A 1980s home in Dorset gets a minimalist revival
Say hello to our next neutral lover, 25-year-old hairdresser, Isabel (@home_with_isabel). Living with her boyfriend, Matt, in Dorset – they share the 1980s home with their two cockapoos, Chilli and Chester.
They bought the property two years ago and knew they had a full renovation project on their hands, as nothing had been done since it had initially been built. Housing three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a kitchen extension, there was plenty of refurbishment to keep busy with.
“It needed a whole lot of TLC; it was still sporting the seashell toilet, bath and sink vibe, with lovely blue carpet everywhere, including the bathroom! We completely gutted the house, and re-did every possible thing.”
Even though Isabel says her style is continuously evolving, she has definitely found a passion for minimalism and a clean-cut finish. As a running theme throughout the house, Isabel likes to incorporate a variety of textures, materials and neutral colour palettes.
A neutral kinda’ love
As far as Isabel remembers, she has always loved warm, natural tones and textures; including rattan, wood and linens. When they initially started decorating, she leant into the popular grey home trend at the time; but as months passed, she realised neutrals really had her heart.
“We did used to have a grey sofa and dining chairs. I feel like when you first get a house, you just impulse buy without really knowing and developing your own style, yet!”
When searching for inspiration and ideas, Isabel turns to home accounts on Instagram – as well as Pinterest and interior design books. These are great tools to get the creative juices flowing, and seeing what styles you’re attracted to the most.
Discovering our brand
Like many of our paint fans, Isabel stumbled across our brand whilst browsing Instagram. If not directly via our social platforms, a lot of avid decorators tend to see other homes using our paints and wallpapers, and gain curiosity.
“I just loved the brand concept, and instantly fell in love with all their neutral collection. I ordered a number of the peel & stick samples, so I could see how they looked in different lights, for a couple of days. This was really helpful, as some of them didn’t go as well against my sofa; being either too similar in colour, or different in tone.”
Isabel ended up choosing ‘Beige 03’, as she felt it was the perfect balance between light and dark – and most importantly, the best match for their sofa! This colour is a soft, earthy beige, with notes of grey and yellow.
“I adored the packaging, and all the little details. It’s a really good-quality paint, the coverage is amazing, and the colour match between the actual paint and sample patch was spot on. Who knew a paint can could look stylish?!”
Neutral nest
As previously mentioned, Isabel used our paint, ‘Beige 03’, in their lounge. She had created a panelled feature wall using wooden batons, then painted them to add the final wow factor.
“We did a little a watered-down undercoat first, then went over with ‘Beige 03. As I mentioned, it was really great coverage, and completely covered the wood in just one coat! I love the warmth that the beige brings, and the sense of calm in the room now."
Isabel also chose to share her kitchen-dining area, as she loves how it’s so effortless styled. The white, imperfect horizontal tiles, teamed with the wooden open shelving and accessories, is the perfect example of allowing a minimal design to speak volumes.
“I enjoy the practical side of having everything out where I need it, but also being able to faff around with the accessories. One of my favourite features is the exposed steel beam in our kitchen extension, as it’s more unusual compared to the rest of the house.”
Finally, we take a nosey in their bedroom – a calm space, featuring bohemian styling and natural materials. Sometimes the simplest of designs, have the biggest impact. Isabel’s minimal, clutter-free bedroom is the perfect place to switch off in at the end of day, and ensure a relaxing night’s sleep. As they say, tidy home = tidy mind.
“I love the jute string hanging lights that we installed, which feature a golden rustic bulb in each. The irregular shape is so unique. I also have more shelving in here, filled with neutral vases and abstract prints; as well as a large rattan headboard over the bed.”
Isabel’s favourite space
“My favourite space at the moment is my lounge, as it’s the most recent project and my neutral heaven – beige on beige! I love the combination of all the different tones and textures. The next addition to the space is a coffee table; I’m just searching for the right one, as I’ve learnt not to rush these things! Watch this space…”