TWO friends who bonded over their love of decor and home improvement have set up their own interior design business.

The Interiors Project, with branches in Fareham and on the Isle of Wight, is the brainchild of 39-year-olds Kate Thomson and Jemma Wadsworth.

Kate, a mother-of-two from Alverstoke, and Jemma, a mother of four from the Isle of Wight, met six years ago after the births of their youngest children. United by their love of design, they immediately hit it off and continued to trade stories of design inspiration for the next five years.

After running an interior design business in Southsea for several years, Jemma landed a contract in 2018 to design and manage the interior of a local hotel and enlisted Kate to help.

After completing their first joint venture, the pair decided to join forces to launch the Interiors Project, to offer design services to a range of clients across the UK.

Jemma said: “We wanted to be able to offer interior design for everyone. I think there is often a misconception that hiring an interior designer is only really an option for the super wealthy. But, in reality, employing a professional to help with the design of your home is something that can be both cost effective and time efficient.”

The business aims to offer services to fit every budget, from consulting on small spaces through to top-to-bottom transformations.

Kate said: “Everyone in today’s world is so busy that not many of us have the time to plan and budget for changes in our homes, let alone shop for furniture and accessories

“As a result, most people end up putting up with what they have, rather than making their home a space which they not only look forward to coming home to, but also one which functions exactly how they’d like it to. And that’s really where the Interiors Project comes in. We want to create interiors which make life easier, and hassle-free, for our clients.”

The pair also focus on sustainability, encouraging clients to reuse, recycle and ‘upcycle’ items, consider vintage and antique furniture and explore environmentally friendly paints and wallpapers.

They have landed several projects in Hampshire.

Kate added: “We are both really looking forward to watching our business grow. 2020 should be a really exciting year for us.”