Living room

‘We planned to put down parquet in here, but the floorboards were in good condition, so we had them sanded and sealed. The gas fire was ripped out too, as it wasn’t original, and we found a lovely arch when it was stripped back. Each brick isn’t perfect, but it adds to the authenticity. It took a lot of work getting the hearth tiles to the same level as the wooden floorboards. Mickey and his dad had to block any gaps, so the self-levelling compound didn’t run under the floorboards. We got lots of bluey-grey tester paint pots, but some were too cold or too grey. This warm blue, Traveling Minstrel by Valspar, bridged the gap and looks almost blueygreen in some lights. I really wanted Crittall doors between the living and dining rooms. However, after doing some research, I went for a more affordable primed wood design in a standard size instead. This led to hints of black through the artwork and light fittings. If you’ve got a good base with wall colours and furniture, you can update and refresh a room with new textiles and artwork for different seasons.’