Velvet Goldmine Interiors

We are incredibly lucky to have three living rooms. Each one has a different feel, it's so nice to be able to choose which one to sit in depending on your mood. The one I have chosen to show you is at the front of the house. This room tends to get the most sun therefore it can afford to have cooler shades. WALLS The walls are white with a feature ( hate that term ) chimney breast wall with a little bit of 1960's influence in the wallpaper, sunburst clock and original 1960's mirror. When we bought this house there was an awful reproduction resin Louis-style fireplace which we ripped out and created a niche where I have displayed some of my dark side objects.  I would have liked to install an original fire surround but this proved too costly. The opposite wall is painted duck egg blue with an original canvas which we bought from a charity shop in Edinburgh while visiting The Fringe. I wrote about that - and the other artwork in my house - here. One of the other walls has a 3D...

When you talk about kitchens, most people's thoughts immediately go to a fully-fitted one. Given how big our kitchen is, we could have gone that way as an easy option - but that wasn't for me. I didn't particularly want a fitted kitchen - in fact I'm not keen on anything fitted.  So with Plan A cast aside, the other challenge was there are three doors on three separate walls in the space. We had to arrange the kitchen around that as it was too costly to start bricking up doors and changing the configuration.  But I love a challenge and my history as a trained chef and owner of a catering company really came to the fore with a great solution that was practical and quirky. I knew that I wanted an industrial influence and what would and wouldn't work. Stainless steel moveable tables are so practical, hygienic and heat proof, so I bought two of these and slotted them either side of the range cooker.  Open shelving looks contemporary and is quite versatile as it can be c...

Apart from strong colours and interesting objects, I also like to have interesting pictures and artwork in the house. I have created some myself, and the others are a mix of original works, limited editions and an off the shelf canvas.  I look for unusual pictures, but prefer to paint my own. Unfortunately this is very time consuming and as with most creative things, I have to be in the mood. Artworks serve as points of interest in any room alongside other interior design features, and as talking points too. Even though I've seen these countless times, I still enjoy seeing them each day and find something new to enjoy and engage with. Tell me what you think in the comments. Have you done anything similar in your house? What's your favourite piece of art and why? Glimmer of hope This painting is enormous, it measures 55"x 80" I gave it this title as I wasn't in the best place at the time. I love a large, bold canvas as you can go on forever. Nothing is ever planned...