This creative makeover wows with a boldly painted ceiling

Taking on a house renovation isn't for the faint-hearted, but one homeowner is making it look easy as she transforms her property room by room. And when we say transforming we mean transforming! Take for instance this stunning home office makeover with painted ceiling, it's an inspiration in bold decor choices.

The home office, one of their latest projects, has flexed Sharn's creative skills and, having carried out much of the DIY herself, it's meant she's managed to keep costs down, too.

'The office room has been a real renovation highlight,' says Sharn. 'It needed the most attention, but the process taught us so much and we’re really proud of everything we’ve achieved. We fitted our own plaster ceiling rose, tiled a fireplace and built whole new walls, so it’s been a real labour of love.'

Home office makeover

Dated and tired, the old room needed a lot of work, but Sharn was determined to bring it up to scratch in order to use it as a home office, putting her own stamp on it with the decorating. 'My style is colourful, but clean,' she says. 'I don’t like too many bits and pieces, I like to keep things quite simple.'

Sharn Rayment, from North London, and her partner, took on the brave task of updating a Victorian property – getting stuck into everything, from tiling and painting to fitting ceiling roses and much more. Despite knowing they had a lot to learn, the pair began working through it together. Building up knowledge by watching YouTube videos and gleaning tips from friends and family.

Before: dated decor

The old fireplace had seen better days, as had the walls and carpet, so Sharn began stripping the room right back. 'A lot of the period features had been removed,' she says. 'So we’ve tried our best to put them back in so it feels in-keeping with the Victorian heritage of the house, but still with a modern and smart feel.'

'This room is a working environment, but also our home, so we wanted more than just a desk plonked in the corner,' she continues.

After: Modern home office

The new scheme is a far cry from how it used to be, with pops of colour, new artwork and smart storage. Pale pink tiles in the fireplace contrast with the striking black surround. While new flooring and a statement light all help bring the scheme up to date.

'We repurposed the shelves from our last home to fit in the alcoves,' says Sharn, 'which saved us some major money.'

'All of our radiators came from eBay, too,' she continues. 'They should’ve been £300 each, but we got them for £75 each – a huge saving that we could then put towards other parts of the renovation. We also picked up a vintage corner storage unit for £30 from a local market that fits perfectly next to the desk.'

Bold green painted ceiling

Arguably the most prominent part of the makeover is the ceiling colour, which Sharn painted a fresh Neo green. 'I'd recommend taking a chance on the first colour you’re drawn to,' she says. 'We tried so many sample pots and really overthought it, but ended up going back to the first one we tried, which is Lick Green 08.'

'It was definitely the right choice and we should’ve trusted our instincts at the start. Chances are, if you like the colour on first glance, you’ll like it on your walls when it’s done.'

The green ceiling is the real talking point in the office and Sharn has brought the colour down onto the walls, sitting just above the picture rail.

'It makes the ceiling feel vast and airy, which in turn makes the room feel taller,' she says. 'It's the small details that really add that traditional feel without making the room look dated. Go for taller skirting boards with detailed edges – this always makes a room look grander than it is. I’m also a big believer in painting your skirting boards the same colour as your walls.'

But Now: Green 08 emulsion, £38 for 2.5 litres, Lick

Pink tiled fireplace

With her new home office completed, Sharn has a few words of advice for anyone taking on a house renovation themselves. 'Don’t be scared to do things yourself,' she says, 'even if you don’t immediately feel confident that you can.'

'We found it hard to find someone to fit our plaster ceiling rose, for example, so we watched a lot of YouTube videos and ended up doing it ourselves. It saved us paying out for labour and wasn’t as tricky as we expected.'

What do you think of Sharn's home office makeover? You can find more of her renovation progress on Instagram @sharnshouse.