When Maxine moved into her home, her bedroom had a damp problem. The plastered walls were crumbling in places, and there was a long, outdated radiator taking up one wall. The beige carpets were worn and the windows were rotting away, and everything in the room needed attention. Here, she recalls her renovating experience...
A bit about me
I’m Maxine Brady and I live in a two-bed house in Brighton with my Maltese dog, Teddy.
My renovating experience...
Month by month I would tackle something in my bedroom, saving up for the renovations as I went. First off, my plumber moved the radiator to under the windows to free up wall space. A bulk of my budget went on repairing the rotten sash windows to stop draughts, and then blinds were put up.
To save money, my dad and I stripped off all the wallpaper and underneath we found the plaster was crumbling. I called tradesmen to plaster the walls and sort out the damp.
A reclaimed fireplace was installed at the chimney breast. The fireplace was installed at the chimney breast - it was originally in my dining room and I ripped it out when renovating the downstairs, saving it to install in my bedroom.
I found the plaster ceiling rose in a skip years ago, and it had been stored in my parents’ garage for over 15 years, just waiting for the perfect place to be fitted. Once the plaster was dry, I painted everything grey, including the ceilings, woodwork and walls.
However, I quickly realised this was a big mistake – the room felt dark and gloomy – so I painted the ceiling white to brighten it. A bulk of my budget went on plastering, paint and new carpets, but I saved money elsewhere, furnishing the space with junk shop finds.
My chest of drawers was just £15 while my wardrobe was £100. To make the furniture blend in with the room, I upcycled them with a lick of paint.
I found the Chinese rug in my mum’s attic. It’s worn in patches, but I love it. The colours go perfectly with the style and colours in my home.
My style advice...
Try these simple tricks in your own home
Look out for junk shop finds
Almost all the furniture in Maxine’s bedroom was bought at junk shops, flea markets or in charity shops. By upcycling, she gave them a new lease of life, either by reupholstering or painting them.
Add a hidden feature wall
Maxine wanted to add a warmer colour to her bedroom to tie all the shades together. Rather than paint all the walls pink, she chose to just paint the wall behind her wardrobe and broke up the block of colour with a gallery wall of vintage artwork.
Reuse period features
The antique Art Deco fireplace was salvaged from Maxine’s dining room and was installed by her plasterer, creating a beautiful focal point in her bedroom. She then painted the metal hearth white to help it blend into the colour scheme of the room.
This is a digital version of a feature that originally appeared in HomeStyle magazine. For more inspirational home ideas, why not subscribe today?