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Interiors expert Laura Jackson has just enjoyed a relaxing Christmas. It looked as if it would never happen, so she was delighted to have the chance to put her feet up in the home she has been refurbishing for the past seven years.
Laura, who is a style consultant at COAT Paints, bought her Victorian house in east London seven years ago as a project. Ever since, including over Christmases past, there’s been work to be done, from fixing damp, to sorting the fireplace and right down to the basement, to make it the liveable, functional, beautiful family home we see today.
‘For the first time this Christmas, there was no more work on the house to be done and I could finally relax,’ she sighs. ‘We’ve literally been renovating for seven years, but we have a home that is real and works for us.’
Moving from Hackney to Forest Gate, Laura was able to get a house and garden – the perfect base to start a family – and it had just the right feeling when she found it.
‘The house itself had something about it, it felt lived in. We bought it from a woman who had lived here happily all her life, she’d raised her children in the house and created a happy home. So that feeling was still in the house. I knew we could make a family home here, one that isn’t the Instagram or magazine homes you see, but one that’s personal to our family.’
The property retains a lot of its original features, including the marble fireplace, high ceilings and cornicing, plus a beautifully curved wall that made it really unusual. The sitting room was being used as a storage room and was dark and plain.
‘But I could see it could be so much more and serve a proper purpose. At first I had a romantic idea of this being a reading room but now I’ve created much more of a family room for us and the kids, somewhere we can sit and relax, read with the children. We don’t have a TV in this room so the vibe is a space to retreat.’
Take a peek inside Laura’s sitting room
Floor lamp: ‘My lamp is vintage. I hunted high and low for this type of lamp and when I saw this, I knew I had to have it. I really enjoy using natural textures in my styling.’
Picture rail: Picked out in Brasserie Brown by COAT Paints, 2.5l for £49. ‘This rich brown with a purply undertone just lifts everything as an accent colour or a bold statement.’
Reupholstered armchair: Virginia White Collection fabric in Three Lines, POA.
On the walls: Café Flore from COAT Paints, 2.5l for £49. ‘I love this beautiful mid-beige with a hint of pistachio that creates an enticing and timeless canvas.’
The room has been painted in COAT’s Café Flore, a light hue with almost a tint of pistachio, enhancing the tranquility of the space. The original picture rail has been picked out in COAT’s Brasserie Brown, a rich brown with a slight purple hue, giving an accent of bold colour.
The Howard armchairs were nabbed on eBay and have been reupholstered and restuffed to give them a new lease of life. The contrast with the denim blue sofa works and is practical as the kids use this room so much.
The Rob Tucker artwork over the fireplace brings colour and drama to the room. Laura loves vintage, so the travertine-topped coffee table and the floor lamp are her star buys from antiques markets.
‘When I’m putting a room together I like to play with different colours and textures, understand how they work practically in everyday life,’ she says. ‘In this space I knew I needed to have decent storage with baskets and cupboards.
‘I like having key pieces of furniture and I’m not a random buyer, so I know the pieces I’m looking for when I’m shopping to style a room.’
Laura describes the mood of the sitting room as ‘light and cosy’ and says it is the perfect place either to relax with a glass of wine or read with the kids. ‘It’s multipurpose and flexible for whatever mood we are in.
‘There is literally no such thing as things that don’t work together. I believe a room is the expression of your personality, and taste is down to whether you can be bothered to create your room or not. Don’t be afraid to put your stamp and style on your space.’
And now the hard work is done, all that is left for Laura and her family to do is sit back and relax… well, probably.
‘Anyone who has renovated knows the work you put in as well as the enjoyment you get after. This room is done – although I might move the furniture around.’
Rebecca Udall Georgina Bud Vase Trio
1915 print from Beau Marché, Denmark
‘You can’t beat a jazzy print. This Copenhagen-based company has some great ones to add a splash of colour and fun.’
Buy for about £294 from Beau Marché
Jonesy sofa from Loaf in Blue Overalls brushed cotton
Wicklewood Stripe Dhurrie Rug
‘This striped rug adds another dimension to the room and breaks up the block colour between the floor and walls,’ says Laura.
Lidded basket 30x18cm
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