Claire says: “Caroline’s palette comprises contrasting colours with zingy accents cleverly spread out over large spaces with tall ceilings and tonnes of natural light.
“The boldest shades are present in the accessories and furniture as pops of colours and accents rather than huge expanses. This makes it – even for a neutral-lover like me – energetic as opposed to overwhelming. I love the blue theme that weaves the spaces together and provides continuity,” she says.
Although Caroline and Ian, 37, who works at a university, have lived in the property since 2013 they only extended their home three years ago, increasing the number of bedrooms from three to five, including the couple’s master with an ensuite over the garage.
At the same time, they extended the kitchen diner out into the back garden and converted the garage into a playroom for their daughters Kennedy, 11, and Murphy, 7, while adding a downstairs bathroom.
The couple left the renovation to the professionals. But while building work was underway, and with the lion’s share of their funds already spent, Caroline began exploring “upcycling” furniture and accessories through platforms like Facebook Marketplace, to give her home an expensive, unique look on a shoestring budget.
One of Caroline’s favourite restored items is a vanity unit, bought via Facebook Marketplace, a kind of online car boot sale. She transformed the damaged and stained unit into a stylish sink basin and storage cupboard, painted orange, for the couple’s ensuite bathroom.
