Essex House - Study

The double doors add so much light to this room.

I am so happy with how our study turned out. It was such a dark and gloomy room, it felt cold and didn’t look like a room you would want to chill out in. So when we began the renovations on the house, I knew we would need to figure out a way to get some much-needed light into the space.

 I always loved the look of indoor window systems. So after some research and inspiration I decided it would look perfect in replace of a solid wall for this room. The study is one of the first rooms you see when you enter the house so the window also acts as a feature for the entryway.

After many back and forth meetings with the window suppliers, carpenters to make and install the book cupboards and decorators, our vision of a comfortable room to read, catch up or meditate was achieved. I love to call it the fancy smokers room!

during renovation both the floors and ceilings were removed

Before and during the renovation, the walls and ceiling were ripped out throughout the house. Lets just say it was not easy to see even though I knew changing the layout would improve the flow of the house. At this point I did ask myself the question, did I agree to this, are you sure you want to do this? These questions were normal, and when the walls and ceilings were put back together and the decorating had started I knew we had made the right decision to stick with our vision as we could see it coming to life.

completed study

My vision was to create a smokers room come snug, so using Farrow and Ball Hague Blue for both the walls and the book cupboard was perfect for creating this look.

I love the idea of built-in storage. Mainly because it makes keeping a organised and tidy house so easy. I contacted a local carpenter who did an amazing job of building and installing these bookshelves based on a design I had shown them.

Gold metallic coffee table is an additional feature to the room.

bright yellow sofa to add a pop of colour to the room

I just love this yellow sofa.

Jazz festival poster and handmade basket ideal for storing blankets

So there you have it! A fancy smokers room which I adore. Adding light with the window system but keeping the paint decor dark to keep that snug feel has given this room an airy, relaxing feel. This room encourages us to read more as a family, relax after a long day and it has become a great place to start our mornings and discuss the day ahead.

Thanks for reading!

Essex House - Stairs

So I always knew I wanted the stairs to make a statement and wanted a design that would keep its style over time. I was really excited to start this project and the possibilities you can do to make your stairs a feature. We really thought about going out ‘there’ by using a design that featured glass, the type of modern design which required no hand rail!!

After several suggestion to our architect on how much it wasn’t going to work for us, hence being the person to shut down a beautiful design. Lets see… I could foresee one of my boys jumping through the invisible banister so they wouldn’t have to walk down the remaining five stairs to get to the bottom. Or… now this was the big one, any amount of glass with these two... is a no, no. So I broke the news and reassured my husband, don’t worry it will look great with a more ‘practical design’ AND you CAN have your modern glass stairs… just in 15 years. Sounded like a good compromise to me! I had to put my practical hat on. The stairs had to be practical, safe and hardwearing for the family without losing the impact I wanted for the space.

I started by creating a mood board of the style I was hoping for; colours, textures, type of radiator and accessories. A light coloured carpet was not going to work for us as the foot traffic on the stairs and hallway to get to the other rooms around the house was constant. So I decided on the colour Lochay (a neutral grey) from a natural wool collection for its durability, stain resistance and comfortability. It took me a few weeks to switch between swatches and decide on how dark I wanted the carpet to be, especially when I had my eye on the runner I wanted to use. I really love how the Carla Rols runner turned out! I felt it would be pattern overload if we used the geometric design on the hallway landing as well. I was happy with how well the colours worked between the runner (Alpine) and hallway.

before pictures of the stairs and hallway.

The hallway was already light and airy even before we started to decorate. Deciding on a colour and style for two flights of stairs wasn’t an easy task. I knew neutral colours on the wall would keep the area light and bright.

MOOD BOARD for stairs & hallway.

My Mood board helped to bring my ideas together. I decided to keep the the wall and handrail quite neutral so the runner design would stand out. I have always been a fan of Farrow and Ball colours and had used the shade Dimpse before in our previous home. This shade of grey works well with darker grey and blue tones. To make the handrail on the stairs pop, I decided on Farrow and Ball Railings to complete the look.

Natural Wool greek key runner in alpine.

We asked our flooring specialist to match the colour of the runner trim to the design since the design was quite bold. Our decorators had the endless task of sanding, filling and sanding again the stairs so that we could paint them with a smooth finish. After many coats of white paint the runner makes a nice feature to the hallway.

the stairs painted white allows the runner to stand out.

oversized clock can also be used like artwork

old stool purchased from an up-cycle furniture store.

I think this vase from west elm works well here.

Wool blinds to add warmth.

I was pleased with the contrast between the runner and the carpet.

Accessories including an oversized clock, vase and up-cycled stool makes the hallway feel like another room in the house.

Greek Key Alpine runner.

The charcoal vertical radiator is both a feature and practical.

So that’s the hallway! It’s never easy choosing the right style for your hallway. My tip would be to make the your hallway a style your are happy to walk pass everyday. Choose colours that uplift you and make you feel good. After all it is one of the first rooms you will always see when wake up and at the end of the day.

How to Maximise Your Small Hallway

It was time to spruce up and make the most of my hallway. Here are a couple of tips I used to add interest and maximise the space, creating a bright functional entrance to my home.

Time to lighten up

Hallways often lack windows so it was important to be practical about how I could reflect light around my small space. It was not practical to add floor or table lamps to the area so to add interest I used this mirror, which is a classic way to reflect light around the space.  This mirror also makes an optical illusion opening up the space making the area look brighter and lighter. 

Utilise the space

This bench is a lifesaver for my hallway; its perfect for hiding shoes and visually lengthens the space. The pull out baskets makes it easy to put away shoes and avoids clutter in the entranceway.  This clever use of furniture also provides the perfect seating for putting on shoes.

Add warmth

I found decorating the bench with these cushions adds some much needed warmth and an additional cosy seating area. These cushions with their bright design adds an interesting décor as well as making the process of removing and putting my shoes on comfortable.

Hang interesting art

This picture fits perfectly in the hallway. I brought it from a trip in Jamaica many years ago and I love how it gives a glimpse into our heritage with a story behind it. I chose a black frame to reflect the diversity of light colours on the walls and grey tones on the stairs.

I love a runner

I made a feature of the stairs by using a herringbone-patterned runner to open up the space. The contrast of the carpet against the white painted staircase draws the eyes up to the landing, creating an airy illusion.

Add a flower to finish

Spring is here and these daffodils add a bright decorative touch to the hallway. Whether you have a large hallway or just a ledge for a small plant pot, you can still be creative with the decorative possibilities. You can also change the individual plant or flower according to your mood, the season or colour aspiration.