The Beat That My Heart Skipped – A blog dedicated to daily design inspirations. By Rohini Wahi.

My name’s Kate Mooney and I’m the founder of interior design practice Occa Home, the online home-wares boutique.

Interiors run in my family and my career began working on domestic architecture and interiors in the late eighties in my family’s business. After six years on this I moved into the hospitality sector with Occa Design working on new build and refurbishment projects as well as procurement of hotel furniture, fittings and equipment. Over the years, myself and my designers were regularly been asked by colleagues, friends and family to give them tips on how to design their own homes or advice on where to buy the products seen in hotels – that’s how Occa Home was born…

I collect… shoes that I only seem to wear once.

I can’t live without… my husband and my children [not forgetting my iphone!]

My guilty pleasure is… a cold glass of Sauvignon filled with ice.

Our house is filled with… rugby kit and hockey stuff – oh and family pictures, scented candles and lots of bits and pieces collected from our travels over the years.

I treasure my… Dad.

Right now I can’t stop thinking about… summer and sunshine .

Currently I am reading… design magazines and business news – I only seem to be able to indulge in books on holiday.

My favourite item of clothing is… my sister’s cashmere scarf, ‘borrowed’ a while ago.

At the top of my furniture wish list is… a Charles Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman.

The last thing that really inspired me was… the latest Maison & Object trade show in Paris – bursting with great ideas for the web site.

My comfort food is… my daughter Erin’s cup cakes.

On my desk are… drawings, samples, sketches, brochures, coffee cups and far too much paperwork.

This weekend I will… watch my boys play rugby and Erin play hockey, work a little; then cook a lovely roast lunch on Sunday for a friends and family get together.

Tonight I must… get some sleep.

I love what I do because… there is never a dull moment!

Hi! I decided it was about time for me to take this questionnaire myself… My name’s Rohini Wahi, I’m a freelance stylist and writer and live in East London. As well as writing this blog, ‘The Beat That My Heart Skipped’, I write and style house features, analyse trends for trend prediction companies and style imagery for homewares brands and magazines.

I love living in London and seeing traces of history everywhere I look, its magical spirit is the inspiration for my work, and influences everything I do.

I collect… quirky illustrations, ceramics and books.

I cant live without… coffee.

My guilty pleasure is… eccentric period dramas and magic stories.

Our house is filled with… laptops…the sounds of the internet and general industriousness. My boyfriend and I both work from home from our respective offices, because we both run our own businesses  [he runs an awesome game development company Big Pixel Studios] – we are often on our laptops from the time we wake up, to the time we go to bed. It works for us!

I treasure… memories of lazy family holidays at my grandparents comfort filled home in Calcutta.

Right now I can’t stop thinking about… some really exciting shoots I am working on and my holiday to India in March.

Currently I am reading… I read about three books at time depending on what mood I’m in [it's pretty exhausting carrying them around] at the moment it’s The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney, From Dead to Worse [the Sookie Stackhouse Series] by Charlain Harris, and Illumination Night by Alice Hoffman

My favourite item of clothing is… my comfy black leggings, they go with everything and look good with anything!

At the top of my furniture wish list is… soooo many things, a Trace Dining Table in wood or marble by British designers Naughtone, an iconic grey B&B Italia sofa, Tom Dixon ‘Beat’ lights…

The last thing that really inspired me was… Micheal Jackson’s ‘This is It’. I’ve always thought as an entertainer Michael was amazing but his concepts for his would-be tour were insane in the best way! He had futuristic suits made from never before developed light technology, 11 dancers on stage that slowly multiplied into an army of 11, 000 on the screen, a jacket that burst into flames when he threw it on the floor and so many more progressive ideas that blew me away.

On my desk are… a wooden holder with all my press invitations and paperwork inside and a space under for a stapler and my camera, a violet Pantone mug with pens, a ruler and a scalpel, a box with all my receipts, an Atherton Lin calender, and a round mirror propped up at the back of the desk against the wall, with Les Invasions Ephemeres feather stickers falling around the mirror so that when I look up into it, it looks like feathers are falling around my head : )

This weekend I will… work on the blog, eat some good food and go to see Decode at the V&A.

Tonight I must… cook dinner and work on the blog whilst watching something utterly trashy!

I love what I do because… every day and every hour is different, sometimes I laugh out loud with glee because I can’t believe I get to do what I do!

My name is Helena Amourdedieu. I’m a Londoner, but have lived in Paris for about 14 years. I run a PR agency that specialises in contemporary crafts and design, Agence Violette. I established it about two years ago after working as a free-lance PR in the same area, as well as for the contemporary arts.

I collect… I don’t really collect things. I’m more of a magpie.

I cant live without… Iris, my daughter, and my husband, Bruno.

My guilty pleasure is… spending time on my own [which sounds very sad (!) but as a working mum, it’s indulgent].

Our house is filled with… my things! Clothes, bags, scarves, jewellery – and more bags, scarves and jewellery… crockery, photos, bits and bobs, and things I find interesting.

I treasure… the photo of me and nan on holiday in Spain when I was about 8 or 9.

Right now I can’t stop thinking about… when spring will arrive.

Currently I am reading… three different books and I can’t concentrate on any of them. It’s like I’m waiting for the sun to come back so that I can get on with reading them in the garden.

My favourite item of clothing is… oooh, too hard. My Liberty print Topshop dress… My jacket from Isabel Marant… My 50s dress from a cheap and cheerful boutique in Notting Hill…

At the top of my furniture wish list is… an Acapulco chair in turquoise, from the galerie Sentou.

The last thing that really inspired me was… I’m often inspired by the people I work with. The dedication to what they do, the energy, the creative thinking….

My comfort food is… fish and chips, beans on toast, marmite – very un-French and all things that remind me of home!

On my desk are… too many bits and bobs.

This weekend I will… spend time with my little Iris and my husband.

Tonight I must… sew up the hole in my cardigan. Should have done it last night, the night before, the night before that…

I love what I do because… because the people I work with inspire me. I feel extremely lucky to do the job I do.

My name is Laurie Robertson. I founded the brand Anorak and continue to run the business from our offices in East Dulwich, London with my partner Matt and brother Stuart. Our company makes design led products for the outdoor market and our range includes sleeping bags, garden kneelers and picnic blankets.

I collect… I don’t like clutter so try not to collect.

I cant live without… Asking questions.

My guilty pleasure is… Watching X Factor.

Our house is filled with… My Gran’s drinking glasses from her pub.

I treasure my… health.

Right now I can’t stop thinking about… Ideas for Autumn/Winter 2010.

Currently I am reading… Nothing.

My favourite item of clothing is… My shiny black leggings.

At the top of my furniture wish list is… I just got it! My Gran’s retro cocktail cabinet, fully equipped.

The last thing that really inspired me was… A trip to Walberswick, Suffolk. I love it.

My comfort food is… Chocolate

On my desk are… A 24” iMac, a Wacom tablet, a printer, my diary, some pages from last year’s Yoshitomo Nara’s calendar, pens, pencils, batteries and a stapler.

This weekend I will… Rest after busy tradeshows.

Tonight I must… Write a ‘to do’ list for tomorrow.

I love what I do because… Every day is different.

I am Helen Beard, a ceramist living in London, in a lovely old house overlooking the Regent’s canal. I can walk to work every day and into the Westend quite easily. I make pots for a living. I throw, decorate and fire the porcelain all from my Clerkenwell studio. The studio always seems to be busy with orders, commissions and exhibitions. It’s a very nice place to be.

I collect… pots and all kinds of kitchen utensils.

I cant live without… a few breaks away, out of the city.

My guilty pleasure is… people watching.

Our house is filled with… ceramics made by all my friends and go -karting trophies won by my husband.

I treasure my… sketchbooks and box of watercolours.

Right now I can’t stop thinking about… my wedding last weekend and all the fun that we had.

Currently I am reading… Girl with a dragon tattoo.

My favourite item of clothing is… a green dress with bright flowers on it found in a little boutique in Buenos Aires.

At the top of my furniture wish list is… a big wooden table for the garden.

The last thing that really inspired me was… a trip to India.

My comfort food is… Marmite on toast.

On my desk are… a laptop, angle-poise lamp, mug, paints, papers, notebooks – nothing too interesting.

This weekend I will… be working at my studio to catch up on a few commissions.

Tonight I must… [and look forward to] meeting up with my sister, and then going home to cook for our French relatives.

I love what I do because… I always have fun both drawing and making. I love to sketch things that make me laugh.