AS SEEN IN METRO: STYLE LIKE SARA

It's an absolute privilege to have been featured in Metro, London's highest circulation newspaper, to talk all things house renovation. Read on to find out more about how I came to create the space I call 'home'...

metro-interview

We loved the actual space, but it was quite bland and not really my style at all. But I always knew it had potential to be my dream home. Within days of moving in [in 2018], we painted the walls in the living room midnight blue [Hague Blue by Farrow & Ball] and the whole kitchen in Downpipe [also Farrow & Ball]. I was so heavily pregnant and could have gone into labour at any moment but I was so pleased we managed to make the space a bit more “us” before my daughter arrived.

The whole renovation process [in 2021] was a real labour of love, especially since we did it during Covid with all the shops closed. There is so much choice out there and it was very hard picking samples of everything online. I was delighted when shops started to open again and we could visit actual showrooms.

Create the ultimate impact with this eye-catching made-to-order lampshade.

Combine our signature greens and pinks to add a pop of colour to your space.

As our layout is very open-plan it needed to be practical with a multifunctional feel that would work for entertaining, as well as for family time,’ says Sara. ‘In the living room I have really enjoyed creating a mix-and-match feel, using lots of different textures including wooden surfaces, tiles, linen and velvet fabrics, all adding to a lovely eclectic mix, but retaining a calm and airy feel using a strong symmetrical layout. 

Combining these features with dark, moody paint colours and the bold colour pops gives a contemporary twist on the more traditional. We added the reclaimed fireplace and created a chimney breast even though we didn’t have space for a chimney, as it gives the room a great focal point. We designed the wall panels to fit the art canvases we’d already chosen to hang there. I love how perfectly proportioned they are.

This house just felt like somewhere we could start our family. [Five years ago] we walked in and loved the house straight away.