Let’s dive straight into our next property of our Humans at Home series; and this week, we meet HR Advisor, Leila. Living with her partner Joe, and their two cats, Zephyr and Laszlo, this has been home to them for four years, now… their first home, to be exact! 

This period townhouse terrace is located in Grimsby; boasting tonnes of character and original features. It simply took one look at the tiled hallway upon entrance to the property, and Leila and Joe fell head over heels!

Leila’s styles aren’t those of the ordinary, oh no. She loves a daring, bold style – with plenty of colour, and lots of eye-catching detail. Leila tells us that she enjoys describing her new and adventurous ideas to family and friends, and seeing how they react! 

“We’ve decorated the spaces for how they’ll be used. The front of our house is a space solely for me and Joe to relax in after work, so we went for dark, cosy colours. The back of the house was opened up, so we could have friends and family round – and we left it bright, colourful and fun.”

A COAT LOVE AFFAIR…

Leila was attracted to our brand after reading our commitment to sustainability, and our honest approach to where our products come from and what they’re made from. We feel so happy that more and more people are becoming aware of sustainable products, and the small changes they can make that can contribute to a better future; and most importantly, a healthier planet. 

The room decorated in COAT is their principle bedroom – a room they knew they wanted to paint dark. Heading straight for our moody bold shades, Leila ordered our Peel & Stick swatches in ‘Forever and Ever’ and ‘The Coal Drop’. 

“I loved that I could move the Peel & Stick swatches around, placing them behind furniture and over different textured surfaces. They just give you so much more versatility, and save on paint waste! I have so many left over tester paint pots in my shed, and it fills me with guilt now.”

As a pretty qualified decorator of their home, Leila had had plenty experience with other branded paints. However, she was super impressed with their choice of ‘Forever and Ever’, and expressed her amazement in how accurate the swatch was next to the freshly painted walls. 

“The coverage was so thick and amazing, and very easy to paint with!” 

TAKE A LOOK INSIDE…

Leila has chosen to take us around three of the rooms in their home, to allow us that deeper insight into the projects they’ve completed so far. 

Making a statement with a monochrome hallway

Firstly, we venture into the hallway – the grand entrance into their home. This was the last and latest project to finish – ensuring a spotlight could be made for those incredible tiles that made them fall utterly in love from the very start. The incredible high ceilings, and original doors and architraves, also assist in creating a striking impact for anyone who walks through the front door. 

“I wanted it white and clean, to let the amazing tiles do all the talking; but after 3-4 months it just didn’t feel right. We thought about painting the ceiling dark but would have really struggled to reach areas, as they are so high. We then decided to paint the Lincrusta wallcovering below the dado rail, dark – and it instantly transformed the space! It has the real wow factor when you walk through the front door now. And the tiles still pop!”

Inspired? Shop our dark colours here

Classic neutrals making the open space light and bright

Next, we head through the house to the kitchen – an open space, that in fact, used to be three whole rooms! By far their biggest renovation project of the whole house, the kitchen was designed around open plan living; which would be perfect for entertaining and parties – something the pair really enjoy. 

“You can be cooking or making drinks, whilst family sit around the dining table, or hang out in the garden with the bifold’s open. We left it light and bright, with pops of colour – just for this reason. It’s also a great speedway for the cats zooming up and down, chasing each other.”

Pops of colour on the wall turning this room into the perfect entertaining space

We love how Leila has so carefully considered each area of this space, and ensured all corners had a purpose. From cooking to dining, relaxing to socialising – this multi-functional part of the house was an investment well worth the hard graft!

Floor to ceiling moody darks help create that luxurious boutique-hotel look

The third space is their previously mentioned principle bedroom – and what a space it is! Leila and Joe made sure that this room was their number one priority when they moved in, as the entire property needed a lot of TLC, so completing at least one room to relax and unwind in, was essential. They started out with a very pale stone-grey colour, but as the house renovation went on, they knew it wasn’t in line with their braver styles. 

Eventually painted in ‘Forever and Ever’, our collaboration with Swoon, and laced with a stunning bespoke gold leaf wall design, it’s safe to say it achieved its cosy potential; as well as looking super luxurious and boutique-hotel chic. 

“It gets a lot of sunlight, so we knew it could take a dark colour; and decided to saturate the room floor to ceiling. People always worry that dark closes a space in, but this room feels huge now! The gold leaf also catches the sunlight and looks beautiful when glimmering.”

Like what you see? Get Peel & Stick Swatches to try at home 🙌🏼

Don't be afraid to go dark in your smaller rooms, be brave!

As a welcomed bonus, Leila shares one more room with us – as it’s her favourite room in the house, so far. Although she has big love for all their makeover projects, it is actually the smallest room in the house that has her heart… 

“The downstairs toilet was one of the first rooms I got my hands on and redecorated. I wanted it so over the top and in your face, and I think I achieved it with my Emma J Shipley ‘Amazon’ wallpaper, in navy. I just love having new guests over and waiting for them to ask where the loo is – their reactions are priceless. The kids in the family are also very fond of spotting the different animals in there, too.”

Don't be afraid to include plants in all rooms in your home, check out our blog on 'The Trend for Bringing the Outside In'

BRANDED FAVOURITES…

We asked Leila to share her favourite, go-to brands with COAT fans; so that you too, can recreate this look in your own homes.

“It’s going to sound very typical, but I’m a sucker for an IKEA trip. It’s just a great day out where I can buy anything my heart desires. My favourite purchases from there recently are all outdoor solar lights. Our garden was re-done last year and I love being able to still see it at night, with the pretty fairy lights popping on as it gets dark.”

Leila mix & matches second-hand items with statement pieces of furniture

Another favourite purchase of hers was their ‘Ellis’ dining table from Swoon. Made from mango wood and finished in a beautiful parquet design, this piece of furniture helps to create a stylish and timeless look that can be enjoyed for many years to come. 

Leila also likes to go in search for second-hand items, especially on platforms such as Facebook Marketplace. She recently found an art-deco style drinks cabinet for a bargain price of £40, which fits into their home perfectly. No-one can resist a bargain, that’s for sure! 

LEILA FROM @ZEPHS_HOUSE LENDS SOME ADVICE…

“I’d advise people to be brave. I hear so many people saying, “Oh, I wish I was brave enough to go dark” or, “I’d love to paint the ceiling!”, and I think, why not - just do it! It’s only paint or wallpaper, and it’s quite easy to re-do if you don’t love it. There is nothing worse than forever wondering how something might have looked, had you done it differently.”

Get the look by ordering your Moody Dark Swatches to try out at home!