At home with...RIBA Yorkshire director Christine Cavanagh

Christine Cavanagh is the Yorkshire Regional Director for the Royal Institute of British Architects. www.architecture.com

How would you describe your home? A work in progress. We are currently remodelling the house as it hasn’t been touched since the early 1990s. We’re working on windows, doors, kitchen and flooring. My home is in a rural village in East Yorkshire which is surrounded by fields and therefore we have beautiful walks whichever way we turn. I’m a short drive to the train station from where I can commute to most of the major towns and cities in Yorkshire, as well as London.

Portovenere wallpaper by Osborne and Little

What is on your interiors wish list? The current range of Osborne and Little wallpapers are wonderful. The Portovenere range reminds me of visiting the Liguira coast in Italy and the rather costly drinks at The Belmond Hotel Splendido in Portofino, which my partner has never let me forget. I’m also looking at splashbacks for the new kitchen and keep getting drawn to brushed stainless steel as it is functional and visually striking so perfect for a modern kitchen.Which household items could you not live without? I have a very special Japanese Tea set that my dad brought back from Hawaii in the 1970s. As a child, I played tea parties with it but now it has a special place in my living room. I would also have to say my Nutribullet after making the discovery that it crushes ice and produces moreish Baileys slushies. On a healthier note the Zylis Easy Pull chopper is great for making salsas and guacamole.

Christine Cavanagh

Which designers do you most admire? My parents had several furniture pieces from Ligne Roset and this formed my love of modern furniture. I still wish for an iconic Togo sofa by Michel Ducaroy, along with other pieces such as a Robin Day Forum sofa. I think this means I am well suited to working with architects.What is your favourite building? The Weston at Yorkshire Sculpture Park by architects Feilden Fowles, which won our RIBA Yorkshire Awards Building of the Year award, It is exquisite and the setting is quite magical.Is anything exciting you in terms of design? As part of my role I get to see the exciting work being developed and presented byRIBA Chartered practices across Yorkshire. I recently visited The Spa at Rudding Park by Enjoy Design and it is a stunning build with an exceptional interior. I’m also excited about new techniques in building design, such as the sustainable straw bale builds that Native Architects in York are developing.What and where is your ideal home? My parents bought 46 houses in their lifetime and we moved every two years. I adore Northumberland, particularly Kielder, and we lived in the village of Barrasford near Hexham. The scenery in Northumberland is stunning and the roads are quiet. It can feel remote in winter months, so my ideal home would be a converted windmill in a pretty village with lovely neighbours, half an hour from the sea and hills. This sounds a lot like East Yorkshire.sounds like East Yorkshire.Who would you like to invite to dinner? I have to say Danny Boyle. I could listen to him for hours and I’d love to invite him to create a film about the work of our members. Crikey, did I say Danny Boyle? I meant Cillian Murphy obviously.