INSPIRING
Thanks to the energy and creative vision of its owners, a once damp and uninspiring flat has been transformed into a maximalist haven of colour and pattern with references ranging from the building’s Victorian roots to rustic Mediterranean style and (almost) everything in between
LIVING/KITCHEN AREA
A bespoke bookcase frames a wide doorway through to the kitchen where a cabinet from a gentleman’s outfitters has been turned into a central island. Bookcase in Stone Blue, Farrow & Ball. Larder cupboard, eBay. Stools, Sklum
HOME PROFILE
Jodie Hazlewood, a make-up artist and interior designer, her husband Olly Hunter, a commercial photographer, and Roy Dandy, their Miniature Pinscher
A maisonette in a converted Victorian mansion in Mapperley Park, a suburb of Nottingham
KITCHEN
Above Designed to feel like a part of the living area, the kitchen contains units made from vintage furniture. Walls in Strong White, Farrow & Ball. Woodwork in Invisible Green, Edward Bulmer. Floor tiles, Handmade Terracotta Tile Company. Wall tiles, Maitland & Poate. Cabinetry, vintage from PC Pirates. Cooker, Lacanche. Lamps and lights, Pooky
Like many people, Jodie started an Instagram account, @thehouseupstairs, to record the progress of a home renovation when she and her husband Olly purchased a derelict two-storey flat in March 2020. But unlike most, Jodie stuck at it – both the refurb and regular updates – and found a niche that saw the number of her followers soar and prompted a career pivot. Now, with more than 100,000 followers and her own collection of bespoke furniture being sold to a legion of fans up and down the country, the hard work and frequent posting is paying off.
‘When we found our home, I don’t think a single other person was interested in buying it as it had no working plumbing or heating, not to mention terrible 1960s windows and damp everywhere,’ recalls Jodie. ‘But we saw great proportions, as well as the potential to knock through into a very large loft space, which we’ve since done.’ The couple are the first to admit that they outsourced to professionals rather than tackle it themselves – as most of the initial jobs were so big they wouldn’t have known where to start – but the process provided a steep learning curve for them both. ‘Our confidence in DIY is slowly growing,’ says Jodie, ‘so we definitely do more things ourselves now.’
HALLWAY
Left Jodie with Roy Dandy, a Miniature Pinscher acquired during lockdown. Walls in Setting Plaster and door in Red Earth, both Farrow & Ball
LIVING ROOM
The designated entertaining area features a well-stocked bar. Curtains in Amalfi fabric in Ivory, Clarke & Clarke. Armchairs, Oka and
