Amanda Walters from hospitality to interior decorating

I come from a hospitality background, having gone to hotel school in Cape Town and worked in the 5-star hotel industry. It was during this time that friends and family started to ask if I would help them with their homes. There's no doubt that my hospitality background has helped me a great deal. Good organisational skills, coordination of various suppliers and a good sense of what clients need, and taking notice of the finer detail are skills that make all the difference.

My style is consistently classical and comfortable. I love colour and I'm never afraid to use bold statement pieces.

Over the past 12 months I have been privileged to work in Atlanta, USA, Grand Baie, Mauritius, Perth, Australia, Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape, Zimbali on the Natal North coast and my home town, Johannesburg. I have worked with all these clients on numerous projects over the years so conceptualizing and creating beautiful spaces for them and their family and friends to enjoy has been an absolute joy and pleasure.

Your home is not a museum. Your family should be able to enjoy the spaces you and your decorator creates. Keep your basics neutral and add the detail and pops in accessories, scatters, ottomans, etc. Don’t be afraid to throw in a bit of drama or cheeky elements (leopard print or bottle green walls). And it’s well worth investing in a few special pieces whether that is furniture or art when you can.

My love of Georgian antiques tops the list. I have been extremely lucky to be able to collect some remarkable pieces over the years starting when I was just 21 years old. My most favourite has to be Georgian linen press which I had converted into a drinks cupboard, it sits pride of place in our living room and we use it daily.

The showroom is heaving with wonderful products at the moment! For summer living it would have to be the wonderful Brioche Dining Chairs.

Less is more. Rather get the best quality you can afford at the time and build on the look with time.