Inside the home of... artist Emily Powell

Devon-based artist Emily Powell is known for her colourful, warm paintings that life the spirits when the world feels grey. Her charming home, a four-storey fisherman’s cottage in the coastal town of Brixham, is equally vibrant, filled with her paintings which are inspired by her idyllic maritime surroundings. It's an energising, relaxing space punctuated by varying texture, pops of colour and warming lighting.

Each room is imbued with personality, bohemia and a sense of playfulness - plump sofas that call to be laid upon, shelves full of stories and seaside views to inspire art. Powell's favourite room is her studio, which sits at the top of the house, and overlooks the coast.

"The way I would describe our home is a hug of everything we need, from abstract colours and textures to art that energises or comforts us," Powell tells us. "It’s essential to my work, as it acts as a constant reminder of all that I wish to portray in my art. I love that it’s a place I can keep all the bits and pieces I’ve collected from all sorts of places and that it provides me with a platform I need as an artist working from home."

To shop Powell's art visit emilypowellstudio.com.

"This is where we spend our evenings, playing games and reading. The sofa is so comfy and we love it so much we gave her a name - Sophie."

"Our dining area features an electric train we have built this lockdown. Pom-pom garlands that are meant for decorating camels adorn the ceiling."

"Our balcony, which connects to the living room, serves as a great spot for a cup of tea, with views reaching over the fishing port to the other side of the town. It's perfect for watching the world go by, and provides me with instant access to the sea and the birds."

"The studio is incredibly light which is essential for me when working with colour. It’s the biggest studio that I’ve had to date and allows me to work on a larger scale, which has always been my dream. I used to have to stack my paintings throughout the whole house whereas now I have dedicated storage in my studio, which gives me easy access to my current and ongoing works. As with the rest of the house, I’ve tried to fill the studio with colours and objects that comfort my heart and soul. I always dreamed of getting a plan chest like at art school and this year I finally found the perfect one."

"This is my cosy studio nook, where I do my art lectures and keep my favourite bits and bobs. The painting on the left is a piece in progress about owls lost in a jungle, conjuring emotions of displacement to reflect my feelings during the coronavirus lockdown. My paintings usually start off pink which is such an uplifting basis; you can glimpse it through the work a I add layers of colour giving the work depth and energy."

"This piece is currently a reference for my current series of work. It’s called ‘Upwards’ and was inspired by one of my daily walks. I love the strong sea light on the flowers in the park and wanted to capture the intense joy nature can bring even in tricky times. Red and pink are my go-to happiness colours, it’s a clash that evokes warm feelings and energises me."

"I keep stacks of books everywhere, mostly art books, to ensure I feel constantly inspired. We also have a collection of hats hung up, that all have special memories."

"Our bedroom is on the smaller side, but I like that about it; it gives the feeling of being cocooned. I painted the piece to go above the bed when the nights started getting darker as it was a way of being treated with an uplifting emotional feeling on the dark winter evenings. The gold detailing glows when the lamps are switched on, which I love. I painted the angels on either side of the bed to make us feel protected - I also thought they were a fun touch."

"I’ve brightened up the neutral kitchen by adding drawings of tigers and penguins to the tiles, and framing the cupboards with fairy lights. I bought these teacups at Anthropologie five years ago, because they feel homely and happy. Anthropologie is one of my favourite shops and having my prints stocked there now is the dream come true - a real pinch-me moment."

"I’ve almost managed sophistication here with the cool jars, but I couldn’t help myself and added faces - they do make us laugh."