Boho dreaming

Before I became an interior stylist, my background was as a painter and decorator, so I’ve always had an eye for, and a real interest in, colour and paint. My bedroom has had several changes in the 17 years I’ve been here, everything from plain white walls with wooden accessories to flamboyant floral wallpaper. But this time, I knew exactly what I wanted: a Moroccan palette of rusts, pinks and browns, with plenty of texture to make it feel warm and cosy.

I’d fallen in love with Bauwerk Colour’s natural limewash paints, and a peachy pink was the aim for all four walls, as it couldn’t be too dark. I narrowed it down to four choices and put colour cards up on the wall for about a month. Finally, I chose Lake Eyre, which I absolutely love.

I’d bought myself a new rattan bed a year ago, and I was happy with my vintage wardrobes and chest of drawers that I’d upcycled and painted. Bedding was an essential element of the new scheme and makes such a difference to a room, so I treated myself to a new set. I love the feel of linen and you can buy it at reasonable prices now. I always go for a patterned bottom sheet and pillowcases and then layer it with blocks of colour and cushions. It’s so hard to drag myself out of bed in the mornings now!

My bedroom really is my sanctuary, and the injection of colour has made it feel even more relaxing. I like to go up there for some ‘me time’ in the evenings, light the candles and read or watch TV on my laptop. Now, it just feels super cosy.

‘There are two large original sash windows in the room, and I had this vision of wafty curtains that were still sturdy. These rust linen ones were the first things I bought; as they were a good price, I bought two sets and placed them on top of each other’

‘I love to use as many natural materials as possible so there’s plenty of wood everywhere, particularly in the furniture. I picked up the wooden bedside table for £20 ages ago, which I then painted, and I sourced a rattan bedside light to match the bed, as well as a jute runner for the floor’

M y s h o p p i n g l i s t

Buisseau oak/cane bed, £454.35; Elina washed linen sheet in Rose Veneto, £47.50; for a similar pendant, try the Diamond woven ceiling shade, £44; for similar curtains, try the Romane linen curtains, £55, all La Redoute. Adelie linen sheet, £120; Adelie pillowcases, £63 for two, Sage and Clare. Ruffle pillowcase in Ochre and Petal, both £35 for two, Toetoe Living. For a similar cushion, try the velvet embroidered Shell cushion, £45, À la. For a similar bedspread, try the Ditsy Crinkle Yellow velvet bedspread, £165, Oliver Bonas. Walls painted in Lake Eyre lime paint, £30 per 1L, Bauwerk Colour. Woodwork painted in Lido Pink, Edinburgh Toffee and Drunk Tahini chalky matt furniture paint, all £33 per 1L, The Pickleson Paint Co. Floor painted in All White modern eggshell, £81 per 2.5L, Farrow & Ball. Lohals jute runner, £40, IKEA. Drongo fabric lightshade in Caramel, £120, Abigail Ahern. Moroccan leaner mirror, £150; for a similar bolster cushion, try the embroidered Bird cushion, £16, both Dunelm. For a similar art print, try Henri Matisse Une Rose poster, from £10, Postery.com. Icon Zucca pouffe bean bag, £64.99, BeanBagBazaar.

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S t y l e a d v i c e Three simple tricks to try in your own home 0 1 Create an unusual shelf ‘Using a pile of old books in your colour scheme to make the base for a low shelf is something I often do. You can buy bundles of vintage books in flea markets for around £20, and sometimes if they’re on it, they’ve already sorted them into the colours for you. Otherwise, look in charity shops for single books for a few pence and build up your own collections. Find a tray that will fit easily on top and then vary your tealights and candles for a lovely soft glow. Try placing it in front of a mirror for maximum impact.’ 02 Layer bedding and cushions‘I have a rule with bedding and cushions. I stick to five basic colours – plum, brown, rust, caramel and pink – and variations within them, whether it’s plain or floral fabric. That way you can be sure that everything will go with everything else and you won’t be making any expensive mistakes, and pieces can just be rotated. Then it’s easy to layer things up, putting plain linen with patterns and using more tactile fabrics, like velvet and silk, with the cushions and varying the sizes. I tend to put more of the darker shades on the bed in the winter and lighter ones in the summer.’ 03 Add a fake fireplace‘Most people are shocked to find out that the fireplace isn’t original. When I moved in, the fireplace had been taken out; it was just a bare wall. At one stage I put up some brick wallpaper there, but it needed a focal point. I bought a proper cast-iron fire surround for £80 on eBay and fixed it to the wall. Then I painted the inside black to give the impression of a hole. Once I’d chosen my pink for the woodwork, I decided to paint the fire surround in the same colour to blend in, rather than have it stand out.’