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Expert advice from Naomi Cleaver
Sometimes a room needs a little more help in order to glisten and shine. Fortunately, Channel 4’s Naomi Cleaver is on hand to help these five lucky people make one of their rooms look top dollar.
Andrea Saville
1. the ceiling is very obviously low and there are currently a number of features drawing attention to this uncomfortable fact: the pendant light fitting, the coving and the textured finish of the ceiling. Accordingly the light fitting should be removed and replaced with a selection of judiciously placed table and/or floor lamps.
Removal of the coving will also serve to solve the issue of how to finish the coving around the chimneybreast. Whatever constitutes the textured finish should then be replaced with a smooth, and therefore more light reflective surface.
2. exposed brick can be beautiful, if it has the right texture and colour. Newish red brick, like this, however is nearly always ugly and should be painted over in this instance, if not plastered over.
3. there are currently too many focal points in this room – the TV on one side and the fire on the opposite side. I would suggest recommissioning the fireplace and locating a TV/Audio Visual cabinet at the side. Comfy seating could then be oriented around the fireplace and towards the TV to create a more congenial environment.
4. A cabinet should be designed and installed to accommodate the home computer, which never looks good and least of all in a living room.
5. To create a more modern feel the dark oak furniture and tapestry style upholstery should be replaced with something lighter in colour and design. To the same purpose I would also recommend replacing the curtains with a smart roman blind and having a cover made for the radiator, which can also function as a console.
Claire Hart
1. This living room, like many, is dominated by a TV. The TV here should therefore be contained within a cabinet. Given that there is hardly anything on the market that fulfils this purpose, without being fantastically ugly or naff, I would suggest having something designed and made specially, or customising an existing vintage cabinet. The glass cabinet should be removed elsewhere.
2. The other problem here is the bulbous furniture, like a room full of giant meringues. Sofas and chairs that are raised off the ground, with “readable” legs, will be a big improvement and needn’t compromise on comfort. For extra cosiness scatter a couple of cashmere/silk mix or mohair blankets over armrests.
3. The two pendant light fittings aren’t really “saying” anything. If overhead lighting is required then no more than four recessed spots (on dimmers) will do the job discreetly. Localised lighting can then be supplied through table and/or floor lamps, which will also be much more atmospheric.
4. The two pictures appear to be placed very high on the wall and should be lowered towards the top of the sofa to create a better rhythm of objects in the room. In the same vein the mirror is a little too large and out of balance with the fireplace. A good rule to follow when it comes to mirrors above fireplaces is to go for something which is slightly smaller than the fireplace, including opening and surround.
5. I love the “slice of wood” side table and it’s eccentric pieces like this that can really characterise and personalise a home: more of this kind of thing would be lovely.
Georgina Parnell
1. I’m not quite sure what this room is: den? Laundry room? Storage room? Bed sitting room? Living room? And this is part of the problem. First the main purpose of the room needs to be identified, so that it can be designed to efficiently accommodate that primary function, and then its subsidiary ones, taking note of the available natural light. Either way some wall mounted shelving/storage looks like it would be a good idea.
2. if dining/table space is a subsidiary function more floor space can be created by installing a folding table and chairs, which can be hung, shaker-style, on the wall when not required.
3. throws chucked over furniture screams student digs to me, which is depressing even if you’re a student. Reupholstering is a good investment, extending the life of furniture, as well as being more resource and therefore environmentally efficient. Woven textures in lighter colours will be practical as well as making this room less “bottom heavy”, not to mention working very nicely with the sisal floor.
4. If laundry needs to dry in this room it should be contained within a cabinet with louvred doors. The same cabinet could store all the paraphenalia to do with laundry such as an ironing board, iron etc.
5. A blind fitted inside the top of the window’s reveal will look much more neat and tidy.
Laura Davey
1. At first glance this room looks quite stylish but then it becomes clear that the overhead light fitting and the dining table are having some sort of tiff. Whoever lives here needs to intervene and get them back together. If there’s no saving the relationship the light fitting can be replaced with discreet dimable recessed spots to provide overhead lighting as required, with candles illuminating dinner parties.
2. Given the lovely reflective floor a much stronger colour could be used on the walls and in furnishings, though I’d keep the ceiling light. I love blues and greens and really dirty, kind of “off” colours but, in the end, colour is very much down to personal taste.
If you’re unsure of what your personal taste is go crazy with match pots to get the perfect combo and don’t forget, once you’ve chosen your colours, paint up small pieces of board in your palette and take them with you to fabric showrooms to ensure perfect harmony. For colour inspiration look to nature and art galleries.
3. Another way to develop a decorative scheme is to start with an object or fabric you love and building from there – that way you know it will positively hum with your personality. Don’t forget eBay, junk shops, car boot sales, vintage shops or even the family attic for discovering those unique finds.
4. Consistency is essential to the success of any design scheme and the traditional style radiator cover and fussy curtain tie back are at odds with such a crisp and modern “envelope”. Removing the unnecessary tie back, and replacing the arched front panel of the radiator cover with something more square, is the solution.
5. The folding chairs on the balcony are too “busy” for such a confined space and should be replaced with a much simpler design.
Greig Bailey
1. Judging from the amount of stuff on the counter top storage is desperately lacking in this kitchen. If there isn’t space for more cabinets a rail could be installed just below the wall hung cabinets so that things like kitchen towel etc. can be suspended from here, relieving the work surface.
2. When combining colours they need to exactly match or be distinct from one another. In this case the white oven and the white kitchen are not a perfect match nor are they different enough. As it’s more costly to change the oven I would suggest changing the cabinet and drawer fronts.
3. Changing fronts will also remove the nasty “traditional” style detailing. Coloured flat panelled fronts, perhaps with white handles to tie in the oven, would look fresh and cool.
4. In this day and age of kitchen/diners it’s essential that lighting schemes can accommodate different functions and putting under cabinet lighting on a separate circuit to overhead lighting will help. As will putting all lighting on dimmers: anything more complicated is a waste of money.
5. The slate floor looks robust so I can’t see a case for changing it, but good maintenance is important so check with your supplier to ensure you use the right products and in the right way.