Kiki's room

‘ The bathroom is all about budget ideas, such as using a peel-and-stick vinyl on the floor, directly on top of the old lino. I painted over the green faux marble tiles with a grey gloss and my dad built the little ladder for our towels. I went for a really bold black and white wallpaper called Mad Dogs by Albany at Wallpaper Direct. It’s easier to get away with a busy print in a small room’

‘One of my favourite things about Kiki’s room is the painted radiator. I don’t know why more people don’t paint them, they can be such blank spaces in a room. I built her a little shelf, and hung mini personalised bunting from it. I used a coral pink paint left over from doing the stairs on one of her walls, which works well in this space. We’re lucky to have creative family and friends that make things for Kiki. My mum crafted the wall hanging and my best friend crocheted her dolly. I also painted a smiling moon on the wall to gaze on her as she sleeps.’

The shelf in Kiki’s room is a DIY make you can find on Hester’s website, hestershandmadehome.com. The chair is an Ercol design from Arch 16 in Ramsgate while the cloud mat is from Bloomingville. Hester upcycled the plain fabric seat cushion by adding a polka-dot design using a marker pen

WHAT I LEARNED...

You don’t need to use a room for what it’s originally designed for. Changing the master bedroom into a second living room has given us a more private space upstairs and one with lovely light too.

Always try to maximise storage. This has been essential for us in this narrow house. I’ve found there are always clever ways to add a drawer or a lid. When I built our diner bench for instance, I made it so that the seat lifted up and I could put Kiki’s toys and our shoes and bags inside.

Add colour. Sometimes we’re scared to commit when we’re decorating, but it’s only paint. It’s only by doing and experimenting that our personal style can change and evolve.

See yourhomestyle.uk for more great real homes