Our home is classic yet quirky

We started house hunting because we’d outgrown our three-bedroom terrace. We already knew the area, so when this house came on the market, we felt confident it would tick all our boxes.

I love the character of period houses, and although the interior wasn’t to my taste, the bones were good. We didn’t want a big renovation project, so the knocked-through, extended kitchen-diner and loft bedroom were plus points. Everything had been finished to a high standard, but the whole house didn’t really flow, and it needed a refresh. The rooms were mostly beige, and there just wasn’t much interest, style-wise.

We redecorated throughout with feature wallpapers, and added more storage space. I get a lot of inspiration from Pinterest, and after some experimenting, I’ve realised I prefer neutrals as they make an ideal backdrop for ornaments and pictures. The kitchen and bathroom were in good shape, but not what I would have chosen, so I’ve given them a budget revamp. I’ve also adapted or upcycled some of the furniture we already had so it fits in here.

With the children getting older, we’ve changed the layout downstairs a bit, to make space for them to have their friends over. Our home feels comfy and inviting, and most importantly, it works for us.

‘Our home feels comfy and inviting, and most importantly, it works for us’ Welcome TO MY HOME

A BIT ABOUT ME I’m Maria Greener, a lawyer. I live here with my husband, Conrad, our children, Jasper and Tara, and our Spanish rescue dog, Luna. I post interior updates on my Instagram @thelynwoodhome.

WHERE I LIVE Our home is a five-bedroom Victorian terrace in Bristol. We’ve lived here since May 2015.

WHAT I WANTED TO CHANGE The interior was quite bland and a bit tired. There was very little storage, and the shiny, white kitchen units and chrome handles just weren’t for me. I wanted to put my own stamp on the place and make it feel more like us.

HOW I MADE IT MY OWN I’ve gone for a calm, mostly monochrome look that I’ve personalised with interesting art and accessories and a mix of retro, upcycled and new pieces.

MY FAVOURITE PART I love looking at all the pictures in the kitchen-dining area. It’s such a bright, sociable space too, especially in the summer when the doors are open to the garden.

Maria’s floral feature wallpaper is from House of Hackney. ‘I love flowers, and there’s a botanical theme running through the house in the artwork and wallpapers,’ she says

Maria chose Farrow & Ball’s Dimity for the living room walls. Character features like wooden flooring, wide bay windows and decorative plaster mouldings contrast with modern accessories, like the wire lampshade from Nkuku

Living room

‘ The living room definitely has its own cosy feel. It feels more grown-up and traditional than other parts of the house, partly because of the period fireplace and wood burner, which were here when we moved in. I’ve framed them with a gorgeous floral wallpaper, which has become the focus of the room. It was quite expensive, so I only used a small amount, but it still creates an eye-catching feature. Conrad fitted chunky shelves in the alcoves to display plants and other interesting bits and pieces, which stand out against the plain off-white walls. We brought the corner sofa from our old home, and I added the two armchairs. They’re really comfy and I like their retro-inspired look.’

The living space falls into two distinct areas, linked by the same flooring, wall colour and lampshades. Floor-to-ceiling shelving from IKEA maximises book storage in the den. ‘In an ideal world we might put the wall back up between the two rooms one day, as it would give us more flexibility,’ says Maria

‘I’ve realised I prefer neutrals as they make an ideal backdrop for ornaments and pictures’

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Dining ar ea

‘We used to have a sofa and TV in here, as well as the table, as that was how the previous owners arranged the room. When we added the kitchen island, we moved the sofa into the den next door and the new layout works much better. It’s not so crowded and we’ve got a proper dining area for family mealtimes. We brought the table and bench from our old house; Conrad made them from reclaimed oak boards, and they fit the narrow space perfectly. The gallery wall is one of my favourite features. It breaks up a big space and helps to zone the dining area and give it a distinct vibe. It’s mostly inexpensive prints and souvenirs, plus a couple of my daughter’s pieces, so it’s unique and very personal.’

Style idea

Add colour to white walls with an easy-to-change gallery display. Read our guide on page 85

‘Laying out the gallery wall involved a lot of trial and error,’ says Maria. ‘I looked on Pinterest for examples, and started with the larger items, using masking tape to hold them in place until I was happy’

Light colours minimise the impact of eye-level cupboards so the room doesn’t feel cluttered

Maria’s fitted kitchen furniture was given a revamp with a professional respray by Paramount. ‘There was lots of masking-off to do and all the doors were taken away to be treated,’ she says. ‘It was great value though, and the finish is fabulous’

Maria loves having plants and flowers around her home, and she spotted these quirky vases in HomeSense. The display shelf from Anthropologie nods to the monochrome scheme

Kitchen

‘The kitchen originally had grubby cream walls and white, high-gloss units, which I didn’t really like. They were good quality though, as were the appliances and granite worktops, so I couldn’t justify replacing them. Having seen the dark interiors trend on social media, I painted the walls a dramatic almost-black to begin with, but last year I changed them back to off-white, which works for me. It took about five coats of paint, but I saved money by using cheap magnolia emulsion as a base for my final colour. After a lot of research, I found a local specialist to spray-paint the shiny units, so we’ve now got a matt combo of pale and dark greys. At the same time, Conrad built an island with a breakfast bar from IKEA carcasses, which we had sprayed to match in with the rest of the space.’

HOW TO... Update your kitchen on a budget

Revive a dated kitchen without the cost and chaos of a complete refit

If you’re happy with the layout, replacement cabinet fronts quickly give your kitchen a fresh look, at a fraction of the cost of brand-new units. There’s a vast choice of styles, sizes and finishes around, or you can go down the custom-made route. DIY is an option, although some products come without drill holes so that hinges and handles can be positioned wherever you want, and in that case, an experienced fitter could be worth the extra cost to get a perfect finish.

Provided your cabinets are in good shape, worn-out worktops can be removed and replaced. Revive wooden work surfaces and remove marks by sanding and oiling. Another option is a quartz overlay, which is a thin, quartz sheet that’s fitted on top of the existing surface.

Rejuvenate tired tiles with specialist paint. The tiles should be completely clean and dry before you start, and a small brush or roller will give you the smoothest result. Refresh grubby grout afterwards with a grout pen. Alternatively, to transform tiles quickly, try tile stickers. There’s a great range of on-trend designs, but look for durability and moisture-resistance, and remember they won’t stick well to textured surfaces.

Tatty taps can really let your kitchen down. Replacing them is straightforward for a competent DIYer. Style-wise, make sure the new tap fits existing tapholes in the worktop or wall. Choose a design that suits your sink, unless you’re changing that too, and a finish that won’t clash with existing metal like knobs or hinges.

make

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‘We put some chrome display shelves above the sink to start with,’ says Maria. ‘When we revamped the kitchen, Conrad changed them to wood, and I sprayed the brackets gold so everything sits well together’ A comfy chair and neat hairpin leg table, both from HomeSense, make a relaxing spot to sit and enjoy the garden view. ‘I like having eclectic bits and pieces for interest and personality,’ says Maria

The garden was a big selling point when Maria and Conrad first looked at the house. Maria has turned the decking into a versatile outdoor space with an all-weather rug from Dunelm, patio furniture and strings of outdoor lanterns

Decking area

‘We’ve grown fruit trees against the flat wall , which provide lots of lovely fruit such as cherries, pears and plums. Due to the type of soil in this area and the wear and tear caused by kids and the dog, we had to replace the lawn with artificial turf, which has been great as it means we can use the garden year-round without it turning into a mud bath! We’ve also grown lots of climbers such as clematis and jasmine to make use of the vertical space we have and make the garden smell lovely in summer.’

Paradis Tropical Bloom cushion cover, Walton & Co

Steal my style

Get Maria’s contemporary home style with these modern buys

Rose Gold kitchen utensils set, John Lewis & Partners

Boxing built around the chimney breast created wall space for the bed and bedside lighting. Maria’s black wall lights from Wayfair add an understated industrial edge that doesn’t distract from the bold wallpaper Joy of Missing Out print by mOOd, East End Prints

Master bedroom

‘Conrad and I chose this bright loft room for our bedroom, as it already had a tiny en suite shower room and fabulous, balcony-style windows overlooking the park. Laying it out was a challenge, as there was no storage, a sloping ceiling, and a small chimney breast sticking out from the middle of one wall. The ceiling is highest opposite the windows, so we’ve fitted large wardrobes along there, with space-saving sliding doors. Then Conrad boxed around the chimney breast, making it wider. Although that ate into the room, it gave us extra flat wall space for the bed. Décor-wise, it’s tranquil and fairly neutral, but I put a colourful, contemporary wallpaper behind the bed, which adds impact but isn’t too much of a distraction when I want to relax.’

‘I put a colourful, contemporary wallpaper behind the bed, where it adds impact but isn’t a distraction when I want to relax’

Maria’s monochrome theme runs throughout the house and brings some personality to the modern bathroom. Leafy plants freshen the scheme, while the luxurious bath, positioned under a skylight, is a favourite feature

Guest bedroom

‘ The walls in here were a cool, mint-green when we moved in. It’s a good-sized room but there was no storage, and nothing really of any interest. We had fitted wardrobes built in the alcoves, and I painted all the walls and the woodwork in the same neutral shade. That’s helped blend the wardrobes in, warm the room and give it a calm, quiet feel. I’ve layered on dark accents for contrast, like the bedside cabinet that I upcycled, and the upholstered headboard. Its pale grey fabric was looking a bit tired, but with a staple gun it was quick and easy to re-cover in a dark charcoal material. It’s a very light, tranquil space and it’s now doubled up as my home office.’

Dark accessories like the headboard and bedside cabinet create contrast and link the guest bedroom to the rest of the house. A floating shelf above makes a great display space for more plants

Style idea

Window film is a quick and easy way to create privacy without blocking natural light Bathroom

‘The bathroom is a lovely, big room and the previous owners had installed underfloor heating and good-quality fixtures and fittings. It’s all a bit modern and shiny for my taste, especially the large tiles, but it would have been expensive and wasteful to change everything. I experimented at one point by painting the walls a strong blue, but it just made the tiles stand out more harshly. The walls are now a soft pale grey, and I’ve refreshed all the grouting with a grout pen, so the room feels clean and airy. I’d love more traditional taps and some geometric patterned tiles, but I’ve added black accents to give a bit more style, and some pretty framed prints and plants for softness.’

WHAT I LEARNED...

Social media is great for inspiration, but it’s important not to get too drawn into a trend. I found myself using dark, dramatic colours that weren’t really me, and I quite quickly went back to a paler palette.

Doing your own decorating saves a fortune, but it’s worth putting in time to learn some proper skills. I’ve mastered techniques like cutting-in to get really crisp edges. It’s not difficult, just a bit fiddly, but the results are so much better.

A house is constantly evolving, especially with a family. Keep an open mind, and don’t be afraid to try a different layout or adapt a piece of furniture if things aren’t working.