This post is going to be basically a bunch of rambling thoughts I’m having in terms of decorating this house. It’s something that I feel like is on my mind a lot, especially as we are in the middle of this renovation project (catch up here) and I’m trying desperately to make 30,000 decisions all at the same time. So you’ll have to excuse the stream-of-consciousness format of this one but perhaps it’ll give you a little insight into my head right now!

Coordinated Colour Palette Swoon Worthy

The start of my new home’s colour palette.

It’s funny when you move into a new house (well, not ‘new new’ in our case, it’s a really old house but you know what I mean) that suddenly you have this whole blank slate to start all over again. It’s partly super exciting but also kind of terrifying, knowing just how many decisions will need to be made.

When we moved into our last house, the idea of coordinating the rooms didn’t feel as hard or perhaps it’s something I’d not even considered. Of course, the blog was in its infancy and there was less pressure in terms of finishing spaces but it was likely because we began with very little in the way of nice furniture or accessories and so we just purchased and replaced things room by room until the whole house was completed. Of course, during that 8 year period, I felt like I finally really discovered my own personal style which genuinely helps a whole lot when it comes to choosing things (read how to find your own style here). By the time we moved out, despite the fact there were a few rooms I would have liked to redecorate, I felt each room had its own function but still managed to coordinate pretty well with certain themes running through each room.

How-to-Create-a-Colour-Palette-for-Your-Home

The colour palette of my previous home.

Kate from Mad About the House talked about ‘the red thread’ on her blog not too long ago and it’s a concept that made a lot of sense to me but I’d not heard it referred to like that before. Essentially there should be certain elements – whether that’s a finish or a colour that extends to each room of the home. This ‘thread’ allows each space to feel a connection with every other.

I’ve been trying to take a more holistic view of my house since we moved in – viewing it as a whole rather than a bunch of separate spaces. I spoke about this concept recently when coordinating your accessories in this post but what about the bigger things like furniture, colours and flooring? In my old house, there were certain accent colours that were used over and over again – stark black and white, gold finishes (always gold for me), greenery, pops of mustard yellow and over time, a touch of pink or burgundy too. I talked more about creating a colour palette in this post.

Living-Room-Colour-Palette

My previous home’s living room – you can see how the colour palette is tied in with the other rooms as shown in the moodboard above.

Moving into this house, I knew I wanted to create a similar thread by way of colour but I didn’t want to use exactly the same combination as I’d done before.

marble coffee table with vintage shelving unit

My current home’s living room – as you can see, the palette is much softer.

One thing I’ve realised is that I’m starting to shy away from that stark black and white contrast. It was something I really truly loved for a very long time. Part of me wonders if it’s simply a sign of getting older and I’m just craving something a little softer and calmer now. Or, perhaps, I’m actually bucking against something that I used to love that ended up becoming a huge trend and now I want to head in a different direction.

bold maximalist dining room

The dining room in my previous home in 2014.

And I’m wondering this because it’s happened to me previously. Really bold colour, pattern mixing and maximalist design is a really popular look now but my home was all about that style back around 2013-2015 as evidenced by my old dining room circa 2014 above. It wasn’t as popular back then but once it became more mainstream, I began to pare all that colour back. It’s not that I feel pressured to stay ahead of the trends (hell, perhaps I do?!) but I feel like it’s a look I loved, tried out for some time and now I want to move on from it and evolve my style.

black white and gold kitchen

The kitchen in my previous home.

And maybe that stark black, white and gold combination is starting to feel similar to me – it’s everywhere at the moment and black kitchens with gold hardware are so much more popular now. Now, in my mind, I feel like it’s time for something different (although I can’t see me ever giving up gold so that’s definitely staying). So once again, I’m bucking against what’s a big mainstream trend in design. It’s not that I don’t like it, of course, it’s just that I’ve done it and enjoyed it and now I crave change.

living room styling in pink green and gold

My current home’s living room – I’m loving this palette.

And so in my mind, I want rose pink and peach tones to be that ‘red thread’ for me along with touches of green, gold (always gold!) and a bit of warm beige shades. The flooring downstairs will be a soft natural oak parquet which should add to that feeling of warmth. The new look of the living room captures this palette quite well but I may go even warmer in terms of the paint colours in the rest of the house.

So, I find myself shying away from black at the moment even though I still think it’s so grounding and beautiful but too much of it is getting in the way of that soft warm feeling I want. My initial plans for the kitchen were going to be black cupboard doors and that went out the window once I realised how I wanted my home to feel.

My bedroom contains quite a lot of black which I love but in time, I may lift and soften that darkness a bit with a new rug and new bedside tables – not right now, of course, but someday maybe. 

What to do with Leftover Candle Jars - Bathroom storage

The bathroom, of course, was painted black and at the moment, it really does work well but when we finally get around to tackling this space, I may end up doing something completely and wildly different in much softer shades and tones.

As for the decisions I’m making now, I’ve chosen white coliseum radiators throughout the downstairs because as much as I adore seeing beautiful black or slate grey ones in other people’s homes, it’s just a safer option to make right now when I’m still deciding how ultimately I want the house to look 5 or 10 years down the road. Honestly, I have no idea what I’m going to do with my downstairs hallway so making permanent decisions like that is always going to be difficult at this early stage.

Styled shelf using candles as storage for brushes

That similar warm palette is also in my little makeup room.

The challenge, of course, is that in trying to consider the house as a whole rather than individual rooms, it means I need to have at least an idea of how I want to decorate each room and in turn, what the ultimate vision of my house really is. We don’t have the budget to do up the whole place at once (nor, to be honest, would I want to – I prefer slow decorating) but I do want the house to feel connected from room to room as we work our way through each space. Of course, I’m only human here. I’m just as indecisive as the next person. I have to keep reminding myself that it’s okay to change my mind and that the plan can be fluid in many ways. I can make decisions as I go, it doesn’t all need to be done right now. All the things I’ve said on repeat on this blog over and over again to you which now I’m trying to remind myself.

So I’m also sticking to what may feel like some safer options in the meantime – oak parquet flooring is a beautiful classic design that won’t soon date, white Victorian-style radiators are timeless, shutters in my windows will always look good. I can bring everything else in over time and none of those ‘big’ or more permanent style decisions will interfere with my plans, no matter how many times I might change my mind.

kitchen colour planning

A sneak preview of some of the colour and finish choices I’ve made for the kitchen that I shared on Instagram.

Of course, a kitchen is a more permanent option and can’t really be changed too much once it’s in place but thankfully, I feel really quite confident of the direction it’s gone in terms of the design now and we’re getting close to finalising everything. The dining room at the moment is still a bit undecided – I know what pieces I need in there and it’s one of these spaces that I’m sure will all come together nicely in the end but decisions on some of the larger pieces (like the dining chairs, counter stools and the sideboard) are still not finalised and this is where I’m concentrating my efforts in terms of planning at the moment.

And perhaps the biggest thing I’ve decided on, after all is the way I want my home to feel. It’s not about individual objects or specific paint colours. Those can and probably will change. But that feeling of being in my own personal haven is what’s most important to me. Softer shades, gold accents and a feeling of enveloping warmth and light along with a touch of eclectic boho and glam are what’s going to drive all my decisions. 


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Swoon Worthy
Coordinated Colour Palette Swoon Worthy
How-to-Create-a-Colour-Palette-for-Your-Home
Living-Room-Colour-Palette
marble coffee table with vintage shelving unit
bold maximalist dining room
black white and gold kitchen
living room styling in pink green and gold
What to do with Leftover Candle Jars - Bathroom storage
Styled shelf using candles as storage for brushes
kitchen colour planning
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Amara IBA19 Winner Home Styling
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Ad (Press Sample) There are few kitchen products that are considered absolute classics but there is one that I have lusted after for YEARS and that is the utterly iconic @lecreusetuk large casserole pot. 🤩

For nearly a century, Le Creuset has been trusted for its superior performance, lasting quality and iconic design and the enamelled cast iron allows incredible versatility - not only can you use it with just about any heat source (from induction, glass, electric etc), you can also do everything from stir-fry to slow cooking to baking a cake in it and more. 

So, imagine my delight when Le Creuset got in touch to ask if I'd like to shoot their brand new colourway 🍑 Pêche 🍑 in my kitchen. I mean, there couldn't be a more perfect colour match with that juicy coral shade which if you've followed my account for any length of time, you'll know is one of my all-time favourites (not to mention that beautiful soft gold knob! 😍). The matching petite casserole dish and mugs are the perfect companions but you could easily mix and match this colourway with Le Creuset's other designs (Might I suggest the Sea Salt, a soft blue-green which would be gorgeous with Pêche). This new juicy summer shade is currently available exclusively at Le Creuset Official. I'd love to know which colourway is your favourite in the range?

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My little neglected makeup/dressing room has had a glow up 🥰

#swoonworthy #beforeandafter #dressingroom #makeupvanity #closetgoals
My new rug can't compete with that belly.

Rug is from @laredoute_uk (not an ad) not that anyone cares 😅

#kitchendesign
I've really loved making these pretty reusable Christmas crackers! I'm still in the process of finding cute bits for filling them but they'll definitely be a centrepiece for my table this year!🎄💕

Suggestions for what to fill them with coming soon!

(By the way, I'm not a skilled seamstress so I'm sure my techniques can be improved but just sharing what worked for me 🤗😅)

Let me know if this is something you'd try? ❤️

#swoonworthy #christmasdecor #christmascraft #diychristmas #diycrafts #easysewingproject
On 22 October 2022, I married my best friend! I can't believe it's been a whole year (and one day) I've been calling @2nilup my husband 🥰 We've been together for 15 years now and I simply can't and wouldn't want to imagine my life without him ❤️ 

#youandmeagainsttheworld #2222 

Photography: @violajayphotography 
Flowers: @primroseavenuefloral 
Dress: @camillawithlove
DIY REFILLABLE CHRISTMAS CRACKERS 🎄🎉

I've been thinking about making refillable crackers for so many years now - I just hate the waste the disposal ones create! So I'm so excited I've finally gotten around to starting this project!

I will be sharing more details on how to make them as well as ideas for what to fill them with too so stay tuned for more but in the meantime, what do you think? 

#swoonworthy #diychristmas #christmasdecor #christmascraft #easysewingproject #sustainableliving #ecofriendlyliving
Just wanted to introduce my latest plant baby in my dining room 🪴

It's from @botanique_shrewsbury and it's a Peparomia (I am probably pronouncing it wrong, I keep wanting to say
GUEST BEDROOM REVEAL 🌟

I decided on a whim, 2 weeks before we were expecting visiting family, that our guest bedroom was in desperate need of a refresh.

Well there's nothing like an impending deadline to light a 🔥 under my 🍑 and I managed to clear out the clutter, repaint the woodwork, ceilings and walls and hang wallpaper as well as restyle the room in one week 😅 (Meisha was zero help 😼)

I'm calling it Boho Vintage Victorian Grandma 😆

This wasn't sponsored in any way but the wallpaper and bedding is from @lauraashleyuk and the paint is @earthbornpaints Peach Baby - everything else I already had!

What do you think of the new look? ❤️

#bedroombeforeandafter #guestroom
#bedroommakeover
#beforeandafter
#bedroomdecor #cottagecore #vintagestyle #victorianhouse #ihavethisthingwithpink #bengalsofinstagram
🔥JOIN US ROUND THE FIRE PIT! 🔥

ad | One of my favorite things to do in summer is sit around the fire pit in the evenings with a cold beer 🍻 There's just something incredibly relaxing watching those flames and embers crackle, warming yourself up and taking the edge off falling temperatures as the sun sets!

Thanks to @homefireuk they've made the whole process incredibly easy and enjoyable with their Handy Firepit Bundle which include 2 bags of kindling, 2 bags of natural firestarters and 3 large bags of kiln-dried logs 🪵 for a really great price! 

No more standing around waiting for things to light properly or billowing smoke from wet wood, everything burns beautifully! ☺️ We literally sat around this for hours as the logs last so long, long after the sun set, just chatting and enjoying ourselves! 🥰🍻🔥

Do you love a good firepit in the summer?

#homefire #readytoburn #smokelessbyhomefire #heartofyourhome #logsbyhomefire #summerideas #firepit #gardenideas
San Sebastian photo dump - just a tiny selection 😄

We have had such a fabulous holiday to Basque Country - our first 4 days spent in the beautiful city of San Sebastian, land of pintxos, stunning architecture and some damn good wine.

#sansebastian #travelgram #photodump
A little kitchen reshuffle today so I thought I'd share 🥰

It's been 4 years since we created this space and it's still one of my favourites ♥️

#kitchendesign #kitchendecor #kitcheninspiration #kitchenideas #openshelvingkitchen #kitchenstyling
Ad 🩷 Before and after Deck makeover! 🩷

This little decked patio was looking worse for wear after a wet winter but @frenchicpaint came to the rescue with their beautiful Dusty Blush Alfresco Paint, perfect for all your outdoor projects!

The deck has been a few colours over the past few years but this is definitely the most fun and gives the whole space such a tropical vibe - even in Shrewsbury! 🏝️ 🦩🍹😄

The paint has incredible coverage and was so nice to use - I loved the tools they provided too, especially the oval brush which got into all the nooks and crannies easily!

Let me know what you think of the new colour! 

#frenchicpaint #beforeandafter #deckmakeover #gardeninspiration #gardeninspo #outdoorproject
So on a whim I decided to paint the bedroom pink yesterday 😅🩷

This room has been neglected for so long as I've wanted to fully redecorate for about 3 years now but there are always other bigger priorities or a lack of time/energy/money so I keep putting it off 🙃🙃🙃 (tell me I'm not the only one) but happily this didn't cost a penny as I used what I already had although it did take me the best part of a day!

I went through my paint stash and found that I had extra @coatpaints Percy from when I did the living room early last year -- well I'm not one to let something this good go to waste (honestly this paint is absolutely wonderful to work with and has amazing coverage) and my goodness it's just so pretty in here 🥰 I also moved my pink curtains from my office into here and the whole room just glows!

I might actually be able to live with the mural a little longer until the room gets the attention it deserves! Let me know if you like the change ♥️

*For those who are wondering, it used to be white walls and I had grey curtains! 😅

#swoonworthy #bedroomdecor #bedroommakeover #bedroomdesign #pinkpinkpink #pinkinteriors
A little photo dump from my recent living room shoot because I still love to dig into the details of a still photo 😄💕

#swoonworthy #swoonworthyscents #livingroominspo #livingroomdesign #photodump
ad How to De-stress at Home in 6 Simple Steps 😊

April has been #stressawarenessmonth and so I've teamed up with the wonderful @frenchbedroom to share a few simple tips in creating a cosy sanctuary at home!

One of my favourite ways to add a feeling of comfort and relaxation is with glorious touchable textures and the stunning Mulberry Silk ruffled cushion from French Bedroom not only looks spectacular but feels incredible too! Pairing this with other feel-good fabrics will add depth to your design and will beg you to sink in and unwind 😍

French Bedroom are also now stocking my own home fragrance brand @swoonworthyscents candles, adding another element of calm with scent to your home. I chose No 02 Sunday Morning for my living room with rejuvenating Jasmine and refreshing pine and lemon notes 🥰

Check out my latest blog post for more tips on creating a relaxing sanctuary in your home via the link in my bio!

#swoonworthy #swoonworthyscents #frenchbedroom #livingroominspo #livingroomdesign #calming #aesthetic #cottagecoreaesthetic
Who needs pancakes when you can have Lemon Drizzle Cake with Lemoncello glaze?! 😉🍋

I've had such a craving for this cake for a while so figured I'd make it today! This is a recipe from @bbcgoodfood and it's rather gorgeous 🥰

#baking #lemondrizzle #lemoncake #bakewithlove #shrovetuesday
Are you lucky enough to be owned by a cat? 🐈🐾

#bengallove #bengalsofinstagram #bengalcat #bengal #catsofinstagram #catlife
Finally managed to get the gallery wall completed in our hallway!

I couldn't have been happier with @violajayphotography capturing our little intimate wedding in October and knew as soon as I saw the photos I had to print them for our home! I admit, I've never been one to hang photos but it's probably because all we ever had after 14 years together was selfies 😂🤷🏽‍♀️ I'm so pleased we finally have some lovely shots of us together 🥰

Do you have photos of you/your partner/your family up around your home?? 🤔

#gallerywall #autumnwedding #hallwaydesign #hallwayinspo
✨These little vintage copper pans needed some TLC! ✨

After searching for a while for vintage copper pans, I found these on eBay - they looked quite grim on the ad but I knew they could be shined up nicely! A little @barkeepersfriend later (not an ad!) and I'm loving how they look in my kitchen 🥰

Let me know if you like the new addition ❤️

#kitcheninspo #kitchendesign #vintagestyle #kitchenstyling
Oh hey living room, nice to have you back ☺️

I always feel very ready to remove the excess of Christmas decor pretty much as soon as the 26th arrives but I've been later than usual this Twixmas as we've both been unwell the last couple weeks 🤦🏽‍♀️ Nevertheless, I've managed to get things packed away and I styled this little faux arrangement today for my coffee table so ya know, small victories 😄🙌🏽

#livingroom #livingroominspo #fauxflowers #coffeetabledecor