Last week I went along to the Livingetc House Tour (Northwest London). The tours are a chance to step inside some of London’s most stylish homes, have a nose about and steal ideas. Tickets cost £32 per day, with the event occurring in North London, West London and Northwest London. I know it sounds expensive (unless you are naturally nosey), but the money goes to Crisis so it’s a win win for me.
Here’s the thing, what made these houses so awe inspiring, wasn’t the share size and scale of them (one house had 4 large floors), it was the drama. Each homeowner had been brave enough to create interior wins in the most unexpected places and in very imaginative ways. The use of colour, print, larger than life art pieces, furniture and cutting edge design meant that they had pretty much thrown caution to the wind – all whilst reflecting their own personal style. I was inspired #sigh.
The tour came at a perfect time as I have taken on a brand new project which involves styling an apartment. I am relatively new to interiors, but working with a cracking team has meant that I have been able to call on some pretty sound expertise. My focus has been very much on creating a solid base with great floors and dramatic walls. I am keen to recreate some of what I recently saw on the Living Etc House Tour, the only problem being I am working with a much smaller space – what to do? Abigail Ahern recently said “The most transformative thing you can do to your walls is to change your paint colour. Go slightly out of your comfort zone if you can it’s a game changer. Intriguing interiors take risks so push a few boundaries.” I believe her, her home is a beautiful sanctuary of dark hues, dramatically large pieces and interesting textures…and it works, it really works. But how do you go for dark walls in your home when you don’t have high ceilings or floor to ceiling windows? Interior Designer, Suzy Hoodless says, “I’m a firm believer in embracing dark rooms. It’s better to use a rich palette to make it more cocoon-like.” In short, no matter the size, you just do it anyway.
So lovely to be home after a whirlwind long haul trip to Asia. For a few weeks at least then I’m off there again! Crazy travel schedule this year for someone who isn’t that keen on flying A photo posted by Abigail Ahern (@abigailahern) on
Since taking on this project, I have spotted some handy design tips when it comes to making dark walls work in your home. Firstly, dark walls are fantastic for contrasting whites and coppers. Copper tones have been around for a while and anything from pendant lamps to vases are easy to come by. Secondly, dark walls work equally well with jewel tones. But back to whites…I have been won over by the idea of going dark in the bedroom and and will be opting for some white sheets on a bed with some real drama. I will keep you posted on this project, for now I need to nip over to Farrow and Ball…
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