By upcycling furniture, trying out new paint techniques and finding her dream wallpaper, Julie Choi has created an uplifting, happy bedroom.
Here, she tells us all about her bedroom makeover experience...
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Julie's makeover experience
'We moved into this house four years ago. We really wanted an older property that had original features and character and it ticked all the boxes for us. It did, however, need work. The décor was incredibly dated with red carpet in most of the rooms and old wallpaper everywhere, even on the ceilings!
'The first room we decorated was the bedroom. Initially, we decorated it in a dark and moody style, which was very cosy. However, my tastes have changed, and last year I decided the bedroom needed another makeover.
'I really wanted to be a bit more creative this time as I had discovered my style and love of colour. It was the colours in the wallpaper that stood out to me. It reminds me of purple sunsets between terracotta buildings.
Welcome to our home...
A bit about me I’m Julie Choi, an Airbnb host, and I live with my husband, Adam. At the moment, we also have my mother-in-law’s dog, Alfie, staying with us. Our home is a four-bed detached Victorian house in Belfast. You can see more of our home on Instagram @letsby.avenue.
My problem bedroom We decorated our bedroom four years ago when we first moved in. It was cosy looking, but a bit too serious. Since then, my tastes have changed. Now, I’m more into colour, so I wanted the room to feel brighter and more ‘me’.
'Although I love DIY, putting up the wallpaper wasn’t easy. The house is more than 100 years old, which means the walls are not straight. As a result, some parts of the wallpapering isn’t perfect; still, I’m really happy with it.
'Choosing the wall colour was a task in itself, as I’m quite indecisive and I couldn’t make up my mind. I had four swatches on the wall for nearly two weeks! I loved that I didn’t have to rush this room. I could take my time over it and plan.
A bit more about our home...
How I made it work A statement wallpaper makes an eye-catching feature wall, and I went for a colour-block effect for the opposite side of the room. I then filled the space with a mix of upcycled charity shop finds with high-street buys.
My favourite part I love the dresser, which I painted myself. When I walk into the room now, I feel happy. It really lifts my mood, it’s so lovely and bright and colourful.
'Even the furniture took a while to find. I love charity shops, so I searched these for the perfect pieces. In the end, it took me four months to complete, but it was worth it. I adore how it has all come together. It’s such a lovely, calming space to relax in.'
Julie's style advice
Find and upgrade second-hand buys
‘I’ve found lots of really good-quality furniture in charity shops,’ says Julie, ‘and it’s so cheap and easy to upcycle them with new paint and fixtures.
‘I painted this second-hand dresser in Red 03 by Lick, the same colour as the bottom section of the walls. By adding new handles, you can completely change the look of the piece. I found these wooden knobs in H&M Home, and I painted them in Lick Purple 04 to match the colour on the upper part of the walls. To finish the look, I painted the legs black.’
Be brave and bold
Julie wanted a statement wallpaper and this beautiful pastel design was perfect. The wallpaper was customised to fit the space exactly.
‘It was easy,’ says Julie. ‘I just entered the wall measurements online. Then Berlate Studio worked out how much I needed, taking the repeat into account, so there was no waste. It really gives the room that ‘wow’ factor. I went for pastel shades, so it’s not too overpowering and I picked out colours with my chosen accessories to tie it together.’
Colour-block the walls
First, decide where you want your lower colour to stop and the top to start. Measure from the floor up and lightly mark the point on the wall with a pencil, repeating at regular points.
Use a spirit level to check the line is straight. Secure masking tape along the marked line, making sure it’s even. Paint along the outlines, starting with the lighter shade. Use a roller for the rest of the wall and then leave to dry, before applying another coat. Remove the masking tape while the paint is still wet.
Feature and styling Penny Crawford-Collins. Photos Philip Lauterbach.
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