Welcome to Miami
Lauren Hubbard, 31, from Hull, East Yorkshire, transformed her bland new build into a funky paradise…
Peering around at the plain white walls, I brainstormed everything I could do with the space. Bright colours, funky prints and lots of plants! I thought, my mind going wild.
‘It has so much potential!’ I beamed to my partner Richard, 33.
It was January 2020, and we had just moved into our first home with our children Sienna, six, and Otis, two.
My dad has been an interior designer for 30 years, and my mum was always decorating our houses growing up.
I get my creative flare from them, and I couldn’t wait to follow in their footsteps and give my own place an interior makeover.
In March 2020, we started renovating.
‘Let’s get rid of all this magnolia,’ I told Richard straight away.
My priority was to bring colour, personality and fun into every single corner of the house.
As it was a new build, we didn’t need to make any structural changes – just decorate, which was the fun part!
Taking to Instagram, I created a home account called @homeofgetkooky.
The intention was to track my progress and show off our little project to our friends and family.
Soon, I discovered it was the best place for finding new inspiration.
‘Look at these incredible interior accounts,’ I said to Richard, scrolling in awe.
I particularly liked one page called @wildoneinteriors and another called @luxeologyhome. Alongside shopping in charity shops for upcycling pieces, I also scanned Pinterest and home magazines for ideas.
Painting walls, picking tiles and putting together exquisite print walls, I got to work during the months of lockdown. There was a shortage of paint – as everyone must have had the same idea – but we managed to get our hands on enough.
I had never painted before, or done any decorating, so of course, I made some mistakes along the way – but I absolutely loved learning as I went along.
I decided to make the living room a dark green because I wanted to create a calm, elegant and cosy dark space, that we could enjoy, particularly on an evening once the kids had gone to bed.
The pops of pink brought a sense of warmth, fun and love.
Colours impact greatly on our mood, and bright colours can be very uplifting.
We don’t always get the best summers in this country, so bringing bright colours into our homes, particularly into those rooms we use a lot on a daily basis, can brighten even the dullest of days.
That’s exactly why I’ve covered everything in pink!
And I filled every room with plants.
They play a big part in our home, and I loved going to our local plant shop to purchase them.
In December, I set up my decorative vinyl business,called Get Kooky, after being made redundant from my Events job due to the pandemic.
Our renovation inspired me to start the brand.
Without the skills needed to wallpaper, nor the time or patience, the hunt for alternatives began.
This was how, why and when I discovered the fabulous potential and versatility of using selfadhesive vinyl.
‘It’s the perfect solution!’ I said to Richard at home.
Only, the designs available weren’t quite quirky and fun enough for my taste – which is how Get Kooky was born!
We set about creating a range of bespoke designs, aiming to please anyone with similar desires to style up their interiors, or revamp an item of furniture.
My favourite room in our house
I love mixing green and pink
quickly became our bathroom.
During the pandemic, I was craving a holiday in the sun, so I recreated my own paradise to escape to.
It’s Miami themed!
We have bright pink walls, baby blue tiles, a gold disco ball and animal prints.
It’s bold, bright and bonkers – but we love it.
The bathroom was done on a small budget of £350, and it’s one of the most drastic makeovers in the entire house.
I would describe my interior design style as fearless!
I love vibrant colours, patterns, daring designs and I am very experimental with my style.
Getting maximum effect for the least money possible.
I am never afraid to try out different combinations.
If they don’t work, you can always change them.
Pink and green is my absolute favourite combo – officially gone are the days of ‘pink and green should never be seen’!
I think they contrast but at the same time complement each other.
I did the majority of our home renovation in nine months.
Now, I am planning to convert the garage into a studio for Get Kooky, and I have our utility room, en suite, Sienna’s room and landing to finish.
Then I’ll probably want to redecorate everywhere again!
We don’t have the money for big pay outs, but in total so far, it’s cost £10k to do it all – including every piece of furniture, as we had to start from scratch.
We would love to one day move to an older style house that we can renovate ourselves.
I would advise new-home buyers
My design style is fearless
to shop around for homeware items – you can usually find the same products elsewhere for less money.
Also, upcycling old items and giving them a new lease of life is a great way to save money. Finally, have fun with it!
Be bold, brave and daring. Put your stamp on it and make your house your home.