Peter Irvine: 'We live in the most normal-looking semi-detached house, but inside, it’s a different story!'

Home Editor Eve Kelliher discovers why the interior designer and TV star believes social media made his dreams come true 

Interior designer Peter Irvine highlights sustainability in his work.

Interior designer Peter Irvine zoomed into our living rooms and our consciousness in recent years as he became a well-known face on the small screen, all thanks to his sustainability savvy and flair for fabulousness.

And his foot is firmly on the gas as he transitions from television to textiles. It’s been life at full throttle over the past three years. In that time, Peter says he’s ticked off quite a few items on his bucket list — the latest being the unveiling of his exclusive collection in collaboration with Kukoon Rugs this week.

Since starting his social media channel The White Home, Peter has appeared on series four of Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr and now stars as
one of the designers on Virgin Media Television’s Salvage Squad.

The Virgin Media series follows a simple but powerful concept: designers visit homes and, through upcycling, repurposing and clever use of second-hand finds, transform them into more stylish and functional spaces. Sustainability isn’t just a belief for Peter — it’s a principle he puts into practice every day, and one he’s keen to promote at every opportunity.

Peter Irvine has designed a collection of rugs with Kukoon Rugs.

Peter’s also eager to show how sustainable design can make a real difference to people’s lives, including his own. “On ‘Salvage Squad’, I actually feel like I’m making a really big impact in terms of getting really great messages out to the world and helping families and communities in much more heartwarming ways,” he says.

In the second episode of the current series, Peter and the team visit a cancer support centre in Clane, Co Kildare.

Backed by the community there, the designers take on their biggest makeover yet. “It’s a really emotional episode for everyone,” adds Peter. 

“Working on opportunities like ‘Salvage Squad’ is changing me for the better. I know I have the confidence now to approach someone and put my foot down without actually having to put my foot down — I just have to speak up.”

It has also emboldened him professionally in other ways: “I’m more confident in my design work than ever, and I’m excited to keep pushing forward.”

Peter wouldn’t be where he is today without The White Home, the Instagram account he runs with his partner Damian, an electrician. The page, which has grown to 22,500 followers, offers a behind-the-scenes look at their thoughtfully renovated home, styled in the wabi-sabi tradition — the Japanese aesthetic that embraces the beauty of imperfection. "We live in the most normal-looking semi-detached in the most normal-looking cul-de-sac, but inside, it’s a completely different story!" Peter tells Home. 

I hate playing by the rules, so I’ve taken risks you don’t normally see in a semi: we have porous stone floors, a double-sided fireplace, no skirting boards and a Spanish finca kitchen — it’s very transporting."

What about his own textile designs, do they feature? "Of course! My own home really was the jumping-off point! I designed a collection I genuinely love and would want in my home, so admittedly, we have four of the six designs already down," says Peter.

Social media has been a portal to some of the designer’s “biggest opportunities”, says Peter, who is keen to encourage others.  "I suddenly decided to act upon things I always wanted to do. For a long time, I didn’t know if it was ‘my place’ because my journey isn’t the usual ‘university degree’ narrative," he says.  

“The White Home Instagram account really is where it all started for me. I wouldn’t have got on ‘Interior Design Masters’ if it hadn’t been for social media.

“That’s something I’ve highlighted on ‘Salvage Squad’, because there’s a misconception that becoming an interior designer requires one traditional route — university, then high-end clients — and that simply isn’t true.” He credits The White Home for getting his career off to a flying start. “I took that momentum and ran with it, so to anyone reading this: you can make social media work for you in whatever way you choose. It just takes perseverance, creative thinking and time,” says Peter.

Landing a place on Interior Design Masters proved “life-changing,” not just for the exposure but for the experience and relationships he built. "I’ve had private clients over the years, but TV opportunities became a bit of a career milestone for me," he says. "It was life-changing in terms of the confidence it gave me, and the connections and friendships I made. It’s a reality game show at the end of the day, and TV is TV. I can see that now.

“It felt like the first stepping stone. From that point on, I was always thinking about my next move. After the show, it was about putting myself out there — becoming a bigger name, appearing in more magazines and developing my content.” 

It had a knock-on effect. After being spotted in an Irish magazine, Peter was approached by the producers of Salvage Squad. “I was already gunning for a second series, even halfway through the first,” he says.

It was with the same can-do attitude that he contacted Kukoon about collaborating on a rug collection, which launched on Wednesday. “It sounds cheesy, but it’s just a dream,” he says. “You think of these things, and you don’t think they’ll ever come to fruition.

“I never thought I’d be on TV. When ‘Interior Design Masters’ aired, a friend turned to me and said, ‘You know, you made your dream come true. You always said you’d be on TV.’ And I was like, ‘Did I?’”

The rug collection feels particularly special. “Everyone wants their own product range, your face in shops,” he says. “We were at the photoshoot, and I turned to my partner and said, ‘Can you believe this stemmed from me taking spare time and actually dedicating it to designing the products I wanted to create? I wouldn’t call it bravery, but reaching out beyond your comfort zone and being ready to hear no — but actually hearing yes — is amazing.”

Inspiration

Early memories of learning to sew inspired many of the designs in the collection. “The blanket stitch and sack stitch were taught to me by my mum from a very young age,” says Peter, who grew up in both Carryduff and Bangor and now lives outside Belfast, in Finaghy.
“Throughout the design process, I kept thinking that if it wasn’t for my mum, I wouldn’t have these ideas. She fuelled my creativity throughout my life.” 

Two rugs, Annie and Oakley, are named in her honour. “Annie Oakley was a nickname my mum used to get, so I split that in two. I was so pleased to be able to name two rugs after her,” he says.

Other designs draw on memories of travel and friendship. “There’s another rug that reminds me of when I was in California. I saw something similar there, but it felt so inaccessible to bring home,” adds Peter. “One design has a very linear stripe through it. A lot of my friendships have come in trios — two people and me. Those stripes feel like the people travelling through life with me.”

Peter Irvine's jute rug for Kukoon.

The rugs are made from jute, a hard-wearing fibre suitable for busy rooms and fully biodegradable at the end of its life. Sustainability was central to every aspect of the collection, right down to the marketing. “I didn’t want plastic plants in the room — that’s not the narrative I want to push,” he says.

“Jute is harder-wearing than people give it credit for. You’re not wiping muddy boots on any rug, so why put that pressure on a jute one? If you treat it like every other rug in your home, it will last.”

Top advice

So, how should we keep our own rugs looking pristine? Peter advises we vacuum clean in a linear direction and say no to harsh chemicals. “Jute is a great neutral that works with so many tones,” he says. “It can warm up grey spaces and add texture. People always think about colour, but texture is such an easy and effective tool.”

Clare Walsh, creative director at Kukoon, is a fan of Peter’s “unwavering commitment to sustainability”: “His vision has produced a collection of rugs which are not only beautiful, but also reinforce our shared belief that great design can, and should, be both eco-conscious and affordable.”

A self-confessed keeper of secrets, Peter stayed tight-lipped about the collection until launch day. “I always have to keep secrets, but they’re good ones,” he says. “I didn’t tell anyone about ‘Interior Design Masters’ or ‘Salvage Squad’ [beforehand].

“I can’t wait to show everyone. Anyone who knows me will look at this collection and know it’s exactly me.”

Q&A with Peter 

Who shares your living space?

My fiancé Damian — and if he had his way, we would have dogs, fish, chickens, bees… Describe your design style in one word.

Natural! I try to avoid plastics and manufactured metals in my designs. The earth can always give me what I need!

What’s the funniest request you’ve had through your work?

I mean, I was asked for a stage in the most recent series of Salvage Squad, and when you get a request like that, that doesn’t come around too often, you have to give it to them!

Any cool piece of advice for regular home interior fans?

We all talk about colour theory, layout, pattern and clutter being key factors in design that add stress in a home, but I truly believe materials can very subconsciously do this too. Highly manufactured materials like MDF, laminated particleboard, and plastic bathroom panelling just don’t give you a true sense of zen. I would encourage people to think natural materials, where possible, when it comes to furniture and furnishings.

Where is your happy space in your own home?

From our sunroom I can see so many fantastic features we’ve accomplished in our renovation process: our kitchen made from pallet wood, our fireplace that transports me to an outdoor terrace, the kitchen table my friend made for us — as I tell you this my favourite silk tree is blooming beside me, it gets enough sunlight to survive in here and I’m so glad because it moves so light and peacefully, it’s very relaxing.

Best bargain ever for you?

The plank of wood that my mum found in a corner of a timberyard. It wasn’t even for sale it was so corroded. It became our headboard, it has a huge hole in it that no man could replicate and flakes on the bed from time to time, but I love the beauty in things crumbling and falling apart — I sound crazy, don’t I?

Biggest extravagance in your home?

The pendant over my dining table cost a lot of money for what it is, a few twigs. The day it arrived from France, as I pulled it out of the box, one came off in my hand.

Are you a DIY whizz?

Oh, DIY all the way! I’m marrying an electrician, I can paint, my best friend is good with woodwork,k and I’ve another friend who is a plumber — I’m building an army!

Alan Carr.

Who would be your ideal dinner-party guests?

Alexander McQueen, if he were still with us, because his creative mind was endlessly fascinating, Britney Spears, so we can have a lovely night, no drama or judgment, and Alan Carr, so we’re all constantly laughing.

What two items would you save from your house in a fire?

One thing, the ceramic hen I was left when my granny passed, I planned my kitchen around finding a space for it. As kids, we got our sweets from it every time we visited her, so it has a lifetime of memories for me.

• See Kukoonrugs.com and Peter Irvine’s Instagram account @TheWhiteHome