‘Our zoned space works for the

so there were limited funds for decoration. Fortunately, my father is a very good painter and decorator, and gave up a month of his retirement to come and help me decorate the entire house one summer.’

Initially, the couple chose a plain scheme for the dining room, with the intention of jazzing it up in the future. But Amanda became pregnant with Josh and then Benji, and the room slowly turned into a storeroom, occasional dining room and playroom.

THE PROJECT

After a chance conversation on the school run, Amanda asked interior designer Mirukshi, from Studio Miruk, to come up with a design for the room. ‘Mirukshi proposed a scheme that was exciting in its use of bold colours, feature wallpaper and modern furniture. It perfectly balanced our vintage pieces and the room’s period details,’ says Amanda. ‘She understood all our requirements and translated them to accommodate two generations in one room, from the fun storage lockers for the boys to the cosy reading corner for the grown-ups.’

Amanda and Jon wanted to create a comfortable and stylish space, sympathetic to their 1920s house. The room needed to appeal to the whole family, playing the part of music, gaming and dining room as well as providing a cosy place to relax. Mirukshi’s eclectic design scheme met all of these requirements

Define a structural feature and make it a focal point, with a bold colour to bring out its character Make a statement

Amanda also loved Mirukshi’s idea for making more of the original fireplace. ‘The beautiful feature fireplace was once lost in the space, but her clever use of colour turned it into the focal point of the room.’

WHAT WE DID

Unfortunately the room doesn’t get much natural sunlight, so the first job was to redesign the door and windows to allow in as much light as possible. ‘We sketched a simple, 1920s design and commissioned a local joiner to construct and fit them,’ says Amanda. ‘We had used them before to save our stained-glass windows from their rotting frames, and trusted them completely.’

After the layout had been decided, a local electrician was employed to put in some extra sockets. Then it was a case of decorating, furnishing and adding the final touches. ‘Luckily, Mirukshi knew a brilliant decorator called Tom Davison who blended the feature wallpaper into the lining paper my father had hung all those years ago.’

HIGHS & LOWS

‘Our only real niggle was a delay in the door being fitted due to supply issues with the glass,’ says Amanda. ‘Luckily, our decorator was able to fit in another job, so the project was only held up for a couple of weeks.’

Amanda’s designer had considered a traditional William Morris wallpaper, but when she saw the vibrant Milana Gold from Olenka, which channels Arts & Crafts design, she knew it had the boldness the scheme needed

This faux eucalyptus garland, interspersed with star lights, decorations and pillar candles, creates a striking display that gives the 1920s setting a contemporary festive look

My My style style tips tips

L AYER THE LOOK Use different

wallcoverings and textures to zone areas for separate uses and add interest to a space.

MIX OLD WITH NEW Blend

new buys in with the existing furniture in a room. You can incorporate eye-catching, classic designs, such as the lockers, if you pick your colours well.

SHOP SECOND-HAND Keep

an eye out in charity shops for pieces that will fit in with your scheme, such as the set of four mid-century dining room chairs, that we picked up for just £80.

Fresh foliage

Add plants and foliage at Christmas time, to bring a look together with a fresh, natural vitality

Simple white china is given a festive touch with gold placemats that mirror the feathered flower design in the wallpaper and napkins

The map was bought with money gifted to the boys from their great aunt and uncle. ‘They’re natural geographers, and it’s a great reference point when discussing current affairs, or past and future adventures.’ says Amanda

Overall, though, the couple found this to be their easiest decorating project to date. ‘Jon and I usually agonise over what colours to go for, and struggle to take the plunge and spend any money,’ says Amanda. ‘We believe very strongly in buying quality and buying once, so never quite commit, for fear of having to live with a bad decision. The result is that we either don’t do anything, or we play safe with a design that doesn’t really excite either of us.’ Enlisting the help of an interior designer helped them to collate all their ideas into a scheme they love. ‘By engaging Mirukshi, who listened to the many requirements we had for the room, the styles we like and the period of the property, we finally moved forward on a room that had been neglected for a very long time,’ says Amanda.

THE FINAL DETAILS

Amanda found that the Olenka wallpaper and the green wall in the alcove came alive with plants. ‘The tall weeping fig was a gift from Jon’s sister and brother-in-law when we bought our first home. It’s grown with us and it’s fitting that it unites the designs in the room,’ she says. Amanda and Jon also like to hang meaningful artwork on their walls. ‘We live near Lewis Carroll’s family home, so having his quote on the wall (‘You’re mad, bonkers, completely off your head. But I’ll tell you a secret. All the best people are.’) is very apt,’ says Amanda. ‘The rest are prints from books that we’ve read with the boys. I can see them from my reading nook, and it always makes me smile when I think of time spent reading with my little ones.’

3 OF THE BEST...

£12 from George Home

Dial up the cosy ambience with a leaf-embossed light.

£32.50 for a set of four from Heavenly Homes and Gardens

Leaf napkin rings will add a touch of nature to your festive table.

£13.99 from Lights4fun

Create a magical woodland feel with a string of leaf-motif fairy lights in warm white.

ROOM PL AN

4.84M

3.82M

THE DETAILS

DOORS AND WINDOWS £2,736 FURNITURE £2,222 LIGHTING £87 RUG £75 WALLPAPER £258 PAINT £42 PRINTS AND FRAMES £190

TOTAL £5,610

SHOPPING LIST

For a similar table try Baker table, £1,395, Loaf. Skaftet floor lamp, £27; Luftmassa lampshade, £17, both IKEA. Wicker tiered easy fit pendant in Natural, £45; Chunky jute rug, £75, both Dunelm. The Midi locker in Sage, £319; The Lowdown locker in Olive, £249; The Shorty locker in Mustard, £139, all Mustard Made. Milana Gold wallpaper, £129 per roll, Olenka. Eco Paint in Pepper Tree Green No.34, £41.95 per 2.5L, Victory Colours. Cotton velvet cushion in Ivy, £25; Kraft gift wrap in Green, £8 per roll; Kraft gift wrap in Brown, £5 per roll; Linen napkins in Dark Green, £18 for two, all John Lewis & Partners. Faux eucalyptus garland, £25; Woven box basket, £7.95; Large canister, £9; Striped box, £8.50; Heart box, £9.99; Metallic raffia, £4.95 for 45m; Green silk ribbon, 40p per m, all Attic. 4 TruGlow

Ivory slim LED candles and table candle

holder, £34.99; TruGlow candle bundle, £99.99; Antique Brass star glass lantern and TruGlow candle bundle, £75.99; Wooden star fairy light garland, £14.99;

30 warm white LED star fairy lights on

clear cable, £15.99; 50 warm white star micro fairy lights, £16.99, all Lights4Fun. Six glittered star silhouettes, £14.50; Four golden string stars, £25; Four

shatterproof glittered starbursts in

Gold, £17.50; 24 metal stars, £25; Zinc hanging stars, £18.50 for six, all Cox & Cox. Robin Reed fill your own crackers, £9.95 for 12; Famibay Gold placemats, £11.99 for six; Wooden star scatter decorations, £5.99 for 50; Christmas star decorations, from £19.98 for 5, all Amazon. Faux eucalyptus sprays, £9.99 each, Squires Garden Centres.