INSPIRATION
COLOUR CONFIDENCE
If you’re wondering what to do with a lacklustre room and budgets are tight, go all out with colour – it has the power to really lif t the spirits, says our columnist Sophie Robinson
I feel so lucky to have my conservatory, full of light, joyful pattern and with glorious views out to the garden. But I didn’t always feel this way about the room! When we bought our house, we had plans to knock it down as it was plastic, dated and rather tatty. But when we realised our home renovation budget wasn’t going to stretch to a new extension, it was time to get creative.
We began the transformation by painting the uPVC frames, which is very easy if you use an all-surface primer before applying the top coat of your chosen colour – it ensures the paint adheres to the plastic. Next we had to tackle the light, as its south-facing aspect made the room unusable in the height of summer. Having looked at lots of underwhelming options for conservatory blinds, I decided to go bespoke. These stunning sails were created by a seamstress who measured the roof and then made the individual sails using Wildflower Meadow floral fabric from my Harlequin collection. They are simply held in place with a combination of eyelets and hooks so are easy to remove and clean. The combination of these sails and the Roman blinds in a coordinating basketweave print, shades the room from the bright sunlight, and it’s a delight to be in – I just love the tented effect, swathed in glorious pattern, that the sail blinds create.
Sail blinds in Wildflower Meadow, £75/m; Roman blinds in Basket Weave, £65/m; cane sofa in Ribbon Stripe, £49/m; chairs in Woodland Floral, £69/m; tablecloth in Paper Straw Stripe, £79/m; cushion fabrics, from a selection; all Harlequin x Sophie Robinson. Sofa in Element, £35/m, Harlequin. Valentin footstool in Rhubarb Smart Cotton, £550, Sofa.com. Turquoise scallop tray, £180, Addison Ross. Fred yellow trays, from £35, Zazoo.
Raffia pendant lights, from
