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Design DilemmaHome Decorating
murphyspad

Decorating the Attic....what would you do?

murphyspad
9 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago

I have a beautiful attic room at the top of my house that hasn't been touched for decades, I really want to convert it into a chill out/art room for myself and I'm just mulling over different ideas. I love bohemian/vintage type of look, lots of textiles and plants...the problem is, there's damp in two corners(which I will have to shell out to fix) and I have a very frugal student budget! Bearing that in mind, I would love some ideas as to what to do with it. Or, just for fun, tell me what you would do, given it was your house and there was no limits!




Featured Answer
  • PRO
    Naken Interiors
    9 years ago
    Good advice above there. Strip in out and start from fresh. Get those floorboards exposed and the cozy up with a decent shaggy rug for comfort and style.

    Comments (20)

    • Matthew Decorator
      9 years ago
      Rip up the carpet for starters and empty the room. Paint the ceiling Dulux vinyl Matt brilliant white. Seal the damp - most decorating centres sell products which work well and on top of that they offer give advice. There's paints now that aren't much more expensive than normal wall paint and don't look much different but are condensation/mould/Mildew resistant.
      Pick a nice clean, light colour in the Dulux range (best paint by far) and compete the woodwork in a brilliant white to add more light and modernise the room
      Then pick a nice carpet, most company's have the product in stock to view or even will come to the house if you have a rough design idea free of charge
    • murphyspad
      Original Author
      9 years ago
      Great advice, thank you! One more thing, well, two things actually... Do I have to wait until the damp has dryer out before painting over it? (as it's quite a large patch, and I don't want it to ruin the paint after it's finished) and also, there are some beautiful floorboards underneath that ratty carpet which I would love to keep, do you think that it would get to cold if I just had a rug over the carpet?

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    • Lainey
      9 years ago
      Once the damp patch has been fixed paint a layer of PVA over the area to ensure stainage doesn't bleed through prior to painting x
    • Lainey
      9 years ago
      & yes ensure area is dry before you apply paint or PVA
    • Jade Brindley
      9 years ago
      In terms of design I would go for a modern look
      I have added some ideas, the glass panels int he first photo work really well with a staircase in the middle but if that's not you then I wouldn't consider it
      In the second photo I would keep the sofa as it adds a sense of relaxing and comfort
      murphyspad thanked Jade Brindley
    • pollyannagal
      9 years ago
      What a lovely room!

      Don't try and seal/paint over the damp patches without fixing the cause of the damp. Get the roof/gutters/pointing etc checked and fixed before you do anything. Then let it dry thoroughly before proceeding. Frustrating but essential if you don't want to wast your time and money decorating and having it ruined. That is pretty bad damp you have and is a sign of something wrong. You might even find that the plaster has been damaged and needs repairing so I would speak to a good builder before doing anything.
    • kerryowang
      9 years ago
      wow...great bones of a room! You have some lovely vintage furniture pieces there that could be repainted/repurposed- that chair is begging to be recovered and the fireplace is lost and would make a great feature...if it were me I would start with one piece- maybe the chair?- find some fabric that inspires you and work out from that...it may direct your whole scheme in terms of colour etc..good luck!
    • sarahkew
      9 years ago
      last modified: 9 years ago
      lovely room. Definitely take up the carpet and have floor boards, The rug that is there already might look nice. I do think that ultra modern look would take away some of the character of the room, especially if you want a bohemian look. I love the fire place and window shape. Good idea to re vamp the vintage furniture. perhaps add a few antique bits of furniture. Berkhamsted is a great place for that (depending on where you live). Remember the bohemian/vintage look is about finding unique odd bits along the way and because they are all tasteful they work together. I personally would put in a chaiselongue and a vintage recored player. Vintage art equipment might look nice.
    • Abbie M
      9 years ago
      Hi, no design advice but regarding the damp, it could be a case of the flashing on the chimney needing replacing. We had this issue and removed the chimney completely as reflashing every 10-15 years was more expensive. You can get a paint called 'Bulls eye' and snap one called 'perma white' which you can use to cover stains from the damp once it has dried out as a base before normal emulsion is applied, but depending on how bad the damp is you may be better to replaster.

      Good luck!
    • murphyspad
      Original Author
      9 years ago
      I do actually love the clean, fresh lines of a white modern attic but as much as I admire it, it doesn't suit my lifestyle....I'm much to chaotic when it comes to my art! Most of my thing are going to be sourced from local thrift shops and flea markets, I just have such a fondness for old things! (Not to mention It's cheaper ;)

      kerryowang, I love your Idea of reupholstering the armchair! A new cover in a nice fabric will look great! In regards to the fireplace, I'm going to keep an eye out for some artisan tiles and then clear it out. I found out that it's still in working order, in which case I have no problem, exposing the floorboards as I will be able to keep the room warm with the fire.

      I've decided to ask a friend of mine to come in and look at the damp. The patches themselves are dry, and apparently the problem was solved but it's left one hell of a mess so I just want to be sure it's not a bigger issue before going ahead.


      For lack of better picture, this is the kind of look I'm going for. Not a very good example. But there a a few elements that I would like to incorporate into my little studio attic.
    • allthreeofus
      9 years ago
      Wow what a lovely room!

      I would definatly put a chandelier in their to create a romantic look. IKEA do a great net curtain for £5 which you could use at the window or over the bed as a canopy. Id put the bed over where the chair is now - tuck it in there and create a cosy nook.
      Colour wise I'm dreaming of a soft fresh very light pink or a warm white.
      The floor boards sound lovely and a nice shaggy rug. If the boards arent quite perfect or how you like them, you could always whitewash them. Sell the chair and ditch the wardrobes and when you can afford, buy a chair you really like.

      Good Luck and please update us with pics when you've redecorated.
    • kerryowang
      9 years ago
      If your budget is super tight and you want a sofa you could always use a pallet- get some good quality foam and cover, you can attach castors and put on lots of cushions. I think it will be a great space for vintage stuff- the wardrobe could be repurposed as a bookshelf- take off the doors, put in mdf shelves and paint! I envy your project... Love making something from nothing!
      murphyspad thanked kerryowang
    • Sam Hill
      9 years ago
      If you use Dulux, get Dulux Trade, not the stuff you find at supermarkets. The Trade one is much cheaper, and significantly better quality.
    • murphyspad
      Original Author
      9 years ago
      Dulex trade, you say? I've never heard of it before....where can I find it?
    • Matthew Decorator
      9 years ago
      Regarding Bulls eye paint sealer, use that once the mould has dried - perhaps use a dehumidifier and then apply perma-white which is the finish but is only available in light to mid tones.
      Using it currently and have so far had no problems
      It dries very quickly
      Don't bother with pva
    • Matthew Decorator
      9 years ago
      Dulux trade is a bigger stronger paint with more coverage. Paints sold in home base and b&q are available in non-trade finishes like endurance which is wipe able BUT it is still not as strong as the trade version.
      ALWAYS buy the Dulux trade version, it's slightly more expensive but usually lasts a hell of a lot longer, I've been using it over 7 years and I've never had a problem with it.
      B&q may sell it, but ask beforehand I know they sell Dulux primer/undercoat etc
      If not Brewers definitely will.
    • Lalitte Stolper
      7 years ago

      If you are making a studio that you can actually paint in, then you'll need bare boards varnished or silk-gloss painted - otherwise your rug will get ruined! Also, think about a system for hanging your works - either permanently or whilst they dry. No point having a beautifully-painted wall getting pockmarked with pins or blutac, or never changing your wall display because you want to keep things 'perfect'. A system of 'washing lines' running parallell to and close to the walls works nicely. (Jute string and clothes pegs for an old-fashioned look; steel cable or malin wire and metal hooks for contemporary - yacht chandlers are the place to go for the latter. ) Have a look at Gwen John's paintings for colour inspiration. Even though her painted interiors were Parisian, her palette remained rather English.


      On damp - limewash is magic. It doesn't seal off damp but processes it. Years ago, I painted the north wall of my very unfinished kitchen in Normandy with limewash, but didn't do the patch where the sink was. When we took the sink out to put in the floor(...) we found that the unpainted patch was DRIPPING but the painted parts were dry.

    • obobble
      7 years ago
      Dulux trade can be got from your local Dulux Decorator Centre or from good builders merchants such as Travis Perkins. Once cause of damp has been addressed and plaster dried/ replaced as necessary you might look at Zinsser products to seal the surface otherwise salts might continue to come thru. Available from Dulux DCs. Talk to the peeps in there about what is best to use.
    • PRO
      Cormar Carpets
      7 years ago

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