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12 Dec 15

My first home, house decoration on a budget

bright blue bedroom by Sophie Robinson. Photograph by Rachael Smith

House decoration on a budget sounds pretty tricky. So, I thought I’d share with you my first ever house. There’s something very poignant about your first step on the property ladder. My purchase was a 4 bedroom terraced house in the Hanover area of Brighton. Bought in 2007 it was the height of the property boom pre the credit crunch. I remember how nuts it was looking for a property- the roads were stacked high with ‘For sale’ signs that summer and house hunting was a full time job- luckily for me I was freelance as houses were selling before the agents had even printed out the particulars. And so it was with this house. I made an offer of the asking price within 48 hours of it being on the books. It was the most stressful time, I did all the wrong things- led by my heart I paid more than I could afford. But that was the hay days of self-cert mortgages so I took the risk and luckily for me, with the continued property boom in Brighton, it paid off.

So after spending out on buying the house it left me little to do it up (house decoration and interior design on a shoestring budget isn’t easy). Luckily, I found what i needed through online auctions and the infamous Brighton Car Boot sales. I began by whiting out the entire house which has been painted in a plethora of 90’s style paint effects in a Tuscan paint palette. I couldn’t live with it but didn’t want to rush decisions- so painted the whole house out in fresh bright white. It didn’t stay this way for long as I find pure brilliant white impossible to live with- its too harsh and too cold. Instead I chose a palette of off whites, warmer tones in the basement and at the back of the house and fresher whites at the front. I then had a total riot with the accessories, indulging my love of bright colours and clashing patterns.

The Sweet Shop Hanover Brighton outside

 

One of the first things I had to change was the colour of the house. When I bought it, it was painted terracotta with green windows. I hated it! The trend in Hanover is for brightly painted exteriors, so I chose a soft pink with fresh white woodwork and a subtle grey door. The houses were built around 1900- 1910 as cottages for the railway workers building Brighton station. They were very very basic, all concrete grey- the bright painted exteriors are a much more recent update. The construction is an unusual Bungaroosh method, whereby a mixture of pebbles and mortar is poured within shuttering. It means hanging shelves is a nightmare as drilling a hole in the wall is like Russian roulette.

designed by Sophie Robinson The Sweet Shop upcycled Kitchen

One of the most expensive rooms to redesign is the kitchen. I couldn’t justify ripping out the existing kitchen- it was a good quality beech wood kitchen but the units, worktop and doors all in the same wood was killing me off. So brown and so bland. I got around it with a weekend makeover. I used Zinsser undercoat and primer which is a magic product for house decoration. It can go directly onto any surface, wood, glass, laminate etc without any sanding or prep. It dries quickly, then your ready to go with your top coat of choice. I chose Whisper by Little Greene.

Sweet Shop kitchen worktop by Sophie Robinson

I then used my collection of wallpaper samples to create a quirky patchwork pattern inside each of the shaker door panels. If you don’t have wallpaper you could use any collection of papers from wrapping papers to origami papers. I then sealed it with three coats of matt clear water based varnish. Finally I updated the handles with vintage style cut glass knobs from Bombay Duck. Finally i picked up 6 Ercol chairs for £40 from Brighton carboot sale. They needed re-gluing in places and with a lick of Zinsser I soon had them updated.

Sweet Shop living room by Sophie Robinson

In the living room the same budget rules of house decoration applied. The pink velvet sofa was bought off Ebay for £300. The sofa bed was also second hand and my talented mother in law made a loose cover of the futon in my collection of vintage fabrics and much loved stripes from The Stripes Company.  Putting up picture rails to make a gallery wall is a neat idea as you can curate a collection of pictures that can be added to and rearranged over time. Especially good if you have dodgy walls! These collection of pictures I got from a house clearence guy- they are a collection of paint-by-numbers paintings circa 1950’s. I totally love the subtle colours.

living room vinatge details

 

Among the carboot booty and vintage flea market finds there are a few high street gems. The collection of vases and faux flowers are from Debenhams and the tall lamp was a bargain from Homesense.

Sweet Shop blue bedroom by Sophie Robinson. Photograph by Rachel Smith

This sunny south facing bedroom is painted in Turkish Blue by Fired Earth. Its a stunningly rich colour with plenty of warmth. I had the headboard made by The Dormy House, covered in fabric by The Stripes Company. Adding brighty coloured lampshades is an instant way to add an accent of colour to any scheme. I got these in the sale in John Lewis.

Sweet Shop violet bedroom by Sophie Robinson. Photograh by Rachael Smith

This simple bedroom scheme has a feature wallpaper by Cole and Son, although I notice it’s been discontinued. Farrow and Ball do a similar design called Lotus. The walls are a lovely colour for a bedroom, Gentle by Crown Paints. The side tables are cheap as chips Ikea and the lamps were from Bhs. They do the best affordable lighting on the high street so always worth checking out before you splash out on less cost efficient house decoration.

Yellow bedroom by Sophie Robinson. Photograph by Rachael Smith

I totally love this yellow wall colour. It reminds me of sherbert dib dabs and happiness. Its called Quince by Fired Earth. The union jack cushions are from Baileys Home. Check it out they do lovely homewares. The amazing crochet blankets were an Ebay find as was the antique french chandelier.  Peg rails are a great idea in guest rooms, rather than a bulky wardrobe.

white vintage style bedroom by Sophie Robinson. Photograph by Racheal Smith

This sunny south facing room is painted in Sail white by Crown. Its just got a touch of warm grey in it so works well if you want a fresh crisp look. The collection of vintage flower prints and paintings were collected from second hand shops and carboot shops. I totally love picking a theme and then hunting them out. Alone they may look old fashioned but when grouped togther, look really fun. The curtain fabric is from Mulberry Home, another end of roll bargain on Ebay. Rather than overloading on vintage I love to add something contemporary. The bright yellow floor lamps from Habitat do that.

Sweet Shop hallway by Sophie Robinson. Photo by Rachael Smith

The hallway and stairs goes over three floors. I totally love this Woods wallpaper by Cole and Son. I used it going throughout the three floors so it really accentuates the height of the house. The woodwork and doors is in Hammock by Little Greene which works really well. I love it as its very adaptable and looks great when you use it to pick out period features.  The coat hook is another of my most favourite things. Its the Hang it all, designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1953 and it still rocks the world of house decoration and interior design today.

Sweet Shop pink shower room by Sophie Robinson. Photograph by Rachael Smith

The small groundfloor shower room and WC was a hard room to design. With no window, positioned in the centre of the house it needed so serious colour and design flare to give it the ooomph. So I chose magenta pink metro tiles and a mirrored chinoiserie Songbird wallpaper from Anna French. The candy coloured rubber floor tiles are from Dalsouple. To stop your walls looking like a tile show room I think its nice to think of other finishes. This T&G wall panelling is suitable for a bathroom and painted in eggshell so its really durable which is essential in a small space.

 

blue vintage bathroom by Sophie Robinson. Photograph by rachael Smith

Metro tiles are uber fashionable right now but look great with a vintage style bathroom as they sit well with period style fixtures. The bathroom was in the house when I bought it but the tiles were very out of date. However if you can live with the suite its so much easier and cheaper to just replace the tiles as you are leaving the plumbing in tact. I’m particularly proud of the bath panel, its an old door.

I really loved making this house a home and collecting the fabrics, pictures and objects that made it feel mine. If you are deisgning on a budget, there is no doubt that the vintage slightly rustic look can hugely play to your favour, but it also delivers a very homely and individual home. I’d love to know your thoughts and how you make a house a home

Special thankyou to the hugely talented Rachael Smith who took these photographs. Check out her website for some drool-worthy house decoration and interiors.

 

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comments

Jenny on 12.12.15

Hi Sophie, wow, what a great first home you made.
I totally understand the need to get a project going on zero budget, we were also house hunting like crazy that summer of 2007 and OF COURSE bought at the top of the market prices in July (a 2 bed maisonette in Sand’s End, behind Chelsea Harbour) so there was no budget to get anything in (plus we had to see prices slashed in September. SHOCK. But we were in for the long ride and prices have gone right up now. But I digress).
There’s a lot that you can do on a minimal budget. £60 is enough for 2.5l of good quality paint, a roller, brush and paint tray for making a theme wall.
Ebay is great for hunting down end of rolls and wallpaper so assuming you’re a bit crafty you can do great stuff (a big cushion with Liberty’s fabric is £150 but you can make it yourself for leeeeeeess; and there are many tutorials for DIY headboards). Being on a budget also means that you have to prioritise well and sometimes it’s good to take your time to think what is more important instead of rushing into decisions that, well, cost more money fixing/changing later.

Here’s what I did with a specific room in my home that was all blunt white (with blue undertones) and transformed with some Farrow & Ball Railings: http://www.seasonsincolour.com/#!Room-Tour-My-home-office-makeover/cndy/553d362a0cf2731334f6defa

It’s great to read your posts, hopefully, despite your busy schedule, we’ll see more posts from you in 2016? Please say yes!!!
Have a great weekend,
Jenny @seasonsincolour
http://www.seasonsincolour.com

Reply
Sophie Robinson on 12.12.15

Its true that up-cycling furniture and making your own soft furnishings takes time, but can save you a fortune. I was very lucky in that my mother in law made the cushions and covers, my Mum painted the kitchen and the furniture and my Dad did the tiling and wallpapering. But we all had lots of fun in the process- and got through a tonne of tea and biscuits!
New years resolution is going to be keeping up my blog…so watch this space!!

Reply
Hannah on 12.12.15

Fab nose around your first place. Loved everything about it. We have so many similar collections its barmy! Looking forward to more blogging in 2016.

Reply
Sophie Robinson on 12.12.15

I would love a nose around your house, we have very similar taste, a bit kitsch!

Reply
Becky | accooohtrements.wordpress.com on 14.12.15

I can’t BELIEVE I haven’t come across your blog before – it’s so beautiful! I’m also in love with your house. The exterior & interior are both perfection <3

Becky :: ACCOOOHTREMENTS LIFESTYLE, TRAVEL + DESIGN BLOG

Reply
Sophie Robinson on 14.12.15

Thanks Becky- I’m pretty new to this blogging lark! I’m going to trying much harder in 2016. My blog is soon to change to sophierobinson.co.uk so I’ll keep you up to date!

Reply
Jo on 16.12.15

Every single room is gorgeous, my dream house! I especially love the bedside lamp with the pink shade.

Reply
Sophie Robinson on 21.12.15

Thank you Jo. I was pleased with them. Switching plain white shades for a pop of colour is a great way to add an accent to a room

Reply
Mattie on 02.01.16

This house looks amazing! I’m only 13 and I’d love to be an interior designer when I’m older! I love the great interior design challenge as well, it’s my favourite show. I just started a blog and so far it’s just crafts and stuff, but when (or if) I design my own house, I would definitely blog about it like you!

Reply
Sophie Robinson on 02.01.16

Hi Mattie
I’m so happy that you enjoy my blog and the Great Interior Design Challenge. When I was 13 I was nuts about interior design too. I think doing your own blog is by far the best way to start, so good for you! Blogging wasn’t a ‘thing’ when I started out, but if I was your age I’d be doing it for sure.

Reply
Mattie on 02.01.16

Thank you so much, I’ll definitely continue blogging 🙂

Reply
Stephanie on 05.03.16

Hi Sophie,
What a gorgeous, happy home! Thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge on your blog. As an interior design obsessive, I was delighted to find we have very similar taste: colour, pattern, too many cushions, and a love of stripes. I really enjoyed the show and always seem to share your opinion. Your dress sense is so unique and fabulous, I really looked forward to see what you’d be wearing each time, too! I do hope your busy schedule allows you to keep blogging.

Reply
Sophie Robinson on 06.03.16

Thanks so much for the words of encouragement! I’m really going to try! Doing lots on Instagram and YouTube too, so make sure you follow me there as well xx

Reply
lucy on 17.03.16

Hi Sophie,
I stumbled upon your article while googling “decorating a basement”. I instantly recognised your beautiful pink house because I know the area well, in fact we are moving onto the same street a week from now.
We have the three floor setup, similar to yours, with the living, dining, kitchen in the basement. I was particularly interested in what you’ve done with your basement floor because our house is so similar. I’ve been researching ideas for layout so that the space doesn’t feel too cramped, while accommodating a dining area within the kitchen and living room space.. It looks like your basement is bigger than ours but I love what you’ve done with it and it has given me some good inspiration! We will have a challenge ahead of us to make the space work but it’s great to have read your article to see how other people have made a similar space work.
I’m really looking forward to moving in and getting stuck in to the decorations (like you, we stretched ourselves and now have a tight budget!)
Great article!!

Lucy

Reply
Sophie Robinson on 21.03.16

Hi Lucy
Welcome to Hanover. You will love it such a great area, however we’ve since moved on but I’ve still got lots of friends in the area. Great pubs too! The basement floor is beech block wood parquet. It works well as the colour is very pale and its been sealed with a varnish which means it also bounces light back into the room, which is essential in a basement. However I wouldn’t recommend block parquet for kitchen areas. Our washing machine flooded once and the floor took an awful lot of work to repair. Good luck with your renovations!

Reply
lucy on 03.04.16

Thanks for the parquet and varnish tip!

Reply
Jools on 14.01.17

Lovely house, great ideas, but SO not ‘budget’! John Lewis, Fired Earth, Cole & Son etc., are very expensive to most.

Reply
Sophie Robinson on 17.01.17

Oh Jools I’m sorry I feel your pain! Budgets are different for different folk. I do like my designer stuff, hands up I’m guilty! But the way I made it work in my budget was to mix it with far less expensive stuff, so I could have the odd splurge. I think that’s the bigger message. Aim to save overall and then spend out on a few bits that you love.

Reply
Belinda on 27.01.17

Beautiful house Sophie. It was nice to see you in the final episode you added a nice fresh touch – I watched it this morning before work! Anyway I love your taste it’s similar to mine – only a lot better thought through. However, we can all have a bit of a tidy up and do some painting which really makes a difference. Thank you for sharing it all on here.

Reply
Sophie Robinson on 29.01.17

Hi Belinda. Thank you for your kind words and so happy you’re loving my blog

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Who’s back at their desk this week with big plan Who’s back at their desk this week with big plans for their home in 2021! I’m thrilled and excited that my online course Colour Psychology for interiors is open for enrolment TODAY! 🛎🛎🛎 By far the most popular course to date this is a deep dive into how colour works on a deeper more emotional level. Discover how to blend colour harmoniously in your schemes and understand which palettes are perfect for you. Because we all have very different connections to colour and design and finding out what your authentic palette and style is is fundamental to creating a home you love. I’ve spent years honing my own style but with this course you can nail it in a matter of weeks! And it’s a beautiful deep dive into self discovery and creativity while  helping you gain clarity, confidence and cut through the overwhelm. Because there is enough of that going around already! 🤪 I’ll be back here at 6pm tonight on an Instagram live to tell you more about the transformational power of Colour Psychology for interiors so please join me and ask any questions! Bring on the colour joy! 🌈🌈🌈

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The year we stayed at home. 2020 has taught me to The year we stayed at home. 2020 has taught me to care and love the simple things. And in many ways I’m blessed that being at home is often just where I want to be. The year ahead still holds so many unknowns and managing fears, expectations and anxieties will continue to be part of the battle.  But making a house a home can really help us feel safe and grounded. So here are some beautiful flowers, and rainbow baubles that go towards making my home feel the best it can. How do you make your home feel extra special and bring a smile to your face 😊? 

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Hello!!! How ARE you?! I’m loving this twixmas t Hello!!! How ARE you?! I’m loving this twixmas time, having long lie ins, reading loads, and on that subject currently ‘Think like a monk’ by @jayshetty is PERFECT right now for a mental reset. I’m resisting thoughts of 2021, of work or ‘real life’, for just a couple more days. I see lots of people clearing down the decorations and getting the house feeling fresh, but I’m keeping the twinkle a little longer. But I can feel the batteries are recharging and boy they needed too! I meant to do my yearly vision board today but couldn’t get motivated to do that either! . How are you all doing. Anyone feeling ready to take on the new year yet?  #tapfordetails 
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All dressed up and no where to go! Ha ha! In reali All dressed up and no where to go! Ha ha! In reality I’m in my joggers peeling a mountain of root vegetables but living the dream on the grid just for you! Thanks so much for all of you who have spread the joy and magic of Christmas on these squares. I’ve loved the colour, the creativity and the joy it’s bought. Wishing you all a special Christmas however you are making it work for you, which probably wasn’t  what you’d ever have expected. A special heartfelt virtual hug going out to all of you struggling at this time. See you on the other side! 

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