Houzz Tour: At Home With... Teri Muncey of The Lovely Drawer
Continuing our series visiting interiors bloggers at home, Teri Muncey opens up her west London flat and talks about her inspirations
Victoria Harrison
5 February 2016
Editor, Houzz UK and Ireland
Finding a rental property in London can sometimes seem like a daunting challenge, but when interiors blogger Teri and her husband were searching for a flat, she struck gold. ‘We were looking to move to this area,’ says Teri, ‘and this flat was actually the only one we viewed. Our other two bookings got cancelled, and we saw this and went for it, all in the same day.’
It needed some serious work to get it into the shape it’s in today, but Teri could see past the unpromising décor and knew she could create something special. ‘A student was living here with just a mattress, a TV and a lot of dust,’ she recalls. ‘My husband wasn’t too sure, but I saw a blank canvas with high ceilings and big windows. Eventually, he was won over by the shutters, so we made an offer that day.’
COMMENT FOR A CHANCE TO WIN
To celebrate some of the most creative and inspiring UK bloggers and their homes, we’ll be asking each blogger in this series to choose a giveaway gift that reflects their personal style. Teri has chosen a Drew bamboo and white lacquer side table from Habitat as her prize. All you have to do to enter is comment below, telling us what you love about this home. *This competition has now closed*
It needed some serious work to get it into the shape it’s in today, but Teri could see past the unpromising décor and knew she could create something special. ‘A student was living here with just a mattress, a TV and a lot of dust,’ she recalls. ‘My husband wasn’t too sure, but I saw a blank canvas with high ceilings and big windows. Eventually, he was won over by the shutters, so we made an offer that day.’
COMMENT FOR A CHANCE TO WIN
To celebrate some of the most creative and inspiring UK bloggers and their homes, we’ll be asking each blogger in this series to choose a giveaway gift that reflects their personal style. Teri has chosen a Drew bamboo and white lacquer side table from Habitat as her prize. All you have to do to enter is comment below, telling us what you love about this home. *This competition has now closed*
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Teri Muncey and her husband
Blog The Lovely Drawer
Property A rented flat in a Victorian terraced house
Size 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
Location Shepherd’s Bush, west London
Who lives here Teri Muncey and her husband
Blog The Lovely Drawer
Property A rented flat in a Victorian terraced house
Size 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
Location Shepherd’s Bush, west London
What do we need to know about your blog?
It’s a mixture of DIY/craft tutorials and style inspiration with a heavy emphasis on interiors. I try to inspire people to make things themselves on a budget. I’m all about white, bright images and minimalism.
Bar stools, Ikea. Calligraphy print, Teri Muncey.
It’s a mixture of DIY/craft tutorials and style inspiration with a heavy emphasis on interiors. I try to inspire people to make things themselves on a budget. I’m all about white, bright images and minimalism.
Bar stools, Ikea. Calligraphy print, Teri Muncey.
What made you start blogging?
I began blogging four years ago as a little hobby on the side of my full-time design job. It was actually prompted by my husband, who said I should document all my little projects. Once I started, I couldn’t stop.
It made me push myself to try new things and hone my skills. I discovered I had a love for styling and even started to get lots of freelance design work from it. It was this that actually led to my own design business, so I’m really thankful for my husband’s off-the-cuff suggestion. Now I do a mix of both full time and love it.
Black sofa, Wayfair. Grey sofa; ladder bookshelves, both Habitat. Noble shaggy chevron rug, Carpetright. Storage bench, Ikea.
I began blogging four years ago as a little hobby on the side of my full-time design job. It was actually prompted by my husband, who said I should document all my little projects. Once I started, I couldn’t stop.
It made me push myself to try new things and hone my skills. I discovered I had a love for styling and even started to get lots of freelance design work from it. It was this that actually led to my own design business, so I’m really thankful for my husband’s off-the-cuff suggestion. Now I do a mix of both full time and love it.
Black sofa, Wayfair. Grey sofa; ladder bookshelves, both Habitat. Noble shaggy chevron rug, Carpetright. Storage bench, Ikea.
How long have you lived here and how did you and your flat meet?
We’ve lived in the flat for three years now and never regretted our hasty decision to move in. You have to be so speedy on the London rental market that there was no hanging around.
I fell in love with the place straight away and my husband became more and more convinced as we started making it home and putting our stamp on it.
We’ve lived in the flat for three years now and never regretted our hasty decision to move in. You have to be so speedy on the London rental market that there was no hanging around.
I fell in love with the place straight away and my husband became more and more convinced as we started making it home and putting our stamp on it.
What was the flat like when you first moved in?
It was a mess! On the plus side, though, it was a total blank canvas in terms of the bare white walls and neutral carpets. And a massive plus was that it had a lot of built-in storage in clever places, so it didn’t need a lot of extra furniture, which would take up valuable space.
It was a mess! On the plus side, though, it was a total blank canvas in terms of the bare white walls and neutral carpets. And a massive plus was that it had a lot of built-in storage in clever places, so it didn’t need a lot of extra furniture, which would take up valuable space.
What makes you happiest at home?
The high ceilings. I honestly never thought I’d be so affected by something like that, but they make me feel as if there’s room to breathe with a clear head, particularly when working. Low ceilings tend to send me a bit stir-crazy.
The high ceilings. I honestly never thought I’d be so affected by something like that, but they make me feel as if there’s room to breathe with a clear head, particularly when working. Low ceilings tend to send me a bit stir-crazy.
Which is your favourite spot in the flat and why?
I love the sofa by the big bay window, as it gets the most natural light of anywhere in the flat. You’ll often find me curled up there with a book in the morning or photographing blog posts on a white board propped on top.
Win this Habitat side table! Just leave a comment at the end of this article to be entered into the prize draw.
I love the sofa by the big bay window, as it gets the most natural light of anywhere in the flat. You’ll often find me curled up there with a book in the morning or photographing blog posts on a white board propped on top.
Win this Habitat side table! Just leave a comment at the end of this article to be entered into the prize draw.
What’s your next big decorating project?
I’d love to swap the white bench for a new one and perhaps dot some planter stands around; I’m always finding ways to get more greenery into the space.
Pendant light, Ikea.
I’d love to swap the white bench for a new one and perhaps dot some planter stands around; I’m always finding ways to get more greenery into the space.
Pendant light, Ikea.
Utensil holder, repurposed pot sprayed copper.
Do you have a design rule you live by?
Keep the general backdrop white and simple, so you can personalise with accessories. That way, when you get bored, it’s easy to change things.
I can’t paint my walls in our rented flat, but I would always want them to be white anyway. I think it’s a big commitment to go for a colour and not something I could do when I change my mind so often.
Dining room table; white shelves; round mirror; cord pendant, all Ikea. Gold metallic paper bag, The Future Kept. Artwork; wall hanging, both Teri Muncey.
Check out these 9 style swaps for a quick refresh
Keep the general backdrop white and simple, so you can personalise with accessories. That way, when you get bored, it’s easy to change things.
I can’t paint my walls in our rented flat, but I would always want them to be white anyway. I think it’s a big commitment to go for a colour and not something I could do when I change my mind so often.
Dining room table; white shelves; round mirror; cord pendant, all Ikea. Gold metallic paper bag, The Future Kept. Artwork; wall hanging, both Teri Muncey.
Check out these 9 style swaps for a quick refresh
What do you love to do on Sunday afternoons?
Sunday afternoons are one of my favourite times of the week. I go to a local church and set aside the whole day to spend with my church family. We all live close together, so we usually have people over for a long lunch after the morning service. Sometimes we know them and sometimes we don’t, but it’s always fun.
A big factor when we were looking for a flat was having space for a dining table that seated six people, so we could host lots of meals.
Sunday afternoons are one of my favourite times of the week. I go to a local church and set aside the whole day to spend with my church family. We all live close together, so we usually have people over for a long lunch after the morning service. Sometimes we know them and sometimes we don’t, but it’s always fun.
A big factor when we were looking for a flat was having space for a dining table that seated six people, so we could host lots of meals.
What’s your key to a happy, healthy life?
I try to exercise frequently, eat well, get enough sleep, work hard without overworking and spend lots of time with people. I’m not so good at the overworking part, but I’m ‘working’ on it!
I try to exercise frequently, eat well, get enough sleep, work hard without overworking and spend lots of time with people. I’m not so good at the overworking part, but I’m ‘working’ on it!
What’s your proudest DIY achievement?
My proudest DIY was probably the hack of my Ikea bedside tables. They cost me £8 each in their original state. After a few coats of wood varnish to tone down the light wood and adhering a sheet of white vinyl to the underside of the glass, they look totally different.
I also painted the giant canvas on our living room wall in a spontaneous moment of messiness. It adds a burst of colour to the room and works well in what was a large, empty space.
Cushions; rug, both H&M. Bedside tables; bedside lights, all Ikea. String lights, notonthehighstreet.com. Canvas, Teri Muncey.
Discover 12 more easy furniture hacks
My proudest DIY was probably the hack of my Ikea bedside tables. They cost me £8 each in their original state. After a few coats of wood varnish to tone down the light wood and adhering a sheet of white vinyl to the underside of the glass, they look totally different.
I also painted the giant canvas on our living room wall in a spontaneous moment of messiness. It adds a burst of colour to the room and works well in what was a large, empty space.
Cushions; rug, both H&M. Bedside tables; bedside lights, all Ikea. String lights, notonthehighstreet.com. Canvas, Teri Muncey.
Discover 12 more easy furniture hacks
What do you think is the next big interiors trend and why?
I think there’s going to be a shift from the very minimal, clean-cut lines of the Scandinavian style to a slightly more eclectic and laid-back feel. Also, having worked our way through ‘on-trend’ metals, I think mixing all of them together might go along with this.
I think there’s going to be a shift from the very minimal, clean-cut lines of the Scandinavian style to a slightly more eclectic and laid-back feel. Also, having worked our way through ‘on-trend’ metals, I think mixing all of them together might go along with this.
What’s the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?
Unfortunately, until recently the first thing I did was check my phone, which was a really bad habit. Now I try to either workout straight away or have some breakfast (my favourite meal) and read.
Marble cleat box, West Elm.
Unfortunately, until recently the first thing I did was check my phone, which was a really bad habit. Now I try to either workout straight away or have some breakfast (my favourite meal) and read.
Marble cleat box, West Elm.
Is there anything you couldn’t live without?
The Bible, which keeps me grounded in what’s most important, and breakfast. No joke, I really look forward to breakfast each morning. I have no idea how so many people skip this meal!
I’m also not sure I could live without the opportunity to be creative in some shape or form. It’s so woven into all of me that I’d get very frustrated if I couldn’t exercise that. I might explode!
Take a look at Teri’s blog.
The Bible, which keeps me grounded in what’s most important, and breakfast. No joke, I really look forward to breakfast each morning. I have no idea how so many people skip this meal!
I’m also not sure I could live without the opportunity to be creative in some shape or form. It’s so woven into all of me that I’d get very frustrated if I couldn’t exercise that. I might explode!
Take a look at Teri’s blog.
COMMENT TO WIN
All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is post a comment below on what you love about Teri’s home. A randomly drawn entry from all comments that were submitted in the contest period and approved by Houzz UK Ltd will determine this month’s prize winner. Approved comments will be included in the draw automatically.The prize winner will receive a Drew bamboo and white lacquer side table from Habitat (if out of stock, a £35 gift voucher will be issued). Closing date 23.59pm Friday 19 February 2016. View the full competition T&Cs here. *This competition has now closed*
Are you a UK interiors blogger? Talk to us! If you’d like to submit your home for this series, please send details to ukeditor@houzz.com.
All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is post a comment below on what you love about Teri’s home. A randomly drawn entry from all comments that were submitted in the contest period and approved by Houzz UK Ltd will determine this month’s prize winner. Approved comments will be included in the draw automatically.The prize winner will receive a Drew bamboo and white lacquer side table from Habitat (if out of stock, a £35 gift voucher will be issued). Closing date 23.59pm Friday 19 February 2016. View the full competition T&Cs here. *This competition has now closed*
Are you a UK interiors blogger? Talk to us! If you’d like to submit your home for this series, please send details to ukeditor@houzz.com.
Related Stories
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A Midcentury Home With a Strong Indoor-outdoor Link
By Becky Harris
A nature-inspired renovation has given this ranch house a relaxed mood and a connection to the outdoors from most rooms
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: Warm Tones and Luxurious Surfaces in a City Townhouse
An earthy colour palette, hidden storage and well-placed texture add character and practicality to this London home
Full Story
Room Tours
Kitchen Tour: A Gorgeous Extension With a Leafy Glasshouse Feel
By Kate Burt
When the owners of this terraced house extended, they were keen to retain its period feel and highlight the garden
Full Story
Gardens
Garden Tour: A Bare Roof Terrace Becomes a Pretty, Sociable Space
By Kate Burt
A retired couple got help transforming their large rooftop into a gorgeous, welcoming, multi-functional retreat
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A Smart Layout and Genius Storage in a Victorian Home
Flipping the standard layout and carving out excellent storage have turned this tired house into a brilliant family home
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A Victorian House Brought Impressively Up to Date
By Jo Simmons
A cohesive layout and warm colours combined with energy-efficiency measures thoroughly modernise this terraced home
Full Story
Kitchen Tours
Kitchen Tour: An Open, Airy Space Made for Entertaining
Combining two separate rooms has improved flow and created a sociable open-plan kitchen, dining and seating space
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A Family Home Inspired by its Seaside Location
Coastal colours and practical design combine to create a house that will adapt as the family grows
Full Story
Kitchens
5 Inspiring Before and After Kitchen Transformations
Whether you want to boost storage, incorporate original features or maximise your space, take ideas from these designs
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: An Airy, Scandi Finish for a Tall Victorian House
By Kate Burt
From a tricky inherited bath to a sticky-out staircase, on-site problem-solving led to a seamless update for an old home
Full Story
This house is right up my street with so many gorgeous accessories!
Gorgeous and very homely, am definitely feeling more confident in attempting my own bespoke painting for our sitting room now - thanks for the motivation
Where can I access the dinning-room chair which has wooden legs and black iron strutts? Love the look and would be gorgeous underneath my black topped quartz breakfast table!