EACH WEEK, WE ask an Irish person with a passion for interiors to share one photo of their favourite spot in their home.
Alison Best moved into a chalet bungalow on the coast of Northern Island with her husband 17 years ago, and they live there today with their two teenage children.
“I’ve lost count of how many times I have redecorated,” says Alison. “I regret doing a degree in graphic design and not pursuing my childhood dream of being an interior designer. Oh, how things could have been different!”
The art and design teacher chatted us through her favourite place in her home: her newly redecorated bathroom.
This is the main bathroom in our house and it has a sloping ceiling. It is always bright and full of light coming in through the Velux window. What I love about this space is the colour combinations and their quirkiness. It’s not run-of-the-mill. I was able to revamp this room on a very tight budget with a bit of creativity, and my haphazard vision came perfectly together.
My main inspiration for this bathroom revamp was the beautiful gold bevelled mirror above the sink. It was my late mother-in-law’s and it had never had a proper home, so I wanted somewhere that it would take pride of place. The other piece that needed a cool place to live is the stool. I managed to sweet talk this – free of charge! – from my local gym. I think it was from a school somewhere in the old Soviet Union.
I find it very exciting to juxtapose these totally different objects so that they work and give joy together. The shelf and soap dispenser are from TKMaxx and the mat is from Dunnes Stores. The floor is vinyl as I couldn’t afford to tile it and it’s so warm under foot.
This bathroom had been the same for 17 years and, as you can imagine, it was very outdated. It felt dirty and I just wanted a totally fresh feel. I used Instagram and Pinterest as a starting point and was inspired to try to achieve a black and white look.
The subway tiles fitted perfectly into this scheme and also my budget. It was a perfect backdrop to throw some unexpected colour into, hence the pink door. I also love thrifted and bargain bin finds. They inspire me to find ways to incorporate them into a scheme to add the individual touch and take the room outside the norm.
This bathroom has been the start of a big renovation of my home . My style has changed a lot over the years but it’s hard to afford to transform everything at once! My style was far more minimal before and a lot less colourful.
When we moved in, I had young children and a busy job and I needed a home that was easy to keep but that still looked good. The bathroom is more quirky and colourful and this style has spread throughout the house. I have incorporated many more found and re-purposed items everywhere to help with the finances.
Well actually, I didn’t need to tidy too much as I have only recently finished decorating this room. I did move my mum’s little fish onto the stool as I wanted it to be in the shot and I hung the picture on the back of the door as it had fallen off the wall on the other side of the room. I did, however, have to get into the shower and hold the phone behind my head to get everything into shot!
Do you have a spot in your home that you’re particularly proud of? Do you enjoy styling the different rooms in your house? Are you always adding and changing little things to make your space stand out? If so, we want to hear from you! Email amy@thejournal.ie with a few lines about yourself and your home for a chance to feature in My Home in One Photo.
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