Style at Home

Like Michelle...PLAN A SCHEMEFROM SCRATCHCombine just two orthree colours to avoidyour scheme lookingtoo hectic. Bluebell2.5-seat sofa in Taupe,£1,340, Sofa.com``````Hepburn bed, £999;George ottoman, £699;Hiroto duvet cover, £70,all House of FraserAroom with no predeterminedstarting point can feel dauntingto decorate. But before yougive up due to indecision ormake any hasty furniture purchases youmay live to regret, put in the groundworkto ensure your new look is a success.``````Suss out your styleBrowse some interiors magazines or setup an online mood board on a website suchas Pinterest. Spend a few hours tearing out(or ‘pinning’) images that draw your eye,making notes on what you particularly likeabout that image as you go. Continue untilyou’ve built up a collection of visuals, thenanalyse them as a whole. Chances areyou’ll notice common themes emerging,be it a colour palette or a decorative style.Once you’ve honed this down, start tothink about how you can translate thisso it works within your particular room.``````Work up the schemeMake a list of everything you want andneed for the room, from furniture andfittings to artwork and decorative accents,then check if this seems realistic againstyour proposed budget. Next, sketch outa rough floor plan to determine wherethe main pieces could go and to helpenvisage the space and ensure you canaccommodate what’s on your wish list.Once you’ve begun sourcing your keypieces of furniture and accessories, allowthese to gradually form the starting point``````for your colour scheme and the patternsyou’ll use to decorate. If you’ve chosenany bold or heavily-patterned printsfor your room, such as a detailed floralwallpaper or an intricate chevron sofa,pick out a few tones from this designto bring through into accents such ascushions, lamps, mirrors and wall art.This will help tie the whole look together.And remember, paint comes in an arrayof colours, so it’s much easier to matchthis with an ornate floor tile you lovethan to find a tile to match your paint.3 paints to tryCornflower Heartemulsion, £38.50 per2.5ltr, Paint by Conran``````Pink silkemulsion, £7.84per 2.5ltr, B&Q``````Sage Leaf mattemulsion, £12 per2.5ltr, George HomeStruggling to bring a bare room to life? Follow oursystematic approach and transform a neutral space36 |SEPTEMBER 2016 housetohome.co.uk/styleathome