This month we are delighted to welcome our latest guest blogger Catherine McCall to share the story of her stunning hallway transformation.
An artist and colour creative from Folkstone in Kent who shares her inspiring work on Instagram @kittymccall, Catherine is well known for the bold botanical art which fills her home and self-named shop in the town’s Creative Quarter.
“Hi, I’m Catherine and I live in an Edwardian semi-detached house in Folkestone, which is just a few minutes’ walk from the sea, with my husband, our two children and two cats. Basically, this means that our home is constantly full of mess!
My home style is constantly evolving but we love bright colours and are always mixing the new with traditional. I have to confess, if I see something I love I am guilty of buying first and fitting it to the style rather than agreeing a style and then finding things that fit it. You might call this ‘eclectic’ but this seemingly random approach means that I’m always open to trying out new ideas and colour combinations. I think if you decorate with items and colours that you love, it will always work out well.
The hallway was the one aspect of our house that sold it to us when we were house hunting. It was so welcoming and warm. Since moving in we’ve been gradually working around the rest of the house, adding bold walls and interesting accessories – anything that appealed to us really.
For a long time, the hallway was left as a blank canvas with white walls and painted floorboards as we wanted to get the flooring right. The walls have been replastered and the bannisters taken back to wood and painted or waxed so we needed a floor that tied it all together.
We love traditional Victorian and Edwardian tiled floors and felt that the house was crying out for more than just floorboards or carpet. We ‘uhhmed’ and ‘ahhed’ for ages and looked at all sorts of options including tiles, laminates, boards and carpet but when we saw the monochrome geometric patterns of Karndean’s Heritage Collection we knew this was what we were looking for in terms of design but also for practicality and warmth.
The Clifton design works so well with the period of the house. The black and white colourway is a classic and lets our furniture and artwork create a changing gallery of colour. I love how the star and square tile design with its border and edging fills the space perfectly. It's much warmer underfoot when compared to ceramic tiles and easier to clean, which is a key consideration for our busy family.
We’re delighted with our new hallway and we feel proud to open the door to visitors and offer a warm welcome and a lasting impression.”
We think Catherine has proved without a doubt that a monochrome floor can be the ideal foundation for a home that’s filled with colour! You can follow her colour adventures on Instagram @kittymccall.