How a pot of paint transformed my living room

If like me, you've got champagne taste on beer money but want to make a dramatic change to a room in your house, then this blog post has your name on it! By changing the wall colour and utilising the home accessories I already have and have recently acquired from my parents, I have transformed my living room. Before, the room was Magnolia- the wall colour of dreams in the 90s. The sort of colour I'd swoon over when I was a kid watching The Generation Game and the contestants would win a luxury weekend for two in a hotel, clad in lots of frills, matching floral sofa/curtain combos, and yes, the Magnolia. In my home, rather than make the room feel light and airy, made it feel bland and generic.

Bland, lacklustre and meh. I loved that pallet table, but the baby didn't so it had to go.

I'm forever shuffling the chairs and sofa around, but bear with me...

I'd always thought about going for a dark colour, as I love how it looks in country houses and Gastro pubs, but wasn't convinced that my 1980s home could pull it off. That was until I saw so many beautiful homes on Instagram that were nailing the dark look in such a fabulous way, I decided it was time to take the plunge. After all, YOLO.

Previous owner's curtains used as protection (sorry).

No going back now...

Enter, stage left Farrow and Ball's, Hague Blue. 'You said you were on  budget, you lying cow!' I hear you cry. Yes, it's not the cheapest paint, but I promise I didn't spend much elsewhere..!

The first obstacle was selling the idea to my husband. He will to be the first to admit that he has the interior eye of Noel Edmonds and Mr Blobby combined (jeez, I'm loving my 90's game show refs today). So, I took a gradual approach and told him I was only going to paint one wall. Knowing full well I wanted to paint all of them. I'm such a Ninja.

Was far too tempting to not put a pic of these two in.

Fast forward a few weeks and LOTS of faffing, I'm totally in love, the hubs is totally in love and the baby is totally in love (she's not really, she has no idea but I have a thing for triples). My sofas, chairs and home accessories all popped and the room looks so much bigger. I found that one wall needed some TLC, so got a plasterer in to sort it and actually liked the way it looked, so have decided to leave it as it is. I would've spent much more if I'd gone for a subtler colour as I'd be over compensating with home accessories as my home isn't a period property with features that speak for themselves. Have a butcher's at the process- hope you like it as much as I do!

One wall done. One hoodwinked hubby and some Hague Blue, and the whole room was done.

Despite going dark, the room still feels light and bright.

My naked plaster wall that I've since chosen to leave. Arab chest from my folks, vintage record player from my sis- my family have such good taste.

It's love.