Home makeover: 'I’m anything but minimalist'

Trinkets collected from her travels and random vintage treasures help make up Danielle Le Petit’s eclectic, boho home

Published: June 15, 2020 at 5:00 am

It’s not often you find a house that really is the perfect blank canvas, but this place was it. Structurally it was in great condition, and had even been replastered and repointed prior to selling.

Inside, the whole property had been decorated in shades of cream and light beige, so it really was like buying a clean sheet of paper, ready to make my mark.

‘My style is a mixture of vintage and modern that creates a relaxed, boho vibe’

When we first came here, it was to upsize with growing teenage kids, which is why we converted the loft for an extra bedroom.

Above the dining table hangs one of Danielle’s favourite buys, a gorgeous, retro-style copper pendant lamp which she found for £99 at Atkin & Thyme

Since they’ve all flown the nest, I’ve had a chance to pull the décor together, and a lot of it has been inspired by what’s become a small community of like-minded interior enthusiasts I’ve encountered on Instagram.

The retro-style Moroccan leather pouffe and goose feather lamp, both from Graham & Green, add to the relaxed style of the conservatory

Inside, we’ve changed a lot of the surfaces and finishes to create more texture and interest. My lovely husband laid the new wooden parquet flooring in the hall in his spare time.

We also stripped off some dodgy stone cladding in the conservatory to expose the brickwork underneath and laid a slate floor in the kitchen. Meanwhile, we were able to revamp the kitchen just by replacing the doors and fitting new oak-block worktops and wall tiles.

In the hallway, Martin has applied his carpentry skills to lay beautiful new wooden parquet flooring

On top of this, the décor and furnishings are just things I love and have accumulated over the years; mirrors, vintage signs, retro lamps, studio pottery, all the things I can never resist. However you’d describe my interior style, the one thing it’s not is minimalist!

The dining area’s walls have been painted in the warm grey tone, Worsted, with pattern and interest added by the elegant Lotus 2061 feature wallpaper on the chimney breast, both by Farrow & Ball

Owner profile

A bit about me I’m Danielle Le Petit, a maternity care assistant. I live with my husband, Martin, who’s a carpenter.

Where I live My home is a classic four-bedroom Victorian semi-detached house. It dates from 1894 and is situated in the leafy Surrey suburbs.

What I wanted to change Apart from putting my own stamp on the place, I wanted to change a lot of the finishes, such as the worktops, tiles, fascias and flooring.

How I made it my own We converted the loft into an en suite guest room and revamped the kitchen, then filled it with furnishings and finds I’d already collected over time.

My favourite part How the living/dining area has blended together. I feel like I’ve got the cosy and elegant combo just right there.

Danielle Le Petit

Living room / dining room

‘The living and dining room at the front of the house is one of my favourite spaces. As in most Victorian homes, it was obviously once two separate rooms that have since been knocked through, so I wanted the space to work as one while also feeling like distinct areas.

The tan leather, club chair and sofa were bought a few years ago at DFS. To the side stands an impressive tripod lamp called the Chicago in antique copper and gold from Made.com. The Afaw Berber-style rug is by La Redoute and is fast becoming a modern classic

We have used two Farrow & Ball grey shades here – Worsted and Mole’s Breath – along with two different yet complementary wallpapers to clad the chimney breasts around each of the fireplaces. I think it’s helped achieve the effect we were going for.’

‘Spending time at home with my family and friends is now one of my favourite ways to relax’ says Danielle

Kitchen

‘The existing kitchen was nearly new when we moved here, but it was almost entirely cream. Thanks to it being in such good condition, we were able to revamp the space without ripping it out. We simply changed the fronts for doors and panels in a Shaker style from Howdens.

Danielle loves the way the oak-block breakfast bar area links the conservatory and kitchen spaces together

We chose a delicate French Grey shade, which works well with the new slate flooring and the monochrome feature tiles I treated myself to on the splashback behind the sink. When we put the new oak-block worktop on, we extended it slightly around the corner into the conservatory to help bring the two rooms together.’

An extra worktop from the kitchen into the conservatory makes a useful breakfast bar area

Master bedroom

‘Sticking to one of my favourite combinations again, we painted the walls warm grey and incorporated a feature wall with monochrome-patterned paper behind the bed. This time I went for a very warm, light grey, with enough brown that it’s almost the colour of putty, and offset that with a paper that’s dominated by cool mid-greys.

The couple’s bright and spacious double bedroom features a generous wrought-iron bed that was purchased several years ago from The Iron Bed Company

I think the natural tones of the wood floor that we exposed and sanded and the bamboo lampshades really complement the scheme in here. Similar-coloured throws and cushions on the bed are the finishing touch.’

The Woods & Pears wallpaper from Cole & Son provides an earthy backdrop for the bedroom

Bathroom

‘Our bathroom isn’t particularly large, so it might be a bit of a surprise that I painted the walls in this dark colour, (Railings from Farrow & Ball).

The modest-sized bathroom was revamped using classic bevelled grey Metro tiles and encaustic monochrome floor tiles, both from Tons of Tiles

'However, I really believe that, while plain white will make a space feel bigger by reflecting light, a strong dark shade like this can do the same by absorbing it, with the extra bonus of adding more tones and interest as the light levels change. I think the white bathroom suite and light grey Metro tiles provide all the lightness this room needs.’

An on-trend ladder towel rail provides space-saving storage for this petite bathroom

What I learned...

Take time to shop and research online to find imaginative alternatives to the expensive luxury items we all love. It’s super satisfying when you find great substitutes for a fraction of the price, and it’s become part of what’s defined my style.

Whether it’s on the shelf, mantlepiece or sideboard, make room to display all the things you’ve collected over a lifetime that you really cherish. This is what makes a house a home, rather than a showroom.

When you’re putting together an interior, it’s just as important to think about using interesting, complementary textures as it is to consider matching colour schemes.

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