We caught up with our Creative Director and renowned interior designer, Sue Timney, to go behind the scenes of her appearance as a guest judge on BBC One’s Interior Design Masters, as well as being the first to hear about her exciting design for our new show apartment at Wallacea Living, Marylebone.
Lovely to see you Sue! You’ve certainly had an exciting start to the year. Tell us about your recent appearance on Interior Design Masters.
I’ve known Michelle Ogundehin, who is the head judge on Interior Design Masters, for many years, so I was more than happy to help when she invited me to come along and judge the later living episode for this year’s series.
The amateur designers worked in pairs to design a two-bedroom apartment, aimed at the over 65s as part of an integrated retirement community in Gosport, near Portsmouth. I think this was the first time that many of the designers had even contemplated how to design for this age group, so it was quite a tricky brief really.
What was the one design feature that really stood out to you from the designers?
It was great to see pops of colour used throughout the winning team’s apartment, from egg yolk yellow in the hallway to green and red, alongside botanical artwork, in the master bedroom. All of the designers didn’t shy away from using colour and I think that’s something that they should be congratulated on.
Do you find that people can often be afraid of colour when designing their own homes?
I think people can often have a tendency to remain ‘safe’ in their colour choices. Everyone has a colour language though, even if they don’t know it. Colour doesn’t have to mean bright, bold statements, it can be much more subtle. I encourage people to explore what they’re instinctively drawn to. It might be through clothing, art, even old postcards. Once you unlock that, you can build a palette that feels personal. Then, as you gain confidence, you can push it—explore new combinations and layers.
Have you got any advice for the designers on Interior Design Masters moving forward?
If any of the designers find themselves working on later living projects in the future, I’d encourage them to focus on the freedom that later life offers, rather than the restriction. Re-think the space so that it offers as much flexibility as possible.
For instance, utilising the ‘spare bedroom’ to practice your hobbies is much more beneficial than having it set up as a bedroom that is only used for guests. Many of us have put others first for the majority of our life and it’s now time to be a little more selfish. By adding a sofa bed, you can keep the room flexible for when friends and family visit.
My other advice would be to simply enjoy their journey to becoming interior designers. It’s a wonderful career and there was a lot of talent on the show. It has been great to see them taking on the feedback throughout the series too - keep learning from others.
How important is it for later living design to be discussed on programmes like Interior Design Masters?
This is an area of design that hasn’t really been spoken about much, if at all, on competitive prime time TV. How fantastic is it that we’ve started to recognise this genre of living and the many benefits that integrated retirement communities can bring? It’s time to change the perceptions of later life and now’s a great time to start. We all need to be having conversations about how we want our later life to look, and how our home can positively impact our wellbeing.
You’ve recently been designing our new show apartment at Wallacea Living, Marylebone, can you give us any hints about what it looks like?
I’ve taken real joy in designing the new show apartment at Wallacea Living. It’s been designed to inspire residents to enjoy the freedom that later life brings.
The colour scheme was built around Wallacea Living’s signature green, with shades of ochres and blushes of warmer tones added through artwork and soft furnishings.
We treated the second bedroom as a flexible space with a sofa-bed helping to create a studio style atmosphere. Nowadays, nearly all of us have a tablet or laptop for correspondence with the outside world, friends and family. So, we have consciously allocated two areas in the new show apartment that allow for that - one being in the studio. Having a flexible space also allows for an easel to be set up in the room, or for homeowners to create a quiet reading area or listen to music.... in fact, so many of the things we promised ourselves we would do, but never had time for!
Our design philosophy at Wallacea Living is to enhance the wellbeing of our homeowners. Having a beautiful and functional space that works well for your lifestyle and interests. And, of course, begin a new and exciting chapter that includes old friends and many new friends.
What inspires you when designing later living spaces like our new show apartment and the communal areas at Wallacea Living?
My inspiration is the vibrant lifestyle that I believe we should all be aspiring to enjoy in our later years. I don’t believe in designing for older people in the traditional sense. These spaces aren’t about age. This is not about limitation or compromise; it’s about creating environments that feel inspiring, elegant, and emotionally resonant. We began with philosophy. Who are the people living here? What do they value? What does community look like to them?
What advice would you give to homeowners thinking about how to decorate their new home at Wallacea Living?
I’m actually hosting an interior design workshop on Tuesday 17th June at Wallacea Living. During this workshop, I’ll be helping guests decide how they should use their space, what colours they’re naturally drawn to and how they can showcase art and beloved possessions to help bring character to their new home.
I find one of the easiest places to start is to choose five items that really bring you joy. You can then analyse whether it’s the style, colour or memories associated with that object that you love and use these as a starting block to design your home. Similarly, flick through a magazine and cut out the images and colours that you’re drawn to - you can then start to create a mood board.
When downsizing, it’s important to only fill your home with items that you love. Letting go can be hard but it’s exciting to think of the freedom that space brings. Choose flexible, multipurpose furniture, rather than big bulky items and really think about how you want to use your space. It’s time to put your needs first!
You mentioned the second bedroom earlier, how do you envisage that homeowners could use this space?
It’s time to be creative! This space should be a retreat for you that can be used daily - not somewhere that is only utilised when you have guests. It could be a reading room, set up as an office, yoga studio, somewhere to practice arts and crafts - anything that will allow you the opportunity to partake in something that brings you joy. Of course, it doesn’t need to just be targeted towards one hobby either - the more flexible, the better!
How important do you think hobbies are as we get older?
So important! Wallacea Living prides itself on taking a proactive approach to the wellbeing of its homeowners - and hobbies play a key part in this. In addition to the show apartments, I’ve designed the communal spaces at Wallacea Living, Marylebone as well, from the restaurant, to the library bar, boutique cinema and the event space. All of it has been designed with homeowners’ wellbeing in mind, creating opportunities for friends and family to socialise, make new connections, remain active and embrace new experiences.
Working with Wallacea Living has been your first introduction in designing for later living, how have you found it?
It’s become a real passion of mine. Later living is a privilege. It’s a time for creativity, community, and expression. And it’s time we designed with that in mind. We’re not winding down—we’re evolving. I think that’s what makes this work so meaningful.
If you would like to be one of the first to see our new show apartment at Wallacea Living, Marylebone, simply give our team a call on 020 3960 1000 to book an appointment.
