Steal Katie’s style… Go Granny-chic forw a retro Vibe

Are you in the mood for a little nostalgia? Be inspired by Katieõs unique home and bring vintage furnishings into the 21st century

magpie eye can often lead to a jumbled assortment of colours, prints and patterns that results in a chaotic look that’s far from the calm haven you’d like to live in. But don’t let that stop you from hunting through junk shops and collecting vintage homewares, fabrics and furnishings. We reveal all the tips and tricks you need to achieve a stylish and coordinated interior.

AFresh start

Planned well, you can turn your love of all things shabby chic into a sophisticated and smart scheme. Begin with a clean, simple base by stripping any existing wallpaper and painting all walls in a bright white hue. Bare floorboards work particularly well with this style of decor, but if you are a total carpet convert, make sure you go for a neutral shade. From Katie’s home, we’ve learnt that a neutral backdrop is the best foundation on which to build from.

Make and decorate

As this style combines both vintage elements and a contemporary fresh approach, this type of scheme will suit period homes and also more modern builds. The key is learning to bring together unique elements and objects without your home looking like a jumble sale. The way to do this is to plan and stick to a colour scheme, then find a way to display your favourite items innovatively, and finish off by decorating with unique, homemade touches. You’ll soon find that by giving your retro homewares and crafty makes a little more room to breathe, you’ll actually be making them the star of the show.

Pick a palette

Before decorating, choose two to three coordinating colours – a limited palette will tie an assortment of styles and objects together. you will need to consider these shades when you curate your collections and only display items that fit in with your scheme. Duck-egg blue with cherry red is popular, or go for pastels with pink, yellow and green.