Interiors: Designer Bernie Hurst’s coast home is as stylish as her visionary footwear

By TESSA WILLIAMS
Published on Wednesday 22 February 2012 19:11

WHEN designer Bernie Hurst went on holiday seven years ago, she was dismayed to find the footwear she had packed was going to cost her more than £200 in excess baggage charges. Which is when she came up with the idea for... detachable shoes. “I have always loved shoes and have more than 100 pairs,” she explains.

“At that point, it suddenly crossed my mind that I could develop a range of shoes that had interchangable uppers and heels. You could attach your own colours to the same base of the shoe.”

Several months later, she had her first pair made in China. “It wasn’t the quality that I was looking for, so I did further research and found a fantastic craftsman in Brazil who hand-makes all his shoes, and for the last five years he has been my supplier,” she says.

Singers Alexandra Burke and Kelly Rowland are already fans of her shoes, and Bernie is hoping Michelle Obama will follow in their footsteps. Having always been a fan of the US First Lady, Bernie contacted the White House three months ago and eventually managed to speak to her aide. Having explained what she did, she was given the First Lady’s foot measurements and asked to make her a pair.

A self-taught designer, Bernie has also worked as a chef in the south of France and as a personal trainer. However, when she broke her shoulder in an accident seven years ago she received a substantial compensation payout, which enabled her to invest in her new shoe business.

Growing up a few miles from Worthing, where she now lives, Bernie was part of a large family. “I had seven brothers and sisters, and shared a room with two of my sisters,” she explains. “Our house was so small in comparison to the house I live in now.

“I love living on the south coast. My son and husband both love fishing and the south coast has some wonderful fishing spots, and I love the landscape and beaches.”

Her husband Pete is a builder, so the couple created their own dream home. They found a two-bedroomed detached house with a swimming pool in the back garden and decided to demolish part of it and rebuild to their own specifications. They kept the living room, dining room and one bedroom, while Pete built up and around the rest of the house, adding four bedrooms and three bathrooms. In contrast to the original house, today’s kitchen is huge. “It had such a tiny kitchen, I could cook and do the washing up at the same time,” Bernie says.

It is now the perfect family home for Bernie and her children, Peter, 11, and Alicia 13, while elder daughter Janine, 26, lives nearby. At the top of the house is the master bedroom, which is decorated in a muted range of turquoise and blues with a wooden floor, while Alicia’s bedroom is decorated in cool plum tones. The large living room has two huge sofas, which Bernie had made in Italy, and a table from a nearby antique store.

Bernie’s office is also on the ground floor, and that’s where she keeps all her shoes and packaging. “I love working from home. At the moment, with the state of the economy, there is no point opening a shop. Lots of the large shops are already in trouble,” she says.

“I love making ladies I work for feel like Cinderella,” Bernie adds. “All of my designs have three layers of padding on the insole and I give all my shoes what I call the ‘12-hour Bernie test’. I have to be able to wear them for 12 hours; work in them, walk in them, do the school run, go shopping and even do housework in them. If, after that, they don’t hurt, then I know I have achieved something.”

MY FAVOURITE THINGS

What is your favourite film?

The Shawshank Redemption.

What is your favourite perfume?

Amber, by Prada.

Who is your favourite designer?

Roberto Cavalli.

Where is your favourite holiday destination?

Dubai.

Who is your favourite artist?

Claude Monet.

Who is your favourite singer?

Madonna.

What is your favourite book?

The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron.

• Nooshooz (01903 261806, www.nooshooz.co.uk)

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