When the owners moved into this three-bedroom mid-terrace home in Leamington Spa, it was pretty much a blank canvas. It had already been expanded which was perfect as they wanted a project but didn’t want to do anything structural.
The interior was influenced by many different styles, resulting in a quirky and eclectic scheme full of homemade ideas.
“I’m influenced by so many different styles that it was hard for me to narrow myself down to just one,” says the owner. “So the house also has touches of mid-century modern, Scandinavian, colourful, monochrome and industrial touches – it might seem messy but it actually seems to work very well.”
The outer
(Image credit: Future PLC/Lizzie Orme)
The family lived in a rented house in north London for a number of years before returning to the Midlands with the arrival of their daughter.
You chose this home for its location and open spaces. Also, it was close to good schools, the local park and shops, which was important with a growing family.
The house has a traditional mid-deck layout until you come into the back room with an open plan kitchen/dining/living-play area.
“While we love to decorate, we didn’t want to take on a huge renovation project, so moving into an already expanded building was great for us,” they explain.
The kitchen/dining room
(Image credit: Future PLC/Lizzie Orme)
The first ground floor renovation was done in the 90’s where a small extension idea was added at the back of the house, extending into the kitchen and dining area.
The owners converted what the previous residents had as a dining room into a playroom/family area and moved the dining room to the annexe.
(Image credit: Future PLC/Lizzie Orme)
Since the layout worked, it meant that the main priority was decorating the house. In the dining room, which covered the entire side of the annex, there was some very loud 1970’s inspired wallpaper. It completely overwhelmed the room.
“The day we moved in I wrote ‘Bye Bye’ in big letters on the kitchen wallpaper so I had to take care of it right away or I knew we’d live with it forever! I actually ended up painting it over as a short-term fix, worried that stripping the wallpaper would strip the plaster as well.”
Eventually a few coats of regular white emulsion covered the pattern, so it’s stayed that way ever since.
The living room
(Image credit: Future PLC/Lizzie Orme)
“I’m not as minimalist as the previous owner, and I found the addition of furniture and art really transformed each room,” shares the owner. “I love supporting small businesses and Leamington Spa has some fabulous independent businesses. I also buy from charity shops and used furniture stores.”
The owner sources most of her prints and artwork for her gallery wall ideas directly from the designers she finds on Instagram and Etsy.
“There are some very talented people out there, and prints are a very inexpensive way to bring unique art into your home. Thick gallery walls feature in most rooms!’
(Image credit: Future PLC/Lizzie Orme)
The large neutral Ikea corner sofa has been updated with textured cushions and colored throws. While vintage accessories make great displays. Choose items that mean something to you. The owners have celebrated their love of film and printing with an old typewriter and camera.
The open fireplace gives the small living room idea cosiness. The owner has used a piece of reclaimed wood over the fire to create a shelf. Umbra’s floating shelf adds a magical element of fun.
The master bedroom
(Image credit: Future PLC/Lizzie Orme)
As an easy DIY project, the owner made the bench at the end of the bed. She cut a piece of reclaimed scaffolding board to size, then fitted hairpin legs she bought online.
The dressing table was from Ikea, while the rustic chest of drawers was from a popular local outlet, which has been sanded down and fitted with some new handles.
the bathroom
(Image credit: Future PLC/Lizzie Orme)
The use of color in most spaces has created a blank canvas that has allowed owners to bring their personality to each scheme. This worked particularly well in the bathroom as they didn’t like the idea of the bathroom floor tiles but didn’t have the budget to replace them. They also couldn’t cover them because of the underfloor heating. Instead, they stenciled the flooring, which was an inexpensive solution that can be easily modified.
The girls room
(Image credit: Future PLC/Lizzie Orme)
The owners also used color to redecorate their daughter’s room. It had previously been used as an office and was full of orange pine including the cabinets, floorboards and windows.
“I used a pale gray Rust-Oleum chalk paint on the floorboards and painted all the cabinets white. Immediately the room felt brighter and brighter. I also painted the triangle to give some focus on how small the room is and how slanted the ceilings are,” explains the owner.
They also attempted to put some of the original features back into the home, as they had all been removed at some point. This included adding a fireplace back into her girl’s bedroom idea.
The boy’s room
(Image credit: Future PLC/Lizzie Orme)
The double lockers in her son’s room are from the owner’s old workplace in London. The company was getting rid of them and they knew they would come in handy eventually. A retro bedroom storage idea at its finest!
Chalkboard stickers liven up the walls and he can draw on them whenever he’s feeling creative.
The garden
(Image credit: Future PLC/Lizzie Orme)
Laying artificial grass over the concrete backyard has revolutionized the unused space. She added another room to the house, which the children can use all year round.
“Overall I’m very happy with how the house looks, it didn’t take too long or cost too much and it’s constantly evolving,” concludes the owner. “Even though most of the hard work is done, I don’t think the house will ever be finished because buying just one new accessory can change the entire ambiance of a room.”
Additional words: Zoe Bishop
