Matthews Rea Interiors

Matthews Rea Interiors Matthews Rea is an award winning interior design studio based in Surrey, and Hampshire. The Company

I'm an interior designer working in Portsmouth, on the South Coast of England. With experience in designing interiors of luxury houses and apartments, I also undertake commercial design projects, including show homes for developers, beauty therapists and gentleman's grooming, restaurants and small hotels. 3D visuals and animations can be produced in-house.

A study should feel like a retreat from the hustle and bustle, somewhere to think, write and work without losing the sen...
27/08/2026

A study should feel like a retreat from the hustle and bustle, somewhere to think, write and work without losing the sense of home around you. Its not like the office at work.

For this edit we've leant into warm walnut on the desk and bookcase and a soft cream leather desk chair, working with a palette of French Grey, Rolling Fog, China Clay and Hicks Blue. A bespoke artwork by anchors the room, a retro-style desk lamp adds a touch of character, and light oak herringbone flooring keeps the whole scheme grounded, its not too fussy. We could add a rug but remember checking that the chair will wheel across it!

Desk in natural walnut with soft green leather panels and integrated power. Ergonomic chair in soft cream leather. A bookcase with generous shelving for books, objects and everyday filing.

The kind of room you actually want to spend time in, working or not!

27/08/2026

It’s always a pleasure when Phillip Jeffries pop into the studio to show the team the lovely new collections. They can’t be beaten for the quality, style and workmanship that goes into each range. We love witching with them, whether it be a full room, a feature wall or used inset into joinery, we always know the client is going to love it!

A Living Room Edit A look at how we build the decor of a living room. After sourcing all the elements, we layer them tog...
21/08/2026

A Living Room Edit

A look at how we build the decor of a living room. After sourcing all the elements, we layer them together to create a room visual — starting with a soft, neutral palette and plenty of texture. This lets clients see exactly what a room will look like with all the chosen pieces in place, and sits alongside the interior architectural drawings, presentation boards and sample trays. From here, we can move into CGI visuals if a client wants to see the space brought further to life.

The boucle sofa, brushed linen armchair and softly patterned hand-knotted rug bring warmth and interest, while dark metal and marble in the coffee table and console keep things grounded. Timeless rather than trend-led, the artwork adds a touch of personality.

Which piece would you bring home first — the sofa or the chair?

14/08/2026

Sharing a recent Moodboard. This guest suite appears quite masculine but the deep green is set against lots of texture and movement in the marble and one of the cushions fabrics. The antique brass handles lifts the small bar area, and there is lots of softness, in the upholstery, headboard and cushions. Can’t wait to show you the finished room!!

ThrowbackThursdaySome projects stay with you. This week we're looking back at two apartments, designed in collaboration ...
13/08/2026

ThrowbackThursday

Some projects stay with you. This week we're looking back at two apartments, designed in collaboration with the architect for a super prime developer, on a quiet, leafy London street.

Tucked away yet moments from the city, the development was conceived by the architect as a private, serene sanctuary in the heart of London. Our brief was to furnish the spaces to be practical but never plain — rooms that would inspire as much as they'd function, to live, work and entertain in.

Almost everything was made for these homes. Our team designed the custom upholstery throughout, alongside a range of bespoke joinery, bedroom furniture, and a statement dining table — each crafted to the highest specification and tailored precisely to the proportions and character of the rooms.

It's a project we still return to in our own minds: proof that the right collaboration, and a genuinely tailored approach, is what makes a home feel considered from the walls in.

Which detail would you take home?



worked with

The pool house has grown up.No longer just somewhere to change, it's become a room that carries the whole summer — a bar...
12/08/2026

The pool house has grown up.

No longer just somewhere to change, it's become a room that carries the whole summer — a bar, a lounge, somewhere the day drifts from morning swims to evening drinks without anyone going back to the main house. So it works hard, and needs careful design.

The difference between lovely and lacklustre is all in the planning. Glazing that opens right up to the water. Finishes that don't mind wet feet and soggy towels. The practical backbone of this space is the plant room, storage, a shower. All hidden so well the comfort looks effortless. And lighting that carries the space long after the sun's gone down.

Get those right, and it becomes the most-used room of the season.

Swipe through our five things to consider — then tell us how you'd use yours. Morning swims, or evening spritzes?

(Design visualisation and drawings for a completed project)

Lighting is the thing people notice last, and feel first.In twenty-five years of designing luxury homes, I've come to be...
07/08/2026

Lighting is the thing people notice last, and feel first.

In twenty-five years of designing luxury homes, I've come to believe it's the most underestimated element in any scheme. Get it wrong, and the most beautiful room falls flat. Get it right, and everything else — the joinery, the art, the fabrics — quietly looks better for it.

The shift from ordinary to considered comes down to one principle: layering.

Ambient — the base layer. Soft, general light that lets you move through a space. The canvas, not the picture.

Task — light with a purpose. The reading lamp, the pendants over an island. Practical, but also where comfort lives.

Accent — the drama. Directional light on art or texture. What makes a room feel designed, not just lit.

Decorative — the jewellery. The chandelier, the sculptural wall light. It earns its place even switched off.

But the real craft isn't any single layer — it's the control. Every layer on its own circuit and dimmer, and one room becomes many: bright and functional by day, low and intimate by evening.

This isn't work we do alone — the best schemes come from interior and lighting designers working hand in hand.

When a room "feels right" and you can't say why, it's usually the lighting doing the work.

We have been learning about the new developments and products coming through - look out for a post coming soon all about the science behind healthy lighting - its amazing!

What's the most memorable lit space you've ever walked into — did you notice the lighting, or just how it made you feel?

Throwback Thursday!Remembering a wonderful project we completed in St Tropez a few years ago. Its always worth reminding...
06/08/2026

Throwback Thursday!
Remembering a wonderful project we completed in St Tropez a few years ago. Its always worth reminding ourselves how lucky we are to have such great clients and wide range of projects.

this particular client was due to sell the house after we completed the full refurbishment, but he loved it so much he decided to keep it!! A job well done.

The dressing room is the first room you use each day, and too often the last one designed. Ours start with light that te...
24/07/2026

The dressing room is the first room you use each day, and too often the last one designed. Ours start with light that tells the truth, storage counted around what's actually owned, and materials that let wool and silk breathe.

Adding some luxury detail with beautiful handles, lovely wallpaper and decorative lighting is a great way to elevate this space. If you have a dressing table in this room, make sure your lighting is good and the drawers large enough to hold all the products you use.

Getting to know our clients is so important so we can design the dressing room to be a really personal space, so things are easy to access, quick to pull out and simple to keep tidy.

Get it right and the day starts better. What's yours missing, and if you don't have one, how can we help?

Address

Vine House, 41 Portsmouth Road
Cobham
KT111JQ

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 6pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 6pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 6pm
Thursday 8:30am - 6pm
Friday 8:30am - 6pm

Telephone

+441932212646

Website

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