To boldly go

Anita Bowerman’s uplifting, colour-filled home is full of her fabulous paintings, and paper cuts. Sharon Dale reports. Pictures by Simon Hulme.

Most of us are afraid of using lots of bright colour in our homes as the chances of getting it wrong are quite high and no-one wants a sitting room that looks like the set of a toddlers’ TV programme. Artist Anita Bowerman is a rare exception who is quite happy to transfer the confidence she shows on canvas into the interiors of her country cottage. The result is truly uplifting and visitors often leave determined to bring a bit of va va voom to their own “boring” décor.

“I’d never paint anything black or brown and I never wear black. I love colour, it makes you feel happy,” says Anita, amid a palette that is predominantly Cerulean blue by eco-friendly Lakeland Paints teamed with a bright mauve and sea green

She planned to paint the walls of the sitting room yellow until her husband, Pete, rebelled against it. So, she went for the present combination, which perfectly matches her painting of The Stray in Harrogate.

The curtains by Elni Interiors are in Designers Guild fabrics and it’s no surprise to hear that she is a big fan of the firm’s founder, Tricia Guild, who is equally brave with colour.

The sofas have been recovered to match and the cushions, which she sells, are printed with her own designs, as are the fireplace tiles. She also painted the Laura Ashley cabinet in mauve and added jazzy new door knobs from one of her favourite shops, Anthropologie.

A mix of new and vintage accessories and keepsakes, along with fresh flowers from Claire Slater, add even more colour and character. There is also