Style advice

Three simple tricks to try in your own home

‘A rug with blue tones, metallic touches and highstreet accessories have helped make it the space we dreamed of’

BLEND RADIATORS IN ‘We changed the dull radiator that was in this space for a more Victorian-looking metal one a couple of years ago. Although it was in tune with the style of the house, it still didn’t go with the living room’s scheme. Rather than let it stand out and catch the eye, we painted it in the same blue as the walls for a more cohesive style. It helps make the room feel even cosier.’

CHOOSE THEMED ARTWORK ‘I love pictures of animals and insects and I had several around the house in other rooms and a couple in the back of the wardrobe. I got them all together and decided to put together a gallery wall above the sofa. It just goes to show what you can create with what you already have. I also picked out prints featuring blue to echo the colour scheme.’ CELEBRATE DIFFERENCES ‘ The kitchen-diner is light and bright in greys and off-whites, so it’s lovely to have the contrast with our cosy living room. We’ve put in doors to separate the spaces off and these have also been painted in the same colour, Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue, to make it feel like a fourth wall.’ Picking a carpet in similar tones to the wooden floor in the kitchen also helps the two spaces to flow.

The stunning sunburst mirror from La Redoute brings in a splash of the metallic touches that Shelley wanted to add around the room, along with new lighting and candlesticks

‘Rather than go mad and pile on the cushions, I spent a long time choosing statement pieces for the sofa that I wouldn’t get bored with. I’d already decided to bring in a soft pink to stand out against the blue, and bought one huge cushion and a couple of velvet ones by Scatter Box with touches of blue’