insideKENT Magazine Issue 97 - April 2020 | Page 118

HOME+GARDEN
It’s time to throw off the winter gloom
and breath fresh spring life into our homes
HOW TO
STYLE A ROOM
JENNIFER & ISLA
APRIL TAKES US PROPERLY INTO SPRING AND MORE COLOUR! HURRAH!
WINTER HAS BEEN WET, DARK AND MISERABLE THIS YEAR. I’VE BEEN
DOING THE HYGGE THING MORE THAN USUAL. LOTS OF CANDLES,
COSY THROWS AND FRIENDS AROUND FOR DRINKS IN THE KITCHEN.
BUT NOW IT’S TIME TO OPEN THE WINDOWS AND LET SOME FRESH
AIR INTO OUR HOMES. BY JENNIFER CAMPBELL
But how do you go about giving a room in your
home a refresh this Spring?
Well most of us have to work around furniture that
we already own. If this is the case, then adding a
fresh coat of paint to the room and buying some
new accessories could easily transform it.
Be inspired by nature and define
your palette
I take inspiration from nature and will often look to
the seasons for colours and fabric ideas. Designers
often create moodboards or use pinterest to set the
scene for a room. This process can get the creative
juices flowing and organise your ideas and define
your palette. Take some photographs on your phone
of anything that grabs your imagination and start
collecting samples of paints or wallpaper. I’m
currently working on a lovely Oast House, a very
Kentish project! I’ve brought some apples and pears
into the scheme to link with the garden outside.
Test new colours
If you want to test out some new colours, it’s best to
paint two coats onto some lining paper to get a real
sense of it. You are able to move your carefully
created paint sample around your room, allowing
you to look at the colour in different corners of the
room and at different times of the day. Helping you
to avoid the costly and time wasting error of painting
your walls the wrong colour.
Tell your story
The best rooms are personal, they tell your
story. They are full of things that matter to you.
Whether art, treasures you have collected from
travels, or photographs of your children, the key
is to display them well. I will sometimes start a
room scheme by working with a piece of art. I keep
the background of the room neutral and then the
painting is the focal point. I can choose everything
to work around it from cushions and throws to
curtains and plant pots.
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ORIGINAL PAINTING BY SCOTT NAISMITH,
LAMP BY JOHN LEWIS, CUSHIONS ALL HOUSE OF FRASER
Repurpose and reuse
The great thing about working with items you
already own is that you are being mindful of the
environment. I used a favourite old dress recently
to make new cushion covers. I have scooped up old
chairs, vases and art from relatives. Sometimes the
frames are worth saving more than the picture!
Sanding and then treating or painting old tables can
be very rewarding.
and it will instantly cheer things up. Old jam
jars make a good table centre instead of a vase.
I buy inexpensive plants at local markets and put
them into nicer pots and quickly a room starts to
come to life.
Inspiration is all around. Enjoy finding yours in Kent
this Spring.
Jennifer Campbell is a Kent-based interior designer who draws
inspiration from original works of art, beautiful flowers and
stunning landscapes.
Don’t forget the flowers
www.jennifercampbellinteriors.com
A quick fix for a room that just needs a lift, is to add
some Spring flowers to a few interesting containers
interiorskent