When they were given the keys to their future home, a Victorian terrace house in North Dulwich, this happy duo felt especially lucky. With several other buyers vying for interest, the sale had gone down to sealed bids. ‘The house hadn’t been touched and you don’t find many properties like that in the area so there were lots of people competing. It was all a bit tense but we were thrilled when we found out that our offer had been accepted’, says the homeowner, who has just set up her own interior design firm (emmamastersinteriors.com).

The couple, who have a six-year-old son, were only in possession of the keys a few short hours before handing them straight over to the builders. ‘Because it was a probate sale there were several months before taking ownership and that gave me the time to plan, get quotes and create job lists,’ recalls the homeowner.

Despite the accumulation of many years’ worth of furniture and decay, the couple could see the potential. ‘Our motivations for moving were for more space and to get into a better catchment area for schools. We knew fairly quickly that we wanted to buy the house. The rooms had a really nice sense of proportion and character so we made an offer at the end of the viewing,’ she says.

After handing the house over to the builders in May and renting nearby, it wasn’t until December that the family finally moved in. After such an epic overhaul of their home, the family are keen now to slow down the pace and relax. ‘Thankfully we bit the bullet and re-landscaped the garden at the same time as the builders were here so now we’re just determined to enjoy the fruits of our labours.’

Hallway

Image credit: Future/ Brent Darby

Underneath several layers of carpet, the couple discovered the well preserved Victorian tiles which were later cleaned.

‘According to the neighbours, the house had always been owned by the same family. The builders found all sorts of relics from the past including a book of buttons from 1917 that had been stuffed up the chimney. We think the owner had put it up there to stop the draft. He’d also added layers and layers of carpets over the years under which were floorboards and tiles in fantastic condition,’ they note.

Sitting room

Image credit: Future/ Brent Darby

A wallpaper backdrop unites this scheme with moderating grey tones providing a sense of depth. Original floorboards have been repainted in a tonal grey to continue the sense of flow and calm.

‘I’m not one for a huge amount of colour so I opted for a tight, neutral base adding blue accents with accessories and artwork,’ says the homeowner of the grey living room idea. ‘Ebay was a brilliant resource for us. We bought lots of furniture which we then reupholstered. We also found lovely accessories, like a set of Georgian door handles that were in keeping with the house. The two wallpaper prints also bring a characterful cohesion.’

Snug

Image credit: Future/ Brent Darby

The low horizontal profile of this sofa pairs well with the picture shelf display of art.

Image credit: Future/ Brent Darby

Small scale mid-century style chairs ensure the doorway is unobstructed while the blue accent of the painting animates the scheme.

The low horizontal profile of this sofa pairs well with the picture shelf display of art.

Kitchen

Image credit: Future/ Brent Darby

The couple’s intense overhaul of the house involved a new full width kitchen-dining area built out 4.5 metres from the original house. The old galley kitchen was turned into a utility room design and downstairs cloakroom.

Pale hardwearing porcelain tiles bring a lighter feel to this north facing space. Industrial touches in the pendant lights and bar stools tie in with the steel framed windows.

Dining area

Image credit: Future/ Brent Darby

Industrial wall lights are mixed with a more traditional wall panelling idea for a fresh updated look. Chairs from an antique market were repainted to fit into the colour scheme.

Bathroom

Image credit: Future/ Brent Darby

Upstairs the family bathroom was enlarged and, above that, a loft conversion with two bedrooms and a bathroom were added. New windows, roof tiles and the renovation of the front door gave the property a curb side facelift.

The homeowners moved the wall slightly to allow space for both a tub and generous shower. The grey veins of the marble gently unite the scheme.

Main bedroom

Image credit: Future/ Brent Darby

Rather than hang art, the bedroom wallpaper idea lends drama to the scheme. The low headboard ensures it gets maximum impact. The warm woody tones of antique furniture punctuate this neutral scheme.

Boy’s bedroom

Image credit: Future/ Brent Darby

An accent wall with glow in the dark stickers brings a magical feel after dark for this kid’s room idea. The monochromatic scheme will work well as Alfie gets older. Wall stickers lend both colour and an educational element to the neutral walls.

Guest bedroom

Image credit: Future/ Brent Darby

A dark accent wall provides a sense of depth with a simple geometric print offering a focal point, bringing the same monochromatic sense of continuity as seen throughout the house. A dressing table-cum-workspace is a versatile addition.

Feature by Juliet Benning.

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The owners bought their house knowing that they could make a big difference to what was already there and create the sort of home they’d dreamed of.

‘When we moved in, the house had a bathroom you really wouldn’t want to spend much time in, and a tiny en-suite,’ they say. ‘We were keen to improve the property, so we decided to extend the master bedroom and en-suite. We had a good idea of what we wanted the new shower room to be like, but in order to make the most of the space, we employed an architect to help us draw up the plans.’

The pair already had a great local builder in mind to carry out the project. ‘We knew him before and had inspected his work, so we were confident it was up to scratch,’ they say. ‘He did such an amazing job.’

The new en suite is much bigger than it was and, as it’s only the couple that use it, they decided to treat themselves by recreating a hotel spa look, with plenty of natural stone and mirrors. A winning bathroom idea to make everyday routines feel more luxurious.

Supersized shower room makeover

Image credits: Future PLC/ Colin Poole

‘We’ve always liked Villeroy & Boch bathrooms,’ say the owners. ‘And as we’re not planning to work on this room again for a long time, we splashed out on our sanitaryware. We also chose gorgeous tiles that are different sizes, but all made of luxurious grey stone.’

Rather than having blinds, the couple added opaque glass for privacy.

Shower with stylish glass screen

Image credits: Future PLC/ Colin Poole

For a similarly fuss-free look, the shower fittings were kept very streamlined. ‘We looked hard to find a shower with as little chrome as possible,’ they say. ‘And we chose a glass shower enclosure because we wanted it to look almost transparent when you walk in.’

Image credits: Future PLC/ Colin Poole

The one thing the couple had kept from the previous bathroom was a radiator. ‘Now it has a lot more space around it, so it’s more effective,’ they say. ‘And because everything else is neutral, we treated ourselves to bright hammam towels to add bursts of colour.’

Savvy bathroom storage shelf

Image credits: Future PLC/ Colin Poole

The plumbing is hidden by a false wall, so the owners built in a handy shelf for shower essentials. A great solution in a small bathroom idea where less on show means the space appears bigger to the eye.

Image credits: Future PLC/ Colin Poole

To complete the scheme, the couple added two mirrors to throw light around the room. ‘It’s a fairly cheap way of making the space seem larger,’ they say. ‘And it’s easy to get pieces of mirror glass cut to size at a local merchant.’ Just one of the many great ways to make your bathroom feel bigger.

Image credits: Future PLC/ Colin Poole

This bathroom storage idea makes the space feel effortlessly tidy and organised. ‘It’s a luxury to have this much storage,’ the pair say. ‘We’ve got a drawer each, with the inside of one divided into sections for toiletries and make-up.’

Image credits: Future PLC/ Colin Poole

‘We love the shape of this basin mixer,’ say the owners, ‘and we’ve echoed it in the shower controls, so everything ties together.’

The couple are so happy with their newly supersized shower. ‘You can’t keep us out of here now!’ they say. Testament of a bathroom makeover well done.

This bathroom makeover originally appeared in Style at Home, July 2017.

The post Before and after: from tiny en-suite to supersized shower room appeared first on Ideal Home.

Conservatories offer that sweet spot between indoors and outdoors, a glass extension that fills a room with natural light. But what happens once the sun goes down and you want to use the extra living space? You look for smart conservatory lighting ideas to be able to use the space at any time of the day, that’s what.

For a room that is naturally filled with light during the day it can be difficult to get the right balance for lighting to make the glass space useable for all hours throughout the day, no matter the season.

Conservatory lighting ideas

‘The beauty of a glazed extension is the natural light that permeates the room below’ says Karen Bell, Creative Director at David Salisbury. ‘A glass roof will of course illuminate a space and significantly reduce the need for artificial lighting during daylight hours, but come evening time you’ll want to think about additional lighting options which complement your room.’

‘Essentially, there are a number of possibilities, and combinations when it comes to lighting your conservatory. The key is to consider this early on in your plans, and talk it through with your designer – if not you’ll be left with cumbersome wires and plug sockets that will hamper the aesthetics of your new extension.’

Consider these lighting ideas for your conservatory idea.

1. Create a focal point

Image credit: Future PLC

‘If your conservatory is simply somewhere to relax and unwind with friends or family, then you may consider a statement feature light such as a chandelier or pendant lighting’ suggests says Karen Bell, Creative Director at David Salisbury. The statement overhead light, ‘can create a warm glow and real focal point to your room.’

2. Utilise walls for light placement

Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole

A foundation wall provides the most practical solution to run electrics to power conservatory lighting ideas, installing wall light around the outer edge to frame the room from within.

These wall sconce lights are the perfect way to filter light up and down the exterior brick walls, reflecting just enough of a warm glow from the glass ceiling above. Choosing down-lighters, instead of shaded wall lights, helps gain the light but avoids any reflections from surrounding glass.

3. Make a statement in a porch

Image credit: Vale Garden Houses

Whether your conservatory and orangery extension is the front or back porch make a statement with the lighting to make a good impression on entry to the house. An elegant central light fitting commands such attention, striking the perfect balance of functional and fantastically decorative. A central overhead light floods the floor below with light to make a focal point of the entrance.

Add to the lighting scheme with wall lights on the exterior walls that support the glass structure,  especially for larger rooms that would benefit from extra lighting.

4. Evenly distribute lighting throughout the room

Image credit: David Salisbury

‘LED spotlight strips are a great way to provide ambient lighting that’s well distributed around your extension and can actually highlight some of the roof’s features and create interesting shadow effects’ says Karen. ‘These are usually used in combination with other sources of direct light for when specific tasks require a more localised or brighter option.’

5. Create cosy corners with spotlights

Image credit: Future PLC/ Brent Darby

Use directional spotlight lamps to create cosy corners to curl with with a good book or a glass of wine after dinner. Lamps of all sizes are a gift in a conservatory interior idea, where you may have less options for wired in electrics – due to the glass structure. You can balance the light levels with a mix of floor lamps in corners and table lamps on top of key furniture pieces.

Concealing extension leads means you can have lamps in any corner, you’re not restricted by the electric socket layout within the room.

6. Place pendants over a dining table

Image credit: Iconic Lamps

Determine a conservatory dining room idea around where the lights are placed. Suspend pendants over a dining table to set the scene for the rooms purpose. Drop the pendants lower to create a more intimate dining arrangement, using the light to illuminate the table as the focal point of the space.

7. Sink spotlights into the framework

Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles

Ceiling spotlights are a great way to add a balanced level of lighting to any room. Trickier in a conservatory because of the nature of a glass roof, but manageable in more of an orangery design idea where a secondary roof panel can be built to accommodate sunken spotlights.

Given the structure of any glass room this option will purely be to light the edges of the room, framing the space with down lighting. Go one step further and make the

8. Add low level lighting

Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles

‘Clever lighting can create dramatic effects and give the room different ‘moods’’ explains Lisa Morton at Vale Garden Houses. ‘At night, consideration needs to take into account ‘reflection’, as without blinds, any light inside will be mirrored back into the room. Low-level lighting minimises this problem. Also down-lights can be installed around the outer edge to frame the room from within.’

9. Balance lighting solutions

Image credit: Future PLC

Mix mediums to ensure you have the right light to suit the purpose of the room as you choose to use it. Seek a floor lamp to create a reading nook in a corner for some quiet time. Sink spotlights around the perimeter to illuminate the doorways and frame the space. Choose a lower level lamp to create am ambient low light when using the room for hosting dinner parties.

10. Zone different areas in an open-plan layout

Image credit: Vivafolio

The right lighting can help to dedicate zones within an open-plan kitchen idea, such as this example from Viva Folio. Hang pendant light directly over a dining table within an open-plan layout to zone a dedicated area set aside for eating and socialising.

‘The type of lighting you need will be largely dictated by what you use your conservatory for’ Karen advises. ‘For example, if you’re planning a kitchen extension, functionality may sway decision-making more than design alone.’

11. Cast directional lighting on a desk area

Image credit: Future PLC/ Spike Powell

In addition to overhead lights be sure to place low level lights to highlight areas of dedicated work space. This small home office idea in the conservatory is fie by day, but by night a task light is required to ensure the darkness doesn’t take over and impair the job at hand.

12. Consider task lighting in a kitchen conservatory

Image credit: Resi

If your conservatory is an extension of your kitchen space apply the same kitchen lighting ideas that make the most of its function. Opt for lighting concealed beneath units to provide task lighting while using the worktops, opt for over head pendants for more ambient lighting – where the roof structure allows.

13. Add a functional fan light

Image credit: Future PLC

”Adding in a conservatory fan light can have an impact’ says Karen. ‘And is also a good way to tackle air flow and lighting at the same time. Plus it’s a creative way to work around the restrictions of a glass roof.’

14. Ensure the lighting scheme is level

Image credit: Hampton Conservatories

When planning your conservatory lighting idea be sure to take into consideration the different height levels at which light is required. Light the overall room form a centrally place ceiling light, chandelier or pendant, then think about different heights to cascade light to different levels. For secondary lighting consider a taller floor lamp to illuminate a corner or place behind an armchair to add a highlight. Or a table lamp to

What is the best lighting for a conservatory?

‘The right lighting can transform your conservatory into a space to be enjoyed from day through to night’ says Niki Wright, founder of Lightsandlamps.com. ‘Mood lighting is imperative for creating the perfect ambience. Instead of relying on one ceiling light, to occupy the whole space, incorporating a mixture of table and floor lamps will allow you to create different levels of light. Softly illuminating the space and adding warmth and atmosphere to the conservatory.’

‘As a space which generally doesn’t need lighting in the day, turning your attention to trend-driven pieces will add design features when your lights are off’ He adds. ‘Lightsandlamps.com has an extended offering of table and floor lamps, from the classic Penn to the more contemporary Feya. Meanwhile, try a floor lamp such as the Circo, which makes a brilliant reading light.

The post Conservatory lighting ideas to use the space all day, every day appeared first on Ideal Home.

A walk-in wardrobe may be desirable, but let’s face it, these bespoke storage spaces don’t always come cheap. There’s a reason why they’re a celebrity favourite. However, with a trip to IKEA and a little hard work you can save a fortune building one.

That is just what Megan Righelato from Essex did when she updated her bedroom and wardrobe area. If you’re short of bedroom ideas or have been stuck on wardrobe storage ideas, then this makeover is a lesson in great planning and creative thinking.

Having moved into the house she shares with her boyfriend in October 2020, Megan was keen to turn her bedroom into a soothing sleep space with the walk-in wardrobe of her dreams.

IKEA Pax walk-in wardrobe makeover

Bedroom before

Image credit: @megsathome

Beige walls and carpet, curtain-free windows and lots of scuff marks meant the bedroom in Megan’s new home was in desperate need of a makeover.

‘We’re having to budget as we’re renovating the whole house and adding an extension downstairs next year,’ Megan told online retailer MattressNextDay.

‘We spent approximately £1,000 building our walk-in wardrobe and renovating the bedroom. Keeping costs low by doing everything ourselves, as paying for labour is usually the biggest expense.’

Image credit: @megsathome

On the other side of the room, a small mirrored wardrobe just didn’t live up to Megan’s dream of a large clothing closet. She began to think about how she could use the space better. With the average cost of a labourer around £200 per day, it would likely have cost Megan about £800 in labour. However, she was determined to do the work herself.

‘As we both work full-time we could only dedicate our weekends to working on it,’ she says. ‘It took about six weekends in total.’

Glam bedroom after

Image credit: @megsathome

Fast forward to now and you wouldn’t recognise it as the same room. Gone are the plain walls and dreary decor. Now a smart bed, wall panelling and beautiful lighting combine to create a stylish hotel feel.

‘We wanted to go for a calming vibe, so we kept the tones neutral,’ Megan explains. ‘However, we used black accents to add more modern touches throughout the room, such as the black sockets and the statement chandelier overhead.’

Image credit: @megsathome

On to the walk-in wardrobe idea, which Megan made after watching YouTube videos. Large enough to store all her clothes and shoes neatly, the wardrobe area looks much more expensive than it is.

The bespoke space is filled with plenty of drawers and rails, a small dressing table area and vinyl herringbone-effect flooring.

‘It was a bit of a nightmare to get our heads around, but with the help of YouTube we ended up mastering it,’ she says.

‘By the end, I realised that it’s important not to be afraid to make mistakes and realise that it always gets worse before it gets better. We got to a point where it felt like it was never-ending, but we are so pleased with the result.’

Image credit: @megsathome

Another way that Megan saved money was by buying cheaper (but good quality) wardrobes and finding ways to make them look more bespoke.

‘We purchased IKEA’s Pax wardrobe units for around £600, but added beading to the drawers to match the more traditional style of our bedroom, such as the panelling,’ she says. ‘We then painted them in Crown’s Satin White and added cup-shaped handles to the wardrobes to make them look more expensive.’

Megan’s done an amazing job and it’s a space to be proud of. You can see more of Megan’s home on her Instagram account @megsathome.

Has this inspired you to create your own walk-in wardrobe?

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