INSPIRING
HERITAGE STYLE
Determined to bring out the best in her period home, an innovative renovator and interiors blogger used her design talents to enhance its character while adding smart contemporary touches. She shared the journey of its transformation into a serene family haven with her loyal online following
PRODUCTION CAROLYN BAILEY
SITTING ROOM
To create a warm and inviting atmosphere, Melanie Lissack employed a colour-drenching technique, applying the same shade of paint to the skirting, walls, shutters and mouldings. Paint, Stone V, Paint & Paper Library. Chairs, Soho Home. Lamp, David Hunt Lighting. Lampshade, Birdie Fortescue. Side table, Habitat
SITTING ROOM
Rich rust hues complement the painted surfaces and natural wooden floorboards. Ceramics, Joanna Ling, Clay by Faye and Clae
HOME PROFILE
WHO LIVES HERE Melanie Lissack, a blogger and interior design consultant, her husband Russell, a musician, and their son Jaxon THE PROPERTY A detached early Victorian house with two bedrooms in Loughton, Essex
Faced with a limited budgetand a blank canvas, Melanie Lissack embraced a hands-on approach to the interior design of her new home, mastering the art of DIY and scouring secondhand sources for unique treasures. She started her blog as a way to document its transformation. As the house evolved, so did her blog, becoming a platform where she shares her journey of trial and error and her creative ideas with an ever-growing audience.
In January 2015, Melanie and her husband Russell decided to leave their home in north London behind. ‘We’d lived in Islington throughout our 20s and felt we needed a quieter life,’ Melanie explains, ‘especially with our young son and puppy.’ So they began their search for a new home on the outskirts of east London, aiming to strike a balance between easy city access and a more rural feel.
It was Russell who stumbled on the early Victorian house on the fringes of Epping Forest during an internet search. Melanie, however, required a bit of coaxing. Even though the exterior exuded idyllic charm, the rooms, at first glance, looked cramped and constricted. ‘But when we pulled up to view the house, we instantly knew we wanted it,’ says Melanie. ‘It had so much kerb appeal and was on a lovely street with the forest just over the road, an Underground line straight into the capital and a busy high street.’
WALLPAPER
Melanie’s goal was to bridge the gap between the interior of her home and the natural beauty of Epping Forest. To achieve this, she chose a Chinoiserie-style wallpaper for the TV room adjoining the garden, seamlessly blending the indoor and outdoor spaces. Wallpaper, Bird & Bluebell, Little Greene
Inside, rather than the poky quarters she’d antic
