#BUDGETDECORATOR

minutes to organise the space and incorporated even accents that I was about to toss in the storeroom. We divided the living space in zones with furniture placement. The sofa was placed facing away from the dining area and defining the conversation area. Furniture was pulled away from the walls and we measured the space to get the right size rug, ensuring that at least the front legs of the bigger furniture would sit on the rug. All end tables were placed at arm’s length to seating and we added plants to give a feeling of nature. Accents were grouped and we carefully added just enough to avoid cluttering.

BEDROOMS Principal Bedroom

The King sleigh bed used at my old home is up for sale as the carpenter who refinished my furniture also made a bed. I always wanted a painting as a headboard and for my birthday in August I was gifted a commissioned piece by Mabusha Dennis — Water Lilies — to add calmness to the room. All the furniture in the principal bedroom are from my old house and I used both brown and white wooden pieces. I painted the walls beige and added a dark brown accent wall. The occasional chair was rewrapped in dusty pink to add some femininity, and I selected a damask rug to finish the artsy look that I was going for.

The second bedroom is my home office with more than enough space to hold a twin bed or inflated queen bed when I have guests. I decorated the space using eclectic pieces such as an old dial telephone and a swing wall clock.

The third bedroom is still a work in progress, and I can’t wait to have my granddaughter Sage for Christmas taking over the room and the bed her dad gifted me when he was migrating. The room was painted in beige with a sage accent wall.

The latest project is a space saver L-shaped desk I designed from metal and wood. I commissioned the base made from 2” metal square and painted it black. I then called my carpenter and we set out early to get wood and screws for the top. I bought ply board but at the end of the day, I was not pleased with the

(Photos: Naphtali Junior) Home Office Space saver L-shaped desk made from metal and Jatoba – eclectic telephone and clock. Artwork from Costa Rica Another view of the principal bedroom showing dark brown accent wall and an old dining room chandelier that was refinished.

Principal bedroom with furniture from the old home save the bed base. Headboard is a painting from Mabusha Dennis.

Small twin bed in a corner of the home office to be used for guest spillover. The bed skirt is made from inexpensive calico and the cot adorned with pillows.

Vanity make-up counter in the principal bedroom

The previous principal bedroom was painted in blue/grey. The sleigh bed was replaced with a modern bed and an art headboard. The wooden night table is now in the new bedroom.