I make... exquisite furniture with a modern twist.
Each piece I create is ... unique. The nature of the fabric means it is only available in scraps making each piece individual. The designs from Osborne & Little and Designers Guild have amazing textures and bold, loud colours.
I've had my fair share of... intriguing commissions. I put my own mark on each piece. If people come to me, they do so for my taste.
People ask me... to incorporate their own material onto sofas. I've used a baby's christening gown and funky home–made shirts from the Eighties and sewn them on to sofas!
I feel very strongly about... manufacturing in England. I use a team in Nottingham, where the history of furniture making goes back generations. I would not get pieces mass-produced in China. Even if I wanted to, it would be impossible to produce a carbon copy.
My most sentimental possession is... a watch and an old pair of sunglasses previously owned by my late mother. I would die to save these items. Other than that, I am not particularly sentimental.
I live in... London but I am buying a bolt hole by the sea near Cromer in Norfolk. I've been a city girl for a long time so it's somewhere different where I can do the gardening and get back to nature.
A home is... where you feel comfortable. It's not a precious show home but a place where dogs can jump on the sofa and you can put your feet up.
Take my advice... don't base your furniture on a paint colour. If you're unsure about choosing colours, start by collecting objects that you love colour–wise. My friend chose her new shop colour on a pair of pink marigolds!
Update a room by... changing cushions or lampshades.
I predict the future trend of... glamour, lush silks and satins this autumn/winter. Think very James Bond, Monte Carlo chic with satin mixes from Osborne & Little. It's bling but in the right way. I am focusing on a moodier look with brighter colours, such as rich fluorescent velvets.
If I had an obscene amount of money, I would... love a fabulous art collection. I admire Jeff Koons and would like a Picasso print or the Salvador Dali beach scene with fairies that I recently saw in The Tate. It would look fabulous in my new seaside cottage.
I am most proud of... the quality of Squint's final products. So much time is invested into each piece. From the first appointment to the finished piece takes 12 weeks. I have never had an unsatisfied customer!
The design industry is... more about quality than design. You cannot be all show – you need to build with integrity. My friends are astounded that I am making a living from making patchwork furniture.
Mario Testino... visited my shop in Shoreditch and admired my designs. Testino was very interested in my pet beagle because he was looking to buy a dog and wanted to see what a Beagle looked like next to him!
Check out Lisa Whatmough's handiwork available through mydeco. Did you know that famous designers from Sir Terence Conran to Philippe Starck have joined the mydeco Design Board?
