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A love of pattern and colour meant that Cate Burren wasn’t afraid to mix and match to get the space she wanted Cate Burren lives in Cambridge in a Victorian Terrace built in 1900. When she moved into her house four years ago, she inherited a white living room lacking any distinctive features and decided to make a few structural changes. The room had space for a dining area at one end and a living area at the other, but the door to the hall had to move to make space for a sofa.
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“The decorating scheme started with fabric for the blinds,” says Cate “I love the mix of strong patterns and subtle colours"
Transforming the room Cate’s first decision was to move the door leading to the hallway to the dining end as the living area was too cramped. To bring more light into the room, from the hall, she designed an internal horizontal feature window for the wall above the sofa. Cate knew that good artificial lighting would also be important, so she had spotlights fitting into the ceiling and installed a dimmer switch. To cover the white walls, she chose a soft green she feels she can live with for years to come. Her old sofa was re-covered and she found an antique button back design to fit under the window. She then chose patterned cushion covers to complement the roman blinds, without co-ordinating exactly. The result is a dramatic blend of colours and designs.
“It’s easy to be tempted to try lots of ideas, but sticking to the original design stopped me mixing up too many styles,” says Cate 1. Demi-lune table The space beside the window in the dining area was just wide enough to fit a small table. Cate painted a plain MDF model in deep grey and off white and hung a striking vintage gold mirror above it as a focal point. |
2. Table settings Pink, green and touches of black are the main themes of the two areas, and Cate has chosen tableware in co-ordinating colours 3. Footstool Cate had a footstool upholstered in a velvet stripe fabric that pulls together all the tones in the room. As well as adding colour, it doubles as a place for a tray too. 4. Display cabinet The antique cupboard was found at a market. Cate painted the inside so she can display glasses and silverware. 5. Blinds Roman blinds are a chic contemporary alternative to curtains. Their neat shape means lively fabrics can be used in a small room without overpowering it
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6. Feature window Cate designed the window into the hall herself and had it made by a local joiner 7. Lighting As well as new recessed spotlights in the ceiling, the dining table is lit by two low pendants in matt black enamel. They throw light onto the dining table at night and also make it a good place to sit and work
8. Accent colour Cate has used black as a sophisticated accent for pictures and lamps. It’s a designer touch that turns a colourful scheme into something special.
Original article appeared in House Beautiful August 2008. Photography by Mark Scott. |
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