jean_denton93's Ideas
Room at a GlanceWho lives here Stephanie Savvides-Howell, a deputy head teacher, with her husband, Simon, and their two Bengal cats Location Whetstone, north LondonProperty Edwardian semi with five bedroomsRoom dimensions Approx 4.8 x 5.5mThe original living room in the home of Stephanie Savvides-Howell and her husband was very different to how it appears now. Beige, brown and magnolia dominated the décor, the walls were light pink, and heavy, wooden furniture overwhelmed the space. “I wanted to open up the room as much as possible,” says Stephanie, “and go for a modern look, without losing any of the period charm.”
A dinky dressing tableThink you don’t have space for a dressing table? Try this idea. An Ikea wall unit has been installed at a low level to form an unobtrusive table top. The surface is big enough to provide a handy vanity area, incorporating a couple of drawers that are perfect for lotions and potions, but it takes up very little space in the room. A small stool is another space-saver, as it can be tucked neatly away.
In the living room, the couple laid the same engineered oak flooring that runs throughout the house. They also restored the fireplace. “The original one was 1980s fake marble with a wood-burning stove that didn’t work,” Emily says. “We found an old Victorian fireplace and had a wooden surround put in.”Walls painted in Tempest, Fired Earth.Discover the items you never knew you needed in your living room
Don’t be lured by conventionMost of us have bedside tables that stop at mattress height, right? But what about all that wall space above (remember the tip about vertical storage)? Instead, have bedside tables and wall-hung cabinets above to maximise your storage opportunities. The ones shown here are big enough to hold a ton of clothes. If you choose a storage bed, too, you’ll effortlessly keep your bedroom neat.
Q