Emma Lawson has transformed a plain white new-build into a vibrant and quirky space that the whole family can enjoy
Feature Katie Lee Photos Karen Wilson
FUN-FILLED MAKEOVER
My story
When we outgrew our two-bedroom semi, we didn’t need to look far to find our next home. We liked the area and wanted to stay local, so were keen to view the showhomes on a new development three minutes away. Although I love period properties, most of the older house in this area are terraces and the idea of taking on a renovation with a two-year-old didn’t appeal to us. With plans to have another baby, a new-build was the cheaper and easier option.
After reserving our home off-plan in February 2021, we moved in eight months later, having spent three-and-a-half months living at my parents’ place in between houses. At first, we just put up pictures to make it feel homely but I quickly got the itch and wanted to add colour to the walls. Our old home had more cooler blue tones, so I wanted warmer colours here like orange and green.
While the décor is quite busy, we both hate clutter, so I’d say we’re minimalist maximalists! There’s plenty of fun elements going on but we’re anti too much stuff. Although we’ve loved living here, we’ll probably sell up soon and move to another town 15 minutes away. We have more friends there and it would be closer to school for Mabel and Arthur. It’ll be exciting to start decorating again somewhere new, but I think Robert would like to tone down the colours a bit in our next home!
Welcome to my home
A BIT ABOUT ME
I’m Emma Lawson, 34, currently a stay-at-home mum and former florist. I live with my husband, Robert, 37, a senior web developer, our children, Mabel, four, and Arthur, eight months, plus our dog, Ted. You can see more of my home on my Instagram page@ourcolourfulrosedale.
WHERE I LIVE
Our home is a three-bedroom detached new-build in East Kilbride, Scotland.
WHAT I WANTED TO CHANGE
Being a new-build, it was a bit of a white box so we were keen to add lots of colour and fun elements to the house. We knew there was scope to convert the garage into an office-cum-snug.
HOW I MADE IT MY OWN
I love colour-blocking and part-painted walls. My vision was for a bright, colourful and fun interior, which our kids would love living in as much as us.
MY FAVOURITE PART
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