Tell us a little bit about yourself

I’m Glen, A Thirty something hairdresser & interior enthusiast. I live with my fiancé and Frenchie baby in the Midlands UK.

How would you sum up your style?

I would say my interior style is moody with a bit of a glam eclectic edge, I’m a huge lover of a pattern clash and love to use lots of different textures in our home.

What sort of condition did you buy the house in? 

Whilst we haven’t done any major structural work we did  strip the house right back, we saw the bare bones. We bought our house in May 2020 & worked on it for around 4 months. The house was structurally sound but the inside needed a full renovation. We ripped out the old kitchen, bathroom, electrics & stripped all the walls of artex. We practically took it back to an empty shell so we could really put our stamp on it. We did a lot of the prep work ourselves to cut some costs and had tradespeople in to do the big jobs such as plumbing, electrics and plastering. We thoroughly enjoyed the whole process of renovating and would recommend it to anyone that likes to get their hands dirty.

Decorating is very much a learning curve – can you tell us about a decorating mistake that you’ve made over the years which others could learn from?

Whilst I think it’s good to grab the bull by the horns when decorating, preparation is key. When we started thinking about decor and interiors I got very overwhelmed with all the different styles. initially we tried out different styles in every room such as Scandi, bright & colourful & sugary pastels but I soon learnt that most of them weren’t for me. I have since found the style that suits me but I’ve definitely gone around the houses to get there. So when thinking about decor be careful not to get bogged down with all the different styles out there, yes do your research but try creating a physical mood board with paint samples, wallpaper samples, tile samples & different colour/texture samples etc there’s nothing like seeing something in the flesh. But most importantly be true to you, I’ve figured that my interior style reflects my personal style and tastes. So you, yourself & your loves would be a good place to start. Don’t make my mistake and end up painting most of the house 4 times in 1 year.

You totally nail gallery walls – what are your top tips for creating these?

To be honest, I don’t think there’s a right or wrong way to put a gallery wall together. It really depends on the vibe you want. For instance in our lounge our gallery wall changes a lot but I normally like to go for a maximal/busy vibe so I tend to start with the print I want as the focal point in the centre of the wall and then work outwards with no strategic placement but with equal spacing between each frame. I love to add in other types of wall hangings into our gallery walls and the odd neon light can really make an impact too.

We love the way you’ve used totally different patterns within one room scheme! Do you think care needs to be taken when clashing patterns, or did you just pick them and go for it?

Why thank you! As you can tell from my grid I do love a pattern clash! I’ve always been a bit obsessed with a pattern clash which started with clothing and now interiors.  I think when it comes to pattern clashing it’s personal preference on how far you go with it as everyone’s tastes are different. If you’re new to pattern clashing try starting off by clashing soft furnishing such as cushions and throws. Don’t be afraid to push the boundaries with pattern after all clashing is to appear discordant and it can create a really striking look.

What’s your best piece of advice for making dark interiors work?

Well first of all I would say do not be afraid of going to the dark side. There’s a myth that dark interiors close in a space but in reality dark walls can disguise the fact a room is small. Since working with dark colours I have found it’s created so much depth to every space I’ve used it in. Dark walls work really well with any style and are great for reflecting metallic accents or pops of boldly coloured accessories & also gives a space a really sublime feel.

It’s interesting as when you look at Glen’s maximalist style, it would be easy to think that he always had a bold confidence to his interior styling. Therefore, we really appreciate that he spoke about initially feeling pressured to follow the latest trend, but then flourished when he decided to simply choose what he liked instead. A big thank you to Glen for sharing his interior journey and giving some words of wisdom for anyone apprehensive about going to the dark side of interiors!

If you’d like to see more of his home, you can find Glen on Instagram (@inside.number.twelve), TikTok and Facebook.

You might even spot Rita (his gorgeous Frenchie) in some of his pics too!

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Image credits: @inside.number.twelve

Tell us a little bit about yourself, who you live with and what city/country you live in?

I’m an Exec PA 9-5 and an interiors content creator/part-time blogger the rest of the time! I live with my two grown up daughters in Leicestershire, UK. My love for interior styling really took hold when I started doing up my house about three years ago. I had a tonne of ideas in my head, a fixed budget and a boat load of motivation to turn my uninspiring home into something colourful and creative. I started my Instagram account at the same time and became totally consumed by the world of interior styling.

How would you sum up your style?

I’m often asked what my style is and I usually default to ‘eclectic’ as I don’t think my décor choices fall into any one specific category and I love mixing old and new, colour, pattern and textures.

What sort of condition did you buy the house in? Have you done much structural work to it, or has it been mainly decorative changes?

I bought the house with my ex-partner just over 20 years ago and it was in relatively good condition but we did inherit a few dated features such as a 70’s brick fireplace that ran the length of the living room and some questionable DIY wardrobes! We removed the old fireplace and replaced the ceiling in the back lounge and the rest of the rooms were decorated to our own taste but no structural changes were made. Due to change in personal circumstances, the house was pretty much left untouched for several years until more recently when I embarked on a total overhaul. This included a new boiler and heating system, window replacement, a new kitchen and bathroom and fitted wardrobes in the two larger bedrooms.

Decorating is very much a learning curve – can you tell us about a decorating mistake that you’ve made over the years which others could learn from?

When we first moved in my partner talked me into painting all whole living room red, convincing me that it would create a cosy and cocooning space. I personally found the room overwhelming and I could never fully relax in there, in fact it actually agitated me!  Nowadays I always consider the psychological effects of using a certain colour and think about the feel/atmosphere I am creating. I love the colour yellow and I have it in three separate spaces but I’m careful on the tone and generally use it as an accent – large quantities of bright yellow can lead to feelings of anxiety and irritation.

You totally nail gallery walls – what are your top tips for creating these?

Gallery walls are a great way to inject personality into a space. When I started my main gallery wall I decided to keep the frame colour uniform by using all black but a mix can be just as effective. When it comes to choosing prints it really is just a case of whatever speaks to you in some way, I once read that the sign of a great gallery wall is that it sparks a conversation from other people that view it – I really like that. The best advice I can give it to place all the prints onto the floor first and keep rearranging them until you’re happy with the layout, I would also use a larger piece in the middle and then work outwards from there.

You’re not afraid to use some beautiful, bold colours. How do you go about choosing colours for a new room scheme?

When I first started the house makeover I opted to use pale grey in most of the rooms as it felt like a safe place to start. I did have accents of colour in soft furnishings but over time I gained more confidence and soon realised the positive effects of colour and how they can affect the feel of a room. I’ve learnt that my happy colours are green, pink, black and yellow and I have pretty much stuck with them throughout the house. That’s not to say I wouldn’t consider using other colours; I’m about to revamp my kitchen and my mood board is a combination of black (there it is again!) nude and terracotta.

We love the way you’ve used totally different patterns within one room scheme! Do you think care needs to be taken when clashing patterns, or did you just pick them and go for it? 

I absolutely love using pattern in my home as it’s a great way to add personality and life to a décor scheme and also avoids a room looking too flat. My front living room is a good example of this as I have a mix of stripes, spots, floral and geometrics. Prior to adding a bold wallpaper to the fireplace wall the room was solid blocks of colour; on the wall, flooring, furniture etc. I think the real character of a room is achieved by adding patterned soft furnishings; cushions, rug and throws and even decorative items such as vases. I tend to keep to one anchor colour, so for instance in my living room that would be black – across the array of patterns I have used there is that one common element that ties it all together.

For anyone wanting to experiment with pattern clashing I would say the easiest approach would be to start off small and cushions are a relatively inexpensive way to do this.

What’s your top styling tip?

My top styling tip is to use the rule of three, especially if you are styling a sideboard, console table or shelf. This comes from the design principle that’s says items grouped in odd numbers are more appealing and effective and it’s something I’ve always adhered to. I do the same with cushions too and either have 3 or 5 on the beds. Apparently, it’s related to how our brains respond to seeing an odd number of things, our eyes are forced to move around more, which makes for an interesting visual experience – fascinating!

Jo is also a master at creative hacks, so take a look on her blog, Cloud Nine Interiors for ideas on how to transform Ikea cabinets.  It’s certain to get your creative juices flowing.  I particularly like the black cabinet with gold leaf tree branches that picks up on the design of the wallpaper in the bedroom, it looks fun to do as well – I do like messing about with gold leaf.   And Jo’s tip about using a variety of patterned cushions to become more confident if you are unsure about pattern clashing is inspired.  What do you think to Jo’s glamorous, welcoming home?

You can follow her decorating adventures on Instagram: @cloud_nine_interiors.

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How would you sum up your style?

I find this so tricky; people often describe my style as ‘colour blocking’ but something about that doesn’t feel right to me, I’d say it’s more a retro futuristic colour crazy casa! … So I guess colour blocking is the more succinct answer! 😂

What sort of condition did you buy the house in?

The house was in great condition when I moved in, aside from a lumpy lino in the kitchen, the majority of the work was cosmetic – for now! I have grand structural plans but that’s far off in the future!

Decorating is very much a learning curve – can you tell us about a decorating mistake that you’ve made over the years which others could learn from?

I’m only a year in, so I’m still in the early phases of the learning curve, but the best advice I can give is to trust your gut; when you listen to/follow others too much or hesitate half way through, it can dilute your idea and you can end up wishing you’d gone full tilt, so always go full tilt!

You manage to use lots of different colours within one room, whilst still making it look considered and edited. What’s your top tip for pulling this off?

My biggest tip for this is to always consider the balance in the room; if you use a bold colour on one side, make sure to add elements of it across the room so it feels cohesive, taking the time to stand back and consider the colour combinations too (lots of standing back, artistically pondering 👨🏻‍🎨).

You’re a paint effect extraordinaire! What are your secrets for executing these without making a mess?!

Oh I ALWAYS make a mess, it’s just the side you don’t see! Don’t be afraid to get down and dirty, I guarantee Picasso didn’t paint Guernica without ruining the floor in the process 😂. I tend to just set aside a day of cleaning up – a bottle of white spirit is my dearest friend – and a day of touching up gaps and slips on shapes will see you right!

What’s your top styling tip?

My secret weapon is definitely plants; the use of plants in a space brings life, softens the edges and unifies the space. I now have over 50 in the house and I honestly owe a lot of the styling success to my leafy children!

What’s your favourite room in your home and why do you think it works so well?

Definitely the bathroom; it was the first room where I picked multiple colours (5 beautiful shades from Pickleson paint) and I opened all the tins and just let the paints decide where they were going to go – I know that sounds very hippy but it was the most wonderful way to decorate, and I’m so in love with the result- even if it did take me months 😂.

A fabulous, crazy home that really makes you think about how to create your own unique piece of paradise.  I love it, being a big fan of colourful interiors, what do you think?  Does it tempt you to try colour blocking?  Paint is the cheapest way to decorate so you can’t lose really.  Just a bit of time and effort for a fun, creative home. If you want to see more, follow Rich on Instagram @househomo, for plenty more colourful interiors inspiration.

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Image credits: @househomo

Cara and Andy have transformed this tired 1930’s house into a warm, welcoming home, and it’s all documented on Cara’s blog Caradise, and there are some great ideas on there to give you inspiration. It’s always interesting to see the before and after’s of a home renovation. The possibilities are endless – if you know a good builder!

How would you sum up your style?

I would say my interior style is eclectic and quirky, injected with pattern, colour, and glamour.

What sort of condition did you buy the house in? 

Our house was very tired and unloved when we bought it and had suffered from internal flooding. We gutted it. I mean we literally ripped it apart, knocking down walls, with new ceilings and roof in parts, as well as converting the garage into a utility and downstairs toilet. We also installed under floor heating and a heat recovery system, and a brand new kitchen and bathroom, new flooring, new doors, and plastered and redecorated throughout. It was a total renovation from top to bottom. Luckily for us, my husband is a builder!

You’re not afraid to use some beautiful, bold colours. How do you go about choosing colours for a new room scheme?

At one time I was using nearly every colour of the rainbow in our home, but I’m trying to reign in my colour palette now, so I’m basing all my new room schemes around teals and pinks as I love these shades and think they work beautifully together. I also throw in a pop of orange here and there because I’m not ready to say goodbye to my vintage glass lampshades in the hallway, and they can’t be the only orange thing in the house!

What’s your favourite room in your home and why do you think it works so well?

Probably my living room as we recently renovated it to work around how we live and our current interior style. The colours, furniture, and soft furnishings we went for has made for a cosy, social and interesting room to relax in. To create this we partitioned the room off (we’re going to knock through to the other half and extend the kitchen at a later date). It was previously a long narrow room from front to back. It was an unsociable layout and we only used half of the room. I hated my previous décor, which was beige with ugly leather recliners.  What was I thinking?! We went for a Loaf velvet corner sofa in the new layout, and moved the fireplace so it’s now the focal point of the room as opposed to the TV. I just love spending time in my living room now.

Have you made any decorating mistakes over the years which others could learn from?

Eeek! I’ve made loads. Looking back at our old house, I decorated the living room using matching curtains, wallpaper, rug, and cushions. It ended up looking like a page from a catalogue. Decorating a room in this way stifles any individual style and interest in your interior design. My advice would be to create a scheme that’s interconnected and complementary, but not matchy matchy.

We love the way you’ve used the same wallpaper in different colourways in your living room and only used the wallpaper on sections of the room. Do you have any tips for pulling this look off?

If you’re going to do this, choose matching wallpaper in different colours, or matching colours in different wallpapers to create a cohesive feel. Although if you go for different wallpapers, keep to a similar theme or style so they’re not fighting against each other. When using wallpaper on sections of the room, make sure it’s not isolated in one part. Involve the whole space, even if you’re not papering the whole of the wall. Also bring in similar colours and patterns to the rest of the room. For example I added other geometric accents with the rug and sideboard.

What do you think the secret to fabulous interior style is?

I think the secret is to create an element of surprise and stop the eye in its tracks. To break rules and push boundaries so the space evokes an emotion. I love interiors that question the conventional way to decorate. For example why should we paint every ceiling white? Why do we have to hang all of our pictures on the wall? Why should we be afraid to use colour?  I guess to sum it up, fabulous interior style is to be unique!

I love the idea of using 2 different colourways of a wallpaper within one room to get that mix of colour and pattern without overwhelming the space. Also, the way Cara continues the geometric pattern through into the kitchen on the table and sideboard, and again uses the same wallpaper. I’m in the midst of home renovation (lockdown not withstanding) and I am also aiming to reign in my colour palette, as I feel a home feels calmer with a more restricted palette. If you want to see more, follow Cara on Instagram @caradiseblog, and do check her out blog too, Caradise.

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Image credits: Caradise

What sort of condition did you buy the house in? 

The house was fine structurally when we moved in. We did a kitchen/diner knock through after three years to create a larger room that functions for the whole family; sitting room, playroom, dining room and kitchen. We remodelled our third floor to create space for a bathroom in the eaves and the extra top floor bedroom that became an office for me, as I sometimes work from home. Most recently we remodelled our family bathroom.

Where do you start when you’re pulling a new room scheme together? 

On the whole, I figure it out as I go along, although I’ve often got a lot of inspiration saved on Pinterest to guide me. I’m very visual when creating a room so I often cannot decide how it will look until I can “see” the final paint colour, for example.

You have such a unique style – where do you get your inspiration from?

All over. I love collecting vintage items. I use Pinterest and Instagram a lot. Magazines. I usually have an image in my head, in my “mind’s eye” and getting it translated is often the tricky part. I often have several iterations of a room until I am happy with it.

Have you made any decorating mistakes over the years which others could learn from?

Colour-I once painted my old kitchen a terracotta colour, or at least that was what it said on the tin. It was quite a lurid orange colour and I really should have used a tester pot first. Colour changes so much room from room, you really should try it before you go to all the effort of painting to discover you don’t like it. I lived with that kitchen for 3 years until we started the building work!

What’s your best piece of advice for styling/curating a colourful and bold home?

Take your time. Find something you love, be it a bold pattern, a cushion, a piece of art and pick colours from that item to use in a room. Start slowly and get the main elements right. You can always add to a room but if you rush it, you will inevitably make mistakes. Most of my rooms have been created over time. I move things, sometimes several times until I am happy.

What’s your favourite room in your home and why do you think it works so well?

My bathroom. It was the first room that I renovated completely from scratch- a blank canvas. I love the copper bath, the muted colours which allow me to be bolder with the floor tiles. It just has a lovely feeling to the room when you walk in. My kids are always using it which is a result when you have two mucky boys and even my husband comments on it.

A stunning vintage inspired home with the most delicious wallpapers – I now have wallpaper envy. And a home made with love and attention to detail. No mean feat, when you consider that Nicola is an Investment Director by day, and the The Girl with The Green Sofa by night. Phew, how does she fit it all in? Not by sitting on said green sofa for too long! If you love Nicola’s home as much as we do, do go and take a look at her instagram, @the_girl_with_the_green_sofa for more inspiration.

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Tell us a little bit about yourself

I’m Lara and have a huge passion / obsession for design, especially in relation to interiors. I live in a village close to Northampton with my husband and Cocker Spaniel Coco. I’ve been interested in art and design from a young age but didn’t find an outlet for it until we purchased our first house. It needed a lot of work, we could barely pay the mortgage and bills so had to be very creative, re-using, upcycling, visiting reclamation yards, searching for ebay bargains all became the norm and I absolutely loved it. We have now renovated / revamped four houses and have learnt so much along the way. Our current home is a Victorian brick cottage along a narrow little dirt track lane.

How would you sum up your style (in one sentence)?

Creative, eclectic and bold with vintage touches and rich colour pops.

Have you done much structural work to the living room, or has it been mainly decorative changes?

We had to get the external wall injected with a damp proof course. This meant taking the bottom half of the wall plaster off, was such a messy job!  We discovered a totally rotten lintel that was supporting the window, we had to very urgently get it replaced. We replaced some rotten floorboards, my husband fell through the hole in the floor at one point but luckily didn’t quite make it all the way down to the cellar below! We replaced all the skirting with taller skirting, added coving and a plaster ceiling rose to add character. Built the alcove cupboard so we could hide the TV away and have some storage for all the CDs we never listen to. We decided to have one wall of exposed brick because we like it and it meant less money spent on plastering. We re-tiled the fireplace and installed the woodburner as it provides a lot more heat than the open fire. We did it all ourselves apart from the damp proofing.

Where do you start when you’re pulling a new room scheme together? 

I have been trying to get better at visually planning before starting a project but I have a tendency to keep it all in my head. I recently completed a revamp for a rental property and I did do sketches and shopping lists for that as I had to know exactly what I was buying before starting and had a set budget. With my own house the rooms usually start with an idea or a colour combination that I’ve been inspired by. I tend to know the major things before I start but after that the rooms usually evolve and ideas change as I go. I actually painted the living room light blue first, it looked nice but didn’t have the impact or cosiness I wanted. I’ve realised its ok to make mistakes, the important thing is to recognise them and do something about it.

The living room before work began

The room now looks unrecognisable, what was the most challenging part about the whole process? What was the best?

It’s so easy to forget about it but the amount of dust and mess from all the plaster was pretty awful. However, I think the coving was the most challenging thing! The room isn’t square or oblong so the corners were an absolute nightmare.

Think the best thing had to be the original fireplace. It was boarded up with a gas fire in front of it but we were so lucky that the mantle was left in place and I loved gold leafing it to give it the wow factor it deserves.

How long did the renovating process take from start to finish?

This room took us about 2 months because of the amount of work involved and we were doing it over our weekends and evenings. Although I’m always tweaking so I’m not sure it’s ever really finished!

What’s your best piece of advice for making dark interiors work?

Although I do think top to bottom dark interiors can look absolutely stunning, for me I love a bit of contrast too. The living room is small and I wanted it to be cosy, I think the black really helps to achieve this but all black would have felt too dark for me and we didn’t have the budget to add extra ceiling lighting. I have a small dressing room with low sloping ceilings and painting the ceiling the same dark colour as the walls has done an amazing job in there, it really is like the ceiling has disappeared and feels so much higher than when it was white. I think it is important to get the lighting right in dark rooms with different options for different moods, subtle flush spotlights in the ceiling, lots of lamps and always a large focal ceiling light is a must for me. Be brave and try it, you can always paint over it if it doesn’t work for you.

Who are your favourite interior Instagram accounts for inspo? 

Oooh I think this may be the hardest question, there are so many accounts I love, so many creative, talented people out there. This can be a problem as it inspires me to want to change things way too often. I know I need to keep this short and sweet so here’s my top 7.

• @andthentheywentwild – just so in love with her home, her designs and total styling perfection.
• @suszi_saunders – I love Victorian houses and this is a stunner with perfect dark interiors.
• @jewelmarlowe – Inspiring use of pattern, colour and textiles, love her creative designs.
• @agi_at_59 – styling queen, beautiful rooms without the huge budgets some lucky people have.
• @patirobins  – love her eclectic dark interiors, so much DIY inspo, tips and tutorials.
• @theobert_pot – Interior stylist with a stunning home, really love his use of rich bold colour.
• @em.gurner – interior designer with awesome bold designs, so much inspo.

I can think of so many more!

A fabulous black living room but with a light an airy vibe, and pops of vibrant colour for happiness.  I absolutely love the gold fireplace surround, and have a desperate urge to gold leaf mine, but I’m terrified of making a mess of it.  I have done small projects, but it’s quite daunting to tackle something of that importance in a room.  Lara is now running workshops for gold leafing not far from me so I think that will be my next challenge.  I will keep you posted as to how that works out!

Image credit: Lara Bezzina

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                                                                                                                        Entryway

Tell us a little bit about yourself and where do you live?

I’m Lissi, Mummy, Wife, Primary School Teacher and lover of home interiors and DIY. We have lived in our unconventional barn conversion in Leicestershire for 6 years and before that, we rented for years in Oxford.

                                                                                              Open plan living room/dining room

How would you sum up your style?

I would describe my style as colourful, eclectic, fun and makes you smile.

What sort of condition did you buy the house in? Have you done much structural work to it, or has it been mainly decorative changes?

When we bought the house, it had been rented as two separate properties so the first job was to knock through the adjoining wall and door and gradually making the property of two halves come together as one. We had two kitchens, two living spaces and two bathrooms, so over time we have converted one kitchen in to a home office and extended out to the rear of the house replacing a crumbling conservatory with a family friendly open plan kitchen, living, dining space.

                                                                                                    Lounge. Monochrome Face Plates 

You mentioned on Instagram, that prior to buying this house you had a scrapbook full of magazine clippings, which was your colourful ‘dream house manifesto’. Yet when you first moved in, you painted most rooms ‘greige’. It then took you a little while to find your creative feet and to do what you really love – colour and quirk! What do you think held you back from doing what you loved in the first place? And how did you overcome that?

This was the first house we owned, the one where we could actually paint walls and not just talk hypothetically about it. I think we were so overly concerned with what other people would think of our new house we overlooked what we actually wanted and liked and played it very safe in order to quickly put our initial stamp on the place and delete the magnolia. Over time, we began buying our own furniture where previously this had come with our rented flats and this started to shape our taste for more colourful and quirky surroundings.

Bedroom

Now let’s talk about that divine tropical and pink bathroom of yours! Deciding to tile over the top of wallpaper was pretty ingenious and it really works. Can you tell us a bit more about the work you’ve done in this room?

I’m so pleased you like the bathroom! I’m really proud of it because I learnt to tile and wallpaper on the job, and between myself and my husband we’ve done the whole thing ourselves. It’s actually the guest bathroom and because it doesn’t get used every day I felt like we could go a little wild in there! We began by ripping up the laminate and laying patterned ceramic tiles on the floor, wallpapering with a beautiful tropical paper and using marble hexagon tiles around the bath. The shape of the hexagon tiles lent itself to having a bit of fun and so I mixed my own green grout and went a little rogue with the layout either side of the bath ignoring conventional backsplash designs! I had always planned to use pink as an accent colour in here but ended up painting all the woodwork including shelves, skirtings and cupboards pink too. We were undecided when we started the project as to whether we would keep the original bath panels or replace them, I had a go at upcycling them first with paint and gold leaf and loved the result so they have stayed and the bath is now one of my favourite elements in here.

                                                                                                              Guest Bathroom

Where do you start when you’re pulling a new room scheme together? Do you create a mood board with the finished vision, or do you tend to figure it out as you go along?

When I’m pulling a new room scheme together I create a mood board as a basis but almost always end up changing things as I go along. It’s great to have an idea of where you’re heading but the journey is part of the fun for me too. I will usually start with either a colour combination or a single piece like a statement chair or some artwork and work around that. I prefer a tactile mood board to a digital one so I use paint, fabrics and magazine cuttings to bring my ideas to life.

                                                                                                            Family Bathroom

You manage to use lots of different colours within one room, whilst still making it look considered and edited. What’s your top tip for pulling this off?

Thank you! I think this is definitely easier to achieve with white walls and so in our open plan space where even the sofas and dining chairs are neutral the rainbow of accessories does all the talking. I try to pick out the same accent colours at different points around the room so that wherever you look it feels deliberate and not chaotic. In the rooms where we have a dominant wallpaper, I have kept the colour palettes simpler but still bright and fun with plenty of pattern and texture.

Inspired? I am!  That bathroom is the biz – tropical wallpaper, pink, green and gold (my favourite colours), lots of plants and snazzy tiles – ooh what more could you want in a bathroom?  So, for you colour lovers out there take inspiration from Lissi’s home and break out of the ‘greige’.

Do go give her a follow her on Instagram: @Oxfordone and join in with the monthly Instagram hashtag that she co-hosts: #colourmyhome.

Jacqui x

Image Credits: Lissi Walker

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Tell us a little bit about yourself and where do you live?

My name is Hayley I’m 41 years old and I live with my 3 children and two dogs in Essex. I live in a 4-bed bungalow sitting on 3 acres of beautiful gardens. I moved here from Highbury, North London nearly 9 years ago. My eldest daughter is disabled and needs round the clock care so moving to a bungalow with lots of space suited us as a family.

What sort of condition did you buy the house in and have you done much work to it? 

The bungalow was in good shape, but it was dark and a bit old-fashioned, so it needed updating and modernising. So, I got to work! Firstly, I had to make a lot of adaptations to make it perfect for my eldest daughter, widening doorways and adding a wet room. Then I ripped out the old kitchen and bathrooms and re-did these. Things happened pretty quickly. Over the next few years, I started to redecorate (which I do A LOT!) and started to develop my own style.

What’s your favourite piece in your home?

I have so many favourite pieces, but my zebra has to be one of them. I’m constantly finding new things- that’s the main reason why I redecorate every room in my house at least once a year and constantly move things around.

 Where do you get your inspiration from?

I draw inspiration from nature and wildlife, it’s hard not to when you look through the windows at the stunning views. I also love history, heavy fabrics and layering of objects to create a picture that will keep your interest, finding lots of interesting things to look at. I love to shop and I’m really good and well known for hunting down some incredible bargains that I can then customise or upcycle to turn it into something unique. Most of the pieces in my home are all upcycled by myself.

 Pulling off such a bold look can be tricky, but you manage to nail it! What’s your best piece of advice for styling/curating a colourful and bold home?

My best piece of advice for pulling off such a bold look is be brave, it doesn’t have to all be matchy-matchy, start with a piece that you love and build on it, layering it up so that the end result is a treasure trove of your favourite things.

How would you sum up your style?

My style is eclectic, glamorous, fun and bold. It’s a fusion of classic and modern, it’s strong, brave and playful. I love rich colours, and opulence.

What do you think the secret to fabulous interior style is?

I think the secret to fabulous interior style is not worrying about what anyone else says or thinks. If you love it, do it!!

Get The Look

Gold Rock On Hand | Leopard Vase | Unicorn Head Wall Decoration | Gold Tripod Table | Marilyn Velvet Armchair | Flamingo Leg Lamp | Green Velvet Cushion | Zebra Print Cowhide Rug | Banana Leaf Wallpaper

So that’s the end of the tour folks, I mean how fabulous?

Has this house tour got your creative juices flowing? We’d love to hear which rooms/homewares in Hayley’s home inspired you.

Follow Hayley on Instagram @hayleyannebrooke for more great opulent and eccentric décor ideas.

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Image Credits: Hayley Brooke

The homeowner is Rachel Edmonds @raspberry_flavoured_windows, Hollie has known her through the online interiors world for a couple of years now.

Sitting room

We asked Rachel a few questions about her lifestyle and she mentions designing for her autistic sons, which is a very interesting concept.  You can see from the photos it’s a very tactile home, one we could all take comfort from, so it’s something I would be interested to learn more about but that’s a whole different blog post.

J: Firstly, can you tell me a little bit about yourself?

R: Hi, I’m Rachel. I’m an interior design obsessed, horse enthusiast with a penchant for a bit of glamour. I love taking classic design and mixing it up with the unexpected. Think Vivian Westwood meets Margo Leadbetter with a bit of Audrey Hepburn thrown in for good luck, I certainly never take myself too seriously.

Sitting room

J: How long have you lived in this house and who lives there with you?

R: I moved into the house just over 20 years ago along with my husband, Tony and our eldest son Max who was 6 months old at the time. He’s since been joined by 2 younger brothers, Xander and JJ. So that makes 5 of us along with our much loved and rather grumpy, elderly Rottweiler named Buster who we rescued around 8 years ago.

Sitting room

J: What sort of condition did you buy the house in and what sort of work have you done to it? 

R: In the 80 years before we moved in only 1 other family had lived there and goodness there was an awful lot to do. We reroofed, rewired, replastered, basically if it had ‘re’ in front of it, we did it. Most of the work was done by us apart from the electrics and the roof as we didn’t have a very large budget. We’d already renovated 2 houses prior to moving here but there was still an awful lot to learn. Whilst the house needed a lot of work, I knew from the moment I set foot over the threshold, before I’d even seen any rooms that this was the house for us, it has such a wonderful feel. And, the beauty of staying in the same family for so many years meant all the original features were still intact.

Before: Sitting Room

Before: Bedroom

J: When did you move over to the dark side and what was your previous style?

R: Having lived in the house for so many years my style has evolved and grown over that time. It has had dark rooms previously; I’ve always loved the dark side. When my boys were small I worked as an interior designer so I could fit work in around them and the house was always constantly changing, I used it to try out ideas, some of which I pulled off and some not so much! Around 5 years ago my husband decided that he was a minimalist and so we changed to light walls and pared back the interiors but I never felt comfortable with it, I could never just chill. After pointing out that he was the least minimalist person I have ever met over several glasses of wine one evening I took my paint brush to the bedroom walls and welcomed the dark side back into our home again.

Dining room

J: How would you describe your style in 3 words?

R: Glam and dark with a dash of the unexpected

Bedroom

J: Pulling off such a dramatic, moody look can be tricky, but you’ve got it spot on! What’s your best piece of advice for making dark interiors work?

R: Don’t be afraid to be bold and let the colour do the talking. I accessorise with statement pieces to create multiple focal points in one room. And I always add a sprinkling of gold to give the overall design a lift.

Bedroom. I can feel a gold fireplace coming on in my revamp!

J: You have such a unique style – where do you get most of your inspiration from?

R: I draw inspiration from the world around me, an item of clothing, nature, a statement piece that naturally leads to a design forming around it. Mostly though I design our home for my boys, 2 of them are autistic and each room is designed to meet their sensory needs and reduce anxiety levels.

Bedroom. The heavy gold frame around the mask makes for a striking piece of wall art that we can all take inspiration from.

I hope you enjoyed that little peek into Rachel’s gorgeous home and that it’s given you some ideas.  I know I keep going on about it but that gold fireplace is now on my wish list.  I’ll let you know if it makes it through to the final edit!

House tours are essential viewing for me at the moment as I’m currently on the second wave of decorating in my home, the first when I moved into my white box 6 years ago, and now I’m re-doing some of the rooms that I’m either bored with, or they were done in a hurry to get the house finished and they never really worked for me.  I do love dark interiors although more as a visual feast in other people’s homes but Rachel’s bedroom is just so glamorous it sort of sways me.  There is something so striking and grown up about black painted furniture that really appeals.  What do you think?

You can follow Rachel on Instagram @raspberry_flavoured_windows  and get a daily dose of moody inspo.

Which is your favourite room?  Any ideas you’ve taken from this?

We’re off to Maison et Objet in Paris for a few days, which is one of the biggest interior trade shows in Europe.  Can’t wait to see what products we can hunt out for you guys!

Jacqui x

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Image Credits: Rachel Edmonds

We asked Jess a few questions about herself and her living room makeover:

Hello! My name’s Jess. I’m a former showbiz journalist and I have an interiors blog called Gold Is A Neutral which I launched in April this year. The blog covers all aspects of interiors, from my own journey renovating our Victorian terrace in South East London, to trends, house tours, expert advice and a bit of stylish travel as well. I’m loving it and am excited for what the future holds. I’m married to David and have two children Rafferty, 5, and Nellie, 1. They are both full of beans, stubborn as hell (like their mama) and are the reason I gave up the 9-5 and never looked back. I’m proud to be a working mum, though sometimes the juggle is a struggle.

What is your favourite piece in the room?

It’s a close call, but my favourite thing would have to be the gold Drip wallpaper from Jonathan Adler. It took months to arrive from New York and was a nightmare to hang but it makes me so happy and I’ve never seen it in anyone else’s home. Which could just mean I have terrible taste of course!?!

The room now looks unrecognisable, what was the most challenging part about the whole process?

There was so much to get rid of!  The existing shelves and cupboards had a false wall behind them which was chockablock with wires from the very dated built in sound system and CCTV network which had been installed right across the house. I have no idea what on earth the CCTV was for but I do know it was a pain in the bum to get rid of. It all needed unravelling and deciphering to locate the few wires we actually needed to keep.

It was also a big challenge trying to find someone to hang the wallpaper. It arrived with a blank border on either side and every decorator I asked to come and look at it turned up, shook their heads and said they didn’t know what to do with it. Either that or they started furiously trying to google online instructions about how to hang it which didn’t exactly fill me with confidence. But after many rejections we eventually found our man and it was so exciting to see it finally go up!

What was the best?

Getting rid of the hideously ugly floating gas fireplace and replacing it with a reclaimed Victorian cast iron fireplace that I found on Ebay. It instantly changed the face of the room and gave it the focal point it desperately needed. Another high point was when the white walls were painted the inky navy (Basalt by Little Greene). It actually made the room feel bigger and so sophisticated. I still absolutely love the colour and how cosy it is in the evenings.

How long did the renovating process (on this room) take from start to finish?

Ages. We effectively gutted the whole room (except the floors, they are next on the list) and started again. I was heavily pregnant when we started and I was a bit too optimistic in hoping to get it all done and dusted before Nellie arrived. All in all, I would say it took about two months to do all the joinery, filling, plastering, priming, painting and electrics. Then a few weeks on top of that to find someone who could do the wallpaper. It was a labour of love but was worth it in the end.

Get the Look

Pineapple Candle Holder | Gold Rock on Hand | Artificial Areca Palm | Boho Rug | Gold Bar Cart | Gold Champagne Saucers

A stunning living room makeover that’s finished, but not finished, as in Jess still wants to replace the flooring and the PVCu windows, but you don’t even notice them, too busy absorbing the glorious colours, glam accessories, and that wallpaper.  Hollie has deep seated envy for that wallpaper and dreams about it haha!  The shutters work wonderfully for letting in light but blocking out nosey passers-by, I have them in my front rooms for the same reason, and they are great for small rooms where curtains would take up too much room.

What do you think to this before and after then?  Any favourite pieces?  Gold is a Neutral has been shortlisted in the top 5 for the Amara Interior Blog Awards ‘Best Newcomer’ category, and Jess is also a contributing interiors editor of Cosmopolitan magazine, which has to be good credentials, so if you want some more interiors inspiration you can follow Jess on Instagram: @gold_is_a_neutral and also pop over to her blog Gold is a Neutral.

Jacqui x

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Image Credits: Gold Is A Neutral