Insider Scoop: Chloe Bullock
A sneaky peak behind the scenes! Get the inside track from Interior Designers - including their biggest regret and ambitions for the future.
The Insider Scoop from Interior Design Insiders is your chance to have a peak behind the scenes and find out a bit more about other Interior Designers - how they got started, what makes them tick?
Same questions each edition - some really interesting answers. The insights from this series show us we really can build an interior design business that works just the way we want it to. There’s no one size fits all.
Subscribe so you never miss an edition of the Insider Scoop - it’s free for all.
This edition we feature Chloe Bullock of Materialise Interiors
Chloe is the founder of Materialise Interiors, Brighton-based B Corp certified interior design company, started in 2005. Named as PETA’s Compassionate Designer in their Vegan Homeware Awards and awarded the British Institute of Interior Design’s Merit Award 2025 for services to the interior design profession.
Quick Fire Five
1. Favourite paint colour?
Quite frankly ANY coloured paint that doesn’t have animal tested ingredients - and ideally in Naturewatch Foundations’s Compassionate Shopping Guide. I want my projects to be harm-free! I don’t think anyone would want their paint (or adhesives, or grouts) to be animal tested, yet a loophole in the ten year old ban allows it. To avoid - ask for your paint and its ingredients to be both cruelty free and vegan (we don’t want animal derived ingredients either thanks!) - in the paint of your choice.
I really base my designs around the client’s brief and I listen to the building too! Paint usually comes last in the design for me - as it’s the easiest element to tweak and bring everything together. Get the large elements with fewer colour and finish options decided on first.
2. Must have interiors accessory?
I’m exploring safe and non toxic ways to add fragrances to spaces - adding another biophilic nature connection for the senses.
3. Signature interiors move?
Convincing clients to keep something they already have and design around it!
4. Go to interiors brand?
I don’t really have any. Brands who are conscious of their impact and counteract that. I’m trying hard to reduce the use of new things and my business is just design services. Firstly to take away buying new things to supplement revenue and secondly to ensure I look at the most suitable wider range of specifications, including refurbished and vintage items.
5. Interiors pet peeve?
Buying something expensive - you therefore assume everyone in the supply chain for it has been fairly paid a living wage. That’s not always the case. We need to ask more questions!
Four Insider Insights
1. Give us the scoop on your first interior design job
My first post degree job was as a junior designer for a furniture company. My first interior job was as a retail designer for The Body Shop international HQ. The most incredible learning experience which set me up for all that I’m still doing now.
2. Biggest regret or mistake?
I probably should have done my degree in Interior Design (as intended) but instead I was lured by the woodwork, metalwork and upholstery workshops of the sister Furniture Design degree at Trent Polytechnic when I went to the open day. I like materials and making things! I learned lots.
3. Biggest achievement or learning to date?
I still can’t believe I just received the BIID Merit Award this year. I still can’t believe I was asked to write a book for RIBA. But I really am so happy to have won PETA’s Compassionate Designer award a couple of years ago. I admire all they do as advocacy for animals and their undercover investigations were a key part in the Vegan Design course that Jecks Stone and I took.
4. What's next for your business?
I’m starting to help other designers and architects to look at lessening the negative impacts of their own businesses and also their projects. I love doing that. I can help as little or as much as needed.
If you haven’t read her book - Sustainable Interior Design - you need to! You can read more about Chloe and her work (and buy the book!) on her website.
You can also connect with Chloe on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Thanks so much to Chloe for contributing to the Insider Scoop and for everything you are doing to make change for good in our industry!
P.S. If you’re an interior designer feeling a bit stuck or wanting to do a bit of planning in your business you might be interested in Planning with Heart. It’s a pre-recorded session - normally £99. Use code SANTA70 for a £70 discount. Making it just £29. x