When Claire first bought her semi-detached home it was very dated, with worn, dusty carpets, an avocado bathroom and living room curtains like rags. Today it's a lovely family home with a new extension, an open-plan living area and bright and beautiful decoration throughout.
1/10 A semi-detached Middlesex house
2/10 Bright kitchen-diner with yellow table cloth
Claire's kitchen-diner was created by building an extension at the back of the house. Here, she added a relaxed and practical vibe with vintage furniture and accessories. Keep an eye out at car boot sales and in charity shops for second-hand furniture that can be upcycled to bring character to your home.
Similar oilcloth
Wipe Easy Tablecloths
Similar vintage-style crockery
Dotcomgiftshop
3/10 Vintage-style dining area with white dresser
The extension gives Claire a large open-plan space for dining, while bi-folding doors create a lovely airy feel during the summer. Look out for a larger dresser to show off your favourite crockery and introduce vintage furniture for a homely feel. An oilcloth on the table is both pretty and practical.
Similar dresser
Dunelm
Similar bi-folding doors
SKG London
4/10 Open-plan living space with painted yellow chair
Knocking through walls ensures the layout is more family-friendly - the open-plan kitchen-diner means Claire can keep an eye on the children while she cooks. To add character to your home, why not upcycle an old chair with a lick of paint and choose a funky patterned rug to add impact.
Similar chair
eBay
Similar rug
Ikea
5/10 Retro living area with yellow feature wall
This funky bold wallpaper in Claire's open-plan living area adds a pop of colour and ties in with matching accessories for a cohesive look. Choose a stylish patterned wallpaper for a feature wall and team it with neutral shades to make it really stand out.
Similar sofa
Made.com
Wallpaper
MissPrint
6/10 Pink living room with grey fireplace
The original fireplace creates a focal point in the separate living room. Claire picked the pink shade for the chimney breast to highlight the trim on the fireplace. Choose vintage-style accessories like this decorative mirror to make the original features stand out. Look out for an old trunk at car boot sales or in charity shops and use as a coffee table.
Similar paint
Dulux
Similar trunk
eBay
7/10 White hallway with colourful staircase
Claire loves experimenting with colour in her home and made a feature of her stairs by painting the risers a cool blue shade, with one in a punchy yellow. Why not give it a go on your staircase and try using a different colour on each step or paint the spindles and keep the staircase white?
Similar paint
Crown
Similar flooring
Quick-Step
8/10 Pale blue bedroom with statement cushions
The restful pale blue shades in Claire's bedroom ensure her bright and colourful statement cushions stand out. Claire is originally from the Isle of Wight so there's lots of inspiration from the coast with soothing colours and white wooden floorboards. Why not frame a map of the world or your favourite place for a personal touch? Simple bed linen will allow your accessories to shine.
Similar paint
Dulux
Similar cushions
John Lewis
9/10 White guest bedroom with punches of yellow and blue
Claire gave the spare bedroom character by displaying quirky artwork and accessories. Take inspiration from Claire and keep bed linen simple and choose fun, bright throws and cushions to accessorise.
Similar throw
Dunelm
Similar shelving unit
Ikea
10/10 Children's bedroom with yellow bed
Claire's daughters share a bedroom at the moment but they plan to convert the loft to create an extra bedroom. The yellow theme continues into her daughters' room with this colourful bed. Why not personalise a child's bedroom with bunting? Gather remnants of fabric and cut into triangles before sewing to a piece of ribbon.
Similar bunting
The Cotton Bunting Company
Similar blind
Blinds UK
-
Do bedroom curtains and bedding need to match? The experts all agree on this approachTo match or not to match, that is the question. (And luckily we have the answers!)
-
These are the gadgets that make storing leftovers so much easierThese kitchen additions are the thing to take your leftovers to the next level
-
'Coorie' is the cosy Scottish interiors trend you need to try this winterPeople are calling it the Scottish version of hygge.
