Bold & beautiful new-build transformation
It was a complete joy to work with Jen & Nic recently on turning their brand new build with white rooms into a home with real personality and colour which was a true reflection of them. I re-designed three rooms for them – their kitchen/diner/snug, their living room and home office.
From the first consultation I established they loved pops of colour and bold patterns such as botanicals and abstracts. They are both drawn to blues, greens and pinks and loved the vibrant colours of Morocco when they travelled there. As with many clients, they had some existing furniture to work around.
Kitchen / diner / snug
I started with the all-important hub of the home – the kitchen/family room. The deep green kitchen set the tone for the rest of the room which was all white (see before pic). The only item staying was an inherited dining table.
The kitchen was balanced by the deep green sofa in the snug opposite and this stunning monstera leaf wallpaper, to create a cosy and relaxing area. The rest of the walls and ceiling were drenched in the beautifully warm Julie’s Dream by Little Greene. These teal green dining chairs add further colour and softness, and are super comfortable.
Stunning full length curtains with blackout lining and a washable rug add warmth. The side tables were re-painted to tone in with the greens and cushions and plenty of house plants were added. Art is botanical and fun. Oak shelves add interest on the wall and display greeting cards. I chose these sculptural oak pendants from Ikea – influenced by Tom Raffield but at a fraction of the price – to fit within the clients’ budget.
Home office
Next, onto the home office which is a busy home-working hub for this family of five. I created a calmer scheme in here with sage green walls and the use of oak slat panels on two corners to add some texture and a shelf to display ornaments. There are a lot of botanical influences here too – in the blind, the art and the many house plants. So good for keeping a healthy working environment. The brown leather chairs add character and the sisal rug adds texture.
Living room
The couple wanted this first floor room to be a relaxing space away from the hustle and bustle of the downstairs family rooms. They had chosen these vibrant curtains already and these set the tone for the rest of the room.
We colour drenched all the walls in this gorgeous teal – Little Greene’s Tea with Florence. Although it is dark it is very soft and calming. This completely transformed the space and this south facing space can easily take a bold colour. A new luxurious corner sofa in the same colour stops this large piece of furniture overpowering the room and provides plenty of seating. Jen wanted to recover the wingback chair which was her father’s. A bold fuscia velvet colour was chosen to pick out the fuscia in the curtains. Nick wanted a cocktail cabinet and this black fluted one adds a bit of drama, with the brass mirror over. A blush pink rug softens the grey carpet which was already fitted when they moved in. The brass and black coffee table is another luxurious element. The abstract art keeps the room modern and brings all the colours together.
It was such a pleasure to work with a couple who put their full trust in me. Jen & Nick are thrilled with their home and feel it truly reflects their personalities – and they tell me they could never in a million years have created this by themselves.
