This home’s character was brought to life close to two decades ago by principle interior designer John Croft of award-winning John Croft Design. He worked closely with the clients to provide a home that was practical for family living and full of colour.
Even after all this time, the project remained a success, with the family still enjoying the fusion of colour, pattern and unique furnishings incorporated back then. For the owners, calling back the original interior designer was a way of moving forward. As a result of time the interior had tired and its owners were seeking a fresh approach. With John Croft at the helm, this two-storey family home featuring open spaces, five bedrooms, three bathrooms and living rooms became a blank canvas once again, with each room in need of a transformation. Assisting John to recreate a new look was interior designer Lloyd Hodgkinson. “The clients were hesitant to change their home because they loved it so we agreed on purely updating the look,” says John.
This was inspired by the introduction of new elements. The original colour scheme consisted of yellow tones. Now, white dominates the home, giving it a fresh base. Feature walls introduce colour, granting the space a modern touch. The new design focused purely on re-decorating through the use of soft furnishings, recovering sofas and chairs, adding cushions, rugs, bedspreads, and introducing new accessories. The flooring was replaced and the antique timber furniture was completely refurbished. For the living room, contrasting colours and patterns work to complement each other. The dark-green colour in the rug, cushions of the same colour and a high-back chair perfectly offset the lime-green walls and pink accents. An old set of books belonging to the client’s grandmother was reworked into the space. “Unlike most formal living areas, this space has a very relaxed, friendly feel to it, and is just really beautiful,” he adds. Next to this space is the dining room. The eight chairs which feature contrasting colours have all been reupholstered as a way of updating the feel of this area.
Antique timber furniture in any space can fashion a formal look, but it’s the use of colour and new curtains that add to the effect, creating a lighter mood. One of John’s favourite rooms in the home is the master bedroom. Inspired by the main living rooms, soft tones were used for the bedspread, curtains and feature walls. The owners treasured their bed and did not want it replaced. To meet this request, the bed was completely refurbished by chrome plating what was brass and repainting the white, black, which helped change the entire look of the room. For a fraction of the cost of replacement, this change, while simple, was hugely effective. Flowing on from the bed, new lampshades were all that was needed for the existing black lamp bases. The dark tones, while vibrant against the soft colours in this space, make for a bold statement. Overall, this home has been transformed through a striking contrast of bright, fresh colours and patterns, updating its interior and bringing it back to life.
