GIRLY GIRL

One of my favourite colour combinations is Green and Pink.  Living in a house full of testosterone, I have managed to squeeze quite a bit of Pink into our home and I'm definitely not a girly girl.

I tried to convince my husband that the Farrow & Ball Peignoir I chose for our bathroom was actually Grey, not Pink and that it would also look great on the ceiling.  It does.

Our downstairs toilet is one of my favourite shades, Farrow & Ball, Pink Ground which is a lovely dusty blush Pink.  I've even filled it with pink accesories, including hand towels and candles from H&M, a faux Aloe and Pot from Sainsbury's and the delicious Egalntine Marseille Soap we sell in the shop.  I've tried to switch from using handwash to soap, especially as we have to wash our hands so much these days and its made such a different to my hands. I'll be stocking up when we reopen.

When we finally got round to our bedroom, the last room upstairs to complete, we had just been to California.  Whenever I suggest an idea to my husband, he says "we don't live in California!" or "we don't live in Australia!" when I mention I'd like a verandah across the back of the house. Well, we don't, but I can pretend.

Photo / Haarkon / Interiors and Sources

Although the colour scheme probably had a lot to do with the 'Silence' print I bought from Bianca, French for Pineapple. My friend Jane and I went to one of her Open House Sales. That's what I love about Instagram, you find out about these amazing house sales. Bianca sold them through Rocket St. George, although I believe they are now discontinued. The print was very large and very Pink, so I knew there was probably only one room in the house it would fit in. It was also quite appropriate as when we first moved to our house, we couldn't believe how quiet it was. Our last house was on the main road into Thaxted High Street, we were opposite a Pub and beneath the flight path (even the Surveyor tried to pursuade us not to buy it).  I loved that house, but when we moved to our 'wreck', it was so peaceful.  Every night we would lay there and I would say, "Listen ... Silence!".

I knew I didn't want Pink walls in yet another room, so chose the very pale Farrow & Ball Cromarty.  Again, we also painted it on the ceiling, which I really recommend. My husband wasn't convinced when I told him I wanted to paint the bed Pink!  He said, "If you think I'm painting our bed Pink, you can think again!" ... so I painted it myself, in Neptune Old Rose.

I would have loved bespoke fitted wardrobes, but if I had that kind of money, I would prefer a car. So we went to Ikea one evening to argue over who was going to have what section and that I seemed to be occupying 2/3rd's of it. He was pacified with meatballs and chips. We did fit in a pull out laundry bin. If you are planning on purchasing an Ikea wardrobe, it's a must have. No unslightly laundry bin in the room and its split into two for darks and whites. You can even carry it downstairs to the washing machine. It's the small things.

I kept the room quite minimilasit with floating bedside tables from Wayfair, lights from Ebay and ceiling light from Habitat.

A desk also from Wayfair for a dressing table, an oversized round mirror from our shop and a vintage tapestry stool I've had for as long as I can remember. The floral painting I couldn't part with when I'd originally bought it to sell in the shop!

I also bought two 'Poppy' rugs from French Connection.  Although I wouldn't describe them as rugs, more mats as they're very thin, but I still love them. They break up the cheap carpet I bought when I was hungover and needed one fitted quickly as my son was coming back from Uni and he needed his room back! 

I've never had such a tidy room. There is a place for everything, so I have no excuses, I'm not at Uni after all!

If you are starting your own interior project and need some help, let me know.

Photos / Claire Naylor Photography
When we can get out into the world, we will tell you about our new venture together!