Finalist Francesca Rowan-Plowden on why she loves the affordable interior designer tie-ups, and how she styles a patterned rug.
You may know her as Frankie from The Traitors, the first ‘Seer’ on the successful BBC series, but Francesca Rowan-Plowden is also a respected interior designer.
She spoke to Saga Magazine about her thoughts on the latest high street and designer homeware collaborations, which bring you high-end designs with an affordable price tag.
It means you could pick up a William Morris cushion, alongside a loaf of bread in Sainsburys, or buy a new outfit from Next and a mirror to admire it in, from royal and celeb design designer Nina Campbell.
We’ve got the buying power of the UK high street to thank for these partnerships that make luxury design more accessible.
Francesca, who has her own interior design business in East Sussex, is a fan.
She told us: “I think it is always a positive thing when creative minds get together and I always love to mix high street and luxury.”
She picked out the Cath Kidston Edged love seat (Next RRP: £999) and the Nina Campbell Clabon Indigo Blue Rosebury Bench (Next RRP: £275).
“I love the New England feel to this set and would probably match it with some blue-and-white striped cushions and a sisal rug with a blue trim.
“Keep it fresh and bright.”
She also had some great ideas for styling a new range of rugs from Ruggable with Iris Apfel, the US style icon who died in March last year, aged 102.
The collection is based on her own library of historic textiles. Here we feature the Iris Apfel Protea Forest green rug (Ruggable, from £119) - see top image.
“I think patterned rugs can often bring a scheme together, be it the colours or the prints,” Francesca says.
“For a truly eclectic look I would layer it up, but if you ‘re wanting to bring a bit of personality to an otherwise bland room, they work well as a hero/statement piece.”
Francesca told the Radio Times that her design and life skills stood her in good stead in The Traitors.
"I've developed these skills through times of being a single mum, as well as having to work with large groups of people and deal with clients across the commercial, private and residential sector who vary quite a lot," Francesca said.
"I think sometimes people think I'm a ditzy blonde, and that I just make things look pretty. But what I do involves a lot of engineering and architecture.
"Sometimes people assume I’m one thing but actually there are different layers, and I like to surprise people."
She added in another interview with the BBC after the finale: "I was really worried that my children might have been embarrassed by their mother being on TV, but in fact they were really proud," she said.
"My mission was to make them proud, so it's mission accomplished."
The Traitors is still available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
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