‘I just knew that daring shades would work together’

After years of renting, Lauren Vine couldn’t wait to get creative with colour and DIY to give the living room in her first home a maximalist makeover

After finishing university in Bradford, Lauren Vine came home to Sheffield and rented for a few years, but admits, ‘I hated the fact that I couldn’t put my stamp on these places. I was desperate to live somewhere I could decorate myself to truly reflect my love of colour and pattern’. After five years, Lauren decided to buy her own place, so she moved in with her parents while she saved. ‘Luckily, the mortgage companies were only asking for a five per cent deposit, so it took just six months to save what I needed.’ Lauren had her heart set on a Victorian terrace, and she got ‘the feeling’ as soon as she viewed this house, although it ticked the practical boxes, too: the house felt sturdy, was in a great location and, as there was no chain, Lauren got the keys within three months.

THE PROJECT

‘I was itching to turn the dull space into a room I loved,’ says Lauren, ‘so, I ripped up the cheap laminate flooring the day I moved in, and replaced it with neutral grey floorboards from B&Q. I also took a hammer to the ugly marble fireplace, which wasn’t well attached and came away in one piece, almost breaking my foot!’ she explains. Lauren was excited to try out different decorating and upcycling techniques; as she already had the blue sofa, bought from Swoon years ago, she used that as her starting point. ‘I painted the room a fresh white to create a blank canvas, and then the fun work began,’ she says.

WHAT I DID

Lauren wanted to add more shelves so she could get creative with styling, so she asked her dad to build some in the alcoves to display ornaments, books and plants. He also helped Lauren attach panelling to the wall behind her statement blue sofa to showcase its electric blue against a pink backdrop. ‘My dad helped me measure and cut some MDF,’ she says. ‘I attached it using glue and tacks, and then painted it in Summer Dusk by Valspar.’ Although it was the first time she’d ever attempted anything like this, she relished the challenge, loving the chance to make her mark on a property after years of renting.

‘I’d never done anything like this before,’ she admits, ‘but it only took half a day, and it’s so satisfying seeing the result of work I’ve done

myself. To be honest, I’ve never been daunted by DIY as I’ve grown up seeing my parents do numerous renovations’, she explains.

HIGHS & LOWS

Once the shelves were fitted, Lauren admits she struggled to decide how to paint that side of the room. ‘I knew I didn’t just want to paint the shelves, so I took a sample of the pink, on the opposite wall, to B&Q , and as soon as I saw it against Valspar’s Flamboyant Flamingo, I knew that was the start of creating an amazing look.’ Lauren initially decided to paint the wall the same colour as the shelves, ‘but then I kept going and brought the colour further into the room,’ she explains. ‘It was actually really difficult to get the line straight along the ceiling, as this old house is really wonky, but it was well worth the effort, as this is now my favourite part of the room,’ she says.

THE FINAL DETAILS

The scheme has come together over time, with Lauren adding new accessories and details, including her upcycled fireplace, transformed

‘I never bother with tester pots,’ says Lauren, adding, ‘My mum tried to persuade me to get samples to try before I invested in paint, but I have an immediate response to colour, and I knew theses shades would work together’

‘I bought the bureau for £50 on eBay and painted it with leftover paint, then backed it with ASDA wrapping paper – a much cheaper option than a roll of wallpaper,’ Lauren explains

A vintage iron fire surround gives Lauren a faux fireplace focal point. She spent hours stripping and restoring it to reveal the detail lost under layers of old black paint, then gave it a new lick of glam gold