: “If you have nice padded things, carpets and curtains, that will absorb sound. And then there’s what you touch… the quality of your sheets, softness of your pillow, what kind of duvet you’ve got, the comfort of your mattress.”
Moreover, the designer who lives in a Grade II-listed Georgian manor house in Wiltshire, loves using colours and patterns inspired by nature – from soft florals, to muted greens and warm neutrals
“My bedroom is a soft pink, but it’s a grass paper, so it slightly catches the light in a rather amazing way… it’s got a very relaxing feel to it and very calm.”
“If you see something soft, hear something soft, touch something soft, your brain will soften, and I think it’s very animal in a way. It’s an instinct
“They’re all things that say I’m safe, I can sleep.”
Evidently there’s a relationship between your bedroom aesthetic and wellbeing, and the impact it can have on your sleep pattern
Dreams’ sleep expert, Sammy Margo, a chartered physiotherapist and author of The Good Sleep Guide (£12.99, Amazon), emphasises the importance of a bedroom free from stimulation for better sleep hygiene
“It might be hyper-cluttered. You might have too much noise, like visual noise, going on. If you’ve got a lot of competing colours, your brain might still be overworking,” suggests Margo
“So trying to have a bedroom that’s a bit more calm, relaxed colours, more visually quiet, and more organised… the more storage might actually calm the room, both mentally and physically
She continues: “By looking at all the factors in your bedroom helps reduce your kind of mental noise or anxiety, making it easier and calmer to switch off.”
For more interiors-related tips and expert advice to help get a good night’s sleep, visit Dreams Inspiration & Advice hub.
