The highs and lows of DIY
Useful tricks that I picked up on the job
Before and After photos from past home renovations
We decorated the flat with the intention of staying for a long time. We also wanted to create a balance between modern living and a respect to the original features of the interior. The stained glass, fireplaces, cornicing and cast iron range were the focal points in each room, with everything else being designed around making those things sing
Read MoreBefore, there were no defined spaces. So, the plan was to create a specific purpose for each room, utilising the space as efficiently as possible. Although the apartment is small, it has all the essentials for modern living. This was the concept for the whole design. I kept the décor consistent throughout the flat. Blues and yellows with a mid-century modern vibe.
Read MoreWhen Graeme and I decided to move in together we vowed not to buy the first place we viewed, but lo and behold, it happened! As soon as we walked through the door, we fell in love with the place. The purple kitchen, grim bathroom and the smell of dampness didn’t put us off. The apartment hadn’t been lived in for over a year and the renovation seemed never-ending but we eventually created a home that we can still enjoy to this day.
Read MoreThis was my first proper interior design gig. Graeme had bought a fixer upper with a neutral colour palette in mind but, I suggested something a little more adventurous. I was going for a New York loft apartment feel and proposed we furnish the place too. We were a new couple at this point so, to my amazement, he agreed without hesitation, set a budget for me and didn’t question a thing! I guess that’s why we’re still going strong!
Read MoreWe have three bedrooms in our apartment. The blue room is the spare bedroom, the green room is the Airbnb room and the Master is our bedroom. The Master bedroom mirrors the living room so it’s huge! It houses our bed, as well as a wardrobe, fireplace, my workspace and Graeme’s music studio. We opened our home to short term lets about a year ago. We always stay with locals in their home when we go travelling so we thought why not!
Read MoreI wanted to create a cosy Scottish hideaway that reflects the lifestyle idea ‘coorie’. Coorie is a Scots word meaning to snuggle or nestle. It is similar to the Scandinavian concept of hygge. We put a small log burner into the lounge, which keeps the whole room warm. The green and lavender colour scheme mirrors the colours of the Scottish hills at the end of Spring.
Read MoreI tend to tackle bathroom decor with a single starting point, such as a tile I love or a particular bath, and then work the rest based on that. I knew I wanted ‘concrete’ walls so that was the starting point for me here. There is a partition in the bathroom that separates the bath and toilet from the vanity area. It doesn’t reach the ceiling and it has a door with some stained glass panels in it. It’s a beautiful original feature that has green tones in it, so I added green touches throughout to compliment that.
Read MoreWe wanted to be sympathetic to the building we live in and design our dream kitchen based on ideas we love, but also something that was true to how they would have lived back when the flat was built. We chose dark colours, industrial elements and traditional accessories.
Read MoreAbout 2 years ago, we decided to renovate the flat and move back in. In the lounge, we freshened up the walls with a new paint colour, sanded the floors and re-finished them, moved a radiator, changed the window dressings, replaced the ropes and hardware on the sash and case windows and put in new furniture.
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