HOUSE BEAUTIFUL SAYS…
‘Pale grey walls allow the separate areas of bright colour to stand out. Wide curtains give a solid block of colour when closed to make the room cosy and inviting.’
Why did you want to change the decoration?
The layout in the south-east facing room was ideal but we both felt that the space lacked personality. The walls were painted in magnolia, which was rather bland, while a bird-patterned wallpaper and double doors into the bathroom were too fussy.
How long did the transformation take?
It was a very speedy three days. Because it’s so much work to move a bed and mattress we carried on sleeping there and worked round the bed – but we did take out the other pieces of furniture.
What was your inspiration for the colour scheme?
Carl made our headboard ages ago from foam and a piece of MDF and over the years I kept re-covering it. After spotting some lovely straw-coloured fabric, I covered it again and this became the starting point of the scheme – although the turquoise fabric on the bed, which I found in a vintage shop, was a key colour too.
It feels like a real sanctuary
We needed a tranquil backdrop for the vibrant accent colours so chose a very pale grey for the walls. To make the space feel more luxurious we selected a grey carpet with a deep pile, which is a good contrast to the floorboards in the rest of the house. The panelling-effect wallpaper also has an opulent look. We swapped the double doors into the bathroom for a single one and papered it, along with the wall, to create an intriguing secret-entrance effect.
What was your biggest challenge?
There are three windows in here and getting the curtains and blinds
right was harder than I thought it would be, particularly on the biggest window. I didn’t want the window and Juliet balcony to be obscured so the track extends across the whole wall with a plain pelmet above it; that allows for the curtains to be pulled right back very neatly. The two smaller windows were easier as I went for Roman blinds. Altogether we spent quite a lot of money on the curtains and blinds but I’m glad we did as they’re a key part of the overall look.
You’ve managed to stay clutter-free
I’m fortunate to have a separate dressing room but we still needed two wardrobes. It can be difficult to find the perfect option – old ones are never big enough and new ones can be ugly. Then Carl spotted a pair on eBay for £800 each. He painted them the same colour as the walls and rubbed them back a little to give them an aged look.
Did you stick to your budget?
We had clear ideas about what we wanted, but as we shopped around found we were able to compromise on almost everything. For instance, the ceilings were too low for the chandeliers I wanted so we found an alternative that also happened to be less expensive. Initially I intended to hang a particular wallpaper that gives a realistic impression of vintage tiles, but in the end I was able to find a similar, and cheaper, tromp l’oeil option.
How do you feel now everything’s finished?
Believe it or not, this room is more muted than the rest of our house but it’s just right for us. We’ve retained all the best features and changed the ones we didn’t like.