My childhood smelt like turpentine. Every weekend was taken up with DIY and trips around antique fairs across south east England. My parents bought a neglected house in Surrey that had potential and made the move from a modest terrace house shortly after I turned one.
I grew up to the sounds of a conservatory being built, the smell of the freshly sanded wood and watching out for wet paint on my way down the stairs. Slowly the house grew into a home, with high ceilings, period features and a beautifully landscaped garden. I watch my Mum hand paint a marble paint effect through the hallways and my Dad prep every room for her creative eye, taking off radiators, sugar soaping the nicotine-stained walls and masking off the features.
In 2010, my mum and I moved into an old Coach House which had recently been extended into a two bedroom property with a walled courtyard and detached garage. It was partly decorated and spiked my mum’s creative buds again. She soon put her stamp on it, replacing the salmon pink bathroom suite and giving it a lick of paint. I was let loose on my room, my first creative project outside of school. Being 11 at the time I naturally went with a dolphin theme complete with synthetic turquoise walls paired cobalt skirting and a cardboard cut out of a dolphin from the display of a local shop window. I wouldn't say I had good taste back then but it has changed a few times since and gave me a real appreciation for making something your own and being using materials in an unexpected way.
The idea of having a whole house to decorate in my style is something I am so excited about, and I can't wait to document the process in the coming posts.
Image | Nolan Issac via Unsplash.com
