JULIA KENDELL’S SUGGESTIONS

REPURPOSE WHAT YOU HAVE A redesign doesn’t mean throwing the baby out with the bathwater. I already owned some great pieces, which Kendell suggested I could repurpose. A Kallax bookshelf (£35, Ikea) turned on its side became a coffee table, while I added drawers to another one to make it into a TV stand. The Rosslyn Click Clack Sofa (£399, Made.com) was non-negotiable, so that became the foundation of the new design’s colour palette, with luxurious velvet and art deco inspired cushions from John Lewis and Wayfair to make it a bit more upmarket.

THE RUG

“Rugs are so important, particularly in rentals, because they help you bring in colour, pattern and texture if you are not able to paint or change the curtains,” says Kendell. “The old one was lovely but it was too small and the colours clashed with the sofa. Try to ensure that your rug tucks just underneath the sofa and is big enough to draw together some of the other furniture for a sense of cohesion.” She suggested the Woodstock Rug (£269.99, Rugs Direct).

THE CHAIR

“This acts as a bridge between the shelf and the rest of the room as well as being a comfortable place to sit,” says Kendell, who suggested the Hodgson Wide Tufted Armchair (£199.99, Wayfair).

SHELVING

“We knew we had to deal with storage issues and I could see the height of the ceilings weren’t being used. A taller shelf offers much more storage and emphasises those lovely high ceilings.” She suggested the larger Kallax shelving unit (£150, Ikea).

THE DINING TABLE

“If you walk through a door and straight into a piece of furniture, it puts a barrier between you and the space, so taking that out of the way makes the room feel much more inviting,” says Kendell. “The old table was too big for the space and you didn’t need to seat four people, so by getting a smaller one, you can sit by the window and enjoy the lovely views of nature.” She suggested the Calia table (£399, John Lewis) and Motion Corduroy Upholstered Dining Chairs (£199, John Lewis).

THE MIRROR

“Moving the mirror opposite the window bounces light back into the room which brightens it up and makes the space feel bigger.” I already owned a Nissedal (£45, Ikea) so this was easy to move.

THE COLOURS

“Within the colour spectrum you have active and passive colours,” says Kendell. “The active colours, like reds, oranges and yellows, excite the mind, while passive colours such as blues and purples are calming and restful. Work out what you need from your space. You already had your orange sofa, which you loved, so it was easy to build the palette around that. Active colours and warm tones will make a room feel smaller and cosier.”

THE ACCESSORIES

“If you have one strong colour, try to make sure that it is reflected around the room, such as in ornaments or wall art. That helps draw your eye around the space rather than one element drawing all your focus,” says Kendell. A print I already owned from the Wilderness Festival turned out to be just the right fit.

SMARTEN THINGS UP WITH SYMMETRY

“In a room where you haven’t got the opportunity to do much, symmetry is an easy way to help settle the space and make it feel neater, more considered and more designed. Adding symmetry with the lamps on either side of the sofa and changing the wall art suddenly feels a lot more thought through.” She suggested a second Lena Column Floor Lamp (£61.99 Wayfair) to match one that I already owned.

PLANTS ARE THE FINISHING TOUCHES

“Biophilic design is important when it comes to wellbeing and mental health, especially for city-dwellers. It really does help to bring nature into the room, whether it is timber or plants or something else. It creates a nice feel in the space to have natural elements in there.” I found some cheap plants from the online store Canopy Plants