House Ideas
Go nice with a sliceNothing says sunshine like a blast of yellow, and this narrow wall provides the ideal spot to unleash a band of bright colour. Here, a yellow chair adds an extra touch of the shade and, if you don’t want to commit to a wall (however small), colourful accessories are a tried and tested way to add a cheery feel.
Boesveldt and Yashkin’s upper-floor home had been neglected for many years before the couple purchased it in 2009. They gave the whole place a much-needed update, including new flooring and a fresh coat of white and cream paint on the walls. Dusty pink, soft yellow and mint green are some of Boesveldt’s favourite colours. She combined all three in the light and airy living room to create a soft and dreamy atmosphere. The couch is the very first sample of the couple’s Bench sofa design. It’s complemented by a handmade coffee table by Christien Starkenburg of SlowWood, a vintage armchair picked up at a Berlin flea market and a classic Gerrit Rietveld Zig-Zag chair.
‘I wish I could say I jetted off to Sweden to do research, but that wasn’t possible,’ says Elms. ‘Thank God for the Internet.’Elms, Gleysteen and Marshall came up with a simple, clean material palette: white walls, Southern pine and grey stone and tile.The palette is on display in the living room. Southern pine lines the ceiling and makes up the floor and bookshelves. The walls and sleek flat-front cabinets are pure white. The hearth under the minimalist Scandinavian fireplace is light grey, and dark grey stone lines the built-in firewood storage box.The designer took a clean-lined approach with all the choices, down to the television set. ‘The TV, seen on the left, is from Bang & Olufsen, and the white panel you see on it is actually a speaker,’ she says. ‘To us that makes it fade away more than a standard television.’The armchairs swivel, allowing the occupant to view the television or the garden behind them (not pictured is a large floor-to-ceiling window).Television: Bang & Olufsen; armchairs: Crate & BarrelBrowse 10 ways to work in Scandi style
One of the home’s most unforgettable spaces is the living room, decked out in a flirty palette of salmon pink and apple green. The eclectic furniture ranges from showroom pieces to antique market finds.‘I favour mixing the old with the new to create spaces that are both modern and timeless,’ Gwen says. ‘I often strive to integrate both high-end and cost-effective furnishings to achieve a balance between comfort, function, affordability and style.’ Except for the sofa, each piece of furniture has been customised with new upholstery. The artwork was a DIY project Gwen created using paintable wallpaper and blank canvases.
Boost the bathroomA pale, neutral colour scheme makes perfect sense in a bathroom, where good light is a must-have. This means introducing a bold colour needs to be done carefully – and sparingly. So where to put it? The underside of a roll-top bath tub is the perfect place, making the bath the centre of attention. The rich, elegant red chosen for this bath adds depth and drama without clashing with the grown-up aesthetic of the room. Remember, it’ll be about more than just choosing a complementary colour – think about how to match the mood, too.
Rethink the kitchenIf yours is an all-white, all-cream or all-grey kitchen, painting a unit or two in a bold colour will give the whole room a smart new look. Choose an elegant, easy-to-live-with shade, such as blue, that complements the style of the units and can easily be carried through to accessories, such as table runners or china.
Paint the table legsRepainting a whole table – top and all – takes a lot of elbow grease, paint and upkeep. Painting just the legs makes a big impression, looks much more interesting, and takes half the time. The paint shade you use depends on how formal you want the room to look: choose bold, sunny colours for a breakfast room, while more muted tones may work well for a dining room.
Go eclecticConsidering painting wooden or metal dining chairs? Don’t do all the seats around the table in the same colour. Painting just one or two in a bright shade and leaving the rest natural will give your kitchen-diner a cool vintage vibe. Like the effect? Carry the paint colour through to accent a couple of other elements, too.Mismatched or matching dining chairs – which would you go for?
Step into colourStairs offer a prime location for adding a bit of character to a home, and these lino-covered ones provide a rainbow burst of joy to the hallway. On a miserable day, opening the front door to this colourful staircase is bound to lift the spirits.
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