It is clear Nina draws her inspiration from positively transforming people’s lives. Her expertise in her field is outstanding, and her ability to provide a vision of what could be and transform it into reality is amazing
RACHEL D (CO WICKLOW)
Brief
Total makeover to inject some charm, homeliness and atmosphere into a tired isolated coastal cottage on a limited budget.
Scope
- New colour schemes
- Repurposing dining suite and bedroom furniture
- Retaining flooring, fireplace, bathroom and kitchen
- Sourcing new seating, light fixtures, lamps, side tables, rugs, curtains, blinds and accessories
Details
The pine ceiling and kitchen units were painted to freshen up and to brighten and enliven the dark interior. A few simple finishing touches were added such as wall décor and cushions.
I based the décor on a vintage theme which works well in a cottage interior and kept the space energised by using small pops of uplifting colours in striking patterns proportionate to the space to create interest and pull the scheme together. Bright colours help to cheer up the interior on dull days (the house is situated at the edge of the Atlantic), adding a fun light-hearted element.
For feng shui reasons I adjusted the layout of the furnishings so if seated a person would not have their back to the main door and I used some white lace effect perforated vinyl hanging panels as dividers to partially screen off the dining area at one end of the open-plan room from the sitting area at the other. This helps to create a sense of intrigue, defines the purpose of each area, and division make a space seem bigger.
I created 3 distinct zones: seating, dining and cooking, breaking up the straight-through effect in order to harness the energy in the home and distancing 2 of the 3 areas from the main entrance.
This also creates the feeling of a more nurturing space, facilitates better conversation, lessens the harsh acoustics, and the dividers delineate the working area from the social area without cutting it off completely.
