‘My best buy is my record player cabinet. I bought it for £1 on eBay and upcycled it with some rattan, vinyl and a lick of paint’
My story
It's hard to believe what I've achieved in just over a year. I moved in here with my daughter, Annabel, after I separated from her dad, and it was perfect, as it's so close to her school. It also has two bedrooms and lots of storage space, which was important, as I was downsizing from a large, four-bedroom house.
I have a chronic illness, which means I can't work, and it takes me a lot longer than most to finish a project, so I'm very proud that I've transformed our home as I have. Everything was white when we first moved in, which was fine as I was in my ‘grey era’. Then, one day, I decided to add a bit of colour to one of the bedroom walls. I used sample paints to create squares of different colours and then I hung artworks on top. I uploaded a picture to Instagram and was surprised at the response – it's where my decorating journey started.
Since then, my style's evolved as I've gone along, and now our home is full of colour, pattern and texture. I'm so happy with how my home looks, and I love seeing everyone's faces when they come round for the first time, or haven't visited in months – it's priceless!
Welcome to my home
A BIT ABOUT ME
I'm Michelle Rowland, 39, and I live here with my daughter, Annabel, 13.
WHERE I LIVE
Our home is a rented two-bedroom, first-floor apartment in north-west London, which was built in the 1930s. We moved here in October 2018, and I share more on Instagram @thecornerflatldn.
WHAT I WANTED TO CHANGE
The flat was in a decent condition when we moved in, although the decor was very white! But I was very much a minimalist back then, so it worked well at the time.
HOW I MADE IT MY OWN
I've packed it full of colour, pattern and textures, and I've transitioned from a minimalist into very much a maximalist!
MY FAVOURITE PART
The little library in the living room, which was an IKEA hack. I couldn't be happier with it. It's made the room bigger, brighter and even more colourful.
‘My mindset has completely changed now, and my colourful accessories are my treasures’
Living room
‘I think you can tell I'm a maximalist from this room! I love bold vibrant colours, particularly yellow and pink. Originally, I had a dining table in the corner, but we rarely used it, so I decided to get rid of it and built a little ‘library’ by transforming some IKEA Billy bookcases. I fixed them together, added some MDF and coving to the top, and painted it all in Humpty Dumpty by Earthborn. I couldn't be happier with it, and it's made the room feel bigger, brighter and even more colourful.’
‘The disco ball bar cart is my favourite thing. I nearly bought one, but then thought, I can do that myself! So I did, and it's definitely a talking point’
‘I love looking for secondhand books in charity shops. There's something really satisfying about finding a bargain book, and I love displaying them on my upcycled IKEA shelves’
‘My home is now a dopamineinducing haven – the bright colours have boosted my mood immensely!’
‘This bookcase was in a house I rented and had been sitting in the cellar for years. I asked my landlady if I could make use of it and, after stripping it back, whitewashing and sanding it, it came out so well. Everyone comments on how beautiful it is, and I know I'll never part with it’
‘I used adhesive disco-style strips for the edge of the door to give it a bit of interest’
make this disco ball bar cart p44
EXPERT ADVICE
How to create a block-colour gallery wall
Follow Michelle's lead and mount artwork on colourful painted squares to frame your pieces and add extra interest
● First, choose your artworks and look at the colours in them. Decide which colour paint would look good behind each one. You might want to paint each square backdrop in a different shade, or do them all the same for a more unified effect.
● Next, place your artworks on the floor and arrange them until you're happy with the layout. Take a photo. Whether you want a symmetrical look or some slightly higher or wider on the wall, it's really about personal preference.
● Measure each frame, and mark that size out on the wall with pencil, one at a time, making sure to leave the same gap in between each one. Then measure another 5-10cm (for the frame) all the way round each of your pencil marks and mark this square (or rectangle) with masking tape.
● Next, paint your colour blocks, allowing enough time in between to dry properly. Overlap the blocks if you like, using masking tape for crisp, clean lines.
● To finish, hang your artworks as per your floor layout, stand back, and enjoy the effect.
‘I chose a brick-style wallpaper from Novecrafto for the walls and teamed it with leafy green blinds from Blinds Direct. I love how everything has its own spot in this room. I've carefully thought about every inch of available space, and have tried to make it flow seamlessly. My little coffee station gets updated seasonally, with new mugs, coffee beans and syrups, and at Christmas I cover it in twinkly lights’
Heart-shaped throw, £5.50, George Home
Make it happen slogan mug, £13, Sass & Belle
Vibes bright slogan cushion, £12, Dunelm
Disco ball wine cooler in Silver, £40, Rockett St George
Sardines print, £12.99, Homesense
‘Mugs are my secret homeware addiction! I have so many, it's become a laughing matter with my daughter. Every time a new one appears, she heads over to the cup cupboard and counts out loud how many there are that I don't use!’
‘The wallpaper in my kitchen is Miami Shells by Eleanor Bowmer, and the selfadhesive Mundano tiles in Casablanca are from Easy Tiles. They were a really easy way to give my kitchen a renterfriendly glow up, as (surprise, surprise) the tiles underneath are white!’
‘I feel I've given the space a purpose, and a personality’
shop dopamine decor p42
Steal my style
Get Michelle's uplifting home style with these mood-boosting buys
Kitchen
‘I didn't have to do too much to the kitchen when I moved in, but I've added tiles and blinds for some colour and interest. One of the walls has problems due to the external insulation and needs constant filling and repainting. I used PVC wall panels to conceal the imperfections, which was easy to do using a bit of adhesive to apply them. I used brick-style tiles because I wanted a retro feel, and have collected some vintage accessories that are displayed on a chunky wooden shelf. I'm a huge fan of eBay and charity shops, and have found some beautiful pieces to upcycle, like my set of kitchen scales, which had seen better days. They were covered in rust but, after watching a few YouTube videos, I took on the challenge and I'm so thrilled with how they've turned out.’
Style idea
Hang transparent planters by the window to catch the light
‘I've created my own art gallery on the back wall with prints from Fy! and Yililo, with some painted blocks of colour behind,’ says Michelle. The bedding is Electric Coast by Night Lark X Eleanor Bowmer, and the cheetah rug is from Maia Homes
Main bedroom
‘This is where my love of colourful decor began. One day I decided to add a bit of colour to one of the walls and, using some sample paint pots, started painting squares of different colours. Then I added some artwork on top. I put a photo of it on Instagram and was so surprised at the response – and so it all started! Originally the bed was under the window and it stayed that way for six years. I was adamant that it was the best use of space, but then last year I decided to move the bed to its current position and realised how much better it is. I've been kicking myself for not doing it sooner ever since!’
‘My mum bought these bedside tables from an antiques shop when I was a child. I left home at 17 and asked her if I could take them with me, but the answer was a resounding no! When my daughter was born, she finally handed them over. They were pine and I've painted them with Annie Sloan chalk paint in Tilton’
‘The yellow lockers are from Furniturebox and the pink fridge is called the Nancy from CDA. I love its retro diner look and I use it for water – it's a great help when my illness puts me on bed rest. I also use it to store some of my face creams!’
Bathroom
‘The bathroom was completely white when I moved in and it felt very clinical. The first thing I did was wallpaper the bath panel, and I chose a fairly safe pattern because I wasn't sure what my next move would be. I wanted to break up the white walls and add some life to the room and, after looking at the eye-watering prices of flower walls, I decided to do it myself. I bought the grass panels and some bunches of artificial flowers and spent ages threading them into the panels. I then picked up a couple of wire signs from Next to add another element of interest to them. To cover the remaining white walls, I decided to go with Eclectic Eden wallpaper by Lust Home as it's so busy with vibrant wildflowers.’
‘Lust Home's Eclectic Eden wallpaper has really given the bathroom a good injection of colour. The sardine clock is from Red Candy and my bath mat is from Rockett St George. The bath panel is also wallpapered in a cheap design from Amazon, which is peel and stick. It's been on for over a year and hasn't lifted once’
Michelle knew she wanted florals in the bathroom to make the room feel warmer and decided to create her own flower panels. She bought the flowers in bunches and cut them down to single stems
‘I love sardine accessories like this,’ says Michelle. ‘They're fun and playful, blending a kitschy aesthetic with coastal charm and a touch of nostalgia’
TURN OVER to shop Michelle's playful look
What I learned
● Don't worry about using colour and pattern. If it makes you happy, go for it! I often get people saying they wish they were as brave as me. It's okay to let your personality show in your home decor.
● Make the best use of your space. If you're limited, like me, look at spaces above doors and windows, as you can often fit a shelf or two above them.
● Add plants! They add colour, texture and a touch of nature to any space. Plus, there are so many amazing pots and planters out there, too. ■