This month we are pleased to welcome back our guest blogger Laura Crombie, brand development director at Real Homes magazine and home renovator extraordinaire who shares her story on Instagram at @lauracrombie.
After talking to us about her kitchen renovation last summer, Laura returns to tell us about how she created a characterful hallway with a streamlined feel using different laying patterns.
“Hi, I’m Laura and I live with my husband and two young daughters in a lovely 1960s house which we have been gradually renovating.
When we moved into the house our hallway was divided into two spaces with a small, cramped porch area so we decided to open the space out to give ourselves more room to move and a better flow through to the ground floor rooms. This has definitely helped when we’re trying to get two little ones ready to go out!
As the hallway sets the tone for the whole house, it was important to me to create a timeless look with a contemporary edge. I wanted the space to feel welcoming and calm as well as practical. I’m a big believer in homes having a ‘red thread’ or something that ties each room together. It doesn’t mean the rooms have to all look the same, just that you follow materials or colours into different spaces. For us, that’s using oak and black finishes and pink and blue paints.
Savannah Oak from the Art Select range
We have Savannah Oak from the Art Select range in a herringbone pattern in our kitchen-diner and I wanted to continue this oak look into the hallway. I felt having herringbone throughout would be a bit overpowering so I asked our fitter to install the same small planks but in a diagonal pattern with a border around the edge. The new larger hallway shows off the subtle oak grain pattern and sandy colours beautifully while the border helps define the space. It feels classic yet contemporary.
Leading off the hallway is our downstairs toilet, which was divided in half when we stole some of it to build our extension. Being such a small space with no window I decided to make a design statement while still complementing the rest of the house. I fell in love with the eye-catching monochrome geometric pattern of Clifton from the Heritage collection and have let this floor take centre stage with complementary colours on the walls and woodwork. This has been so successful; everyone comments on it.
Karndean has proved to be the perfect flooring for us as it’s durable, looks great, is easy to clean and feels warm underfoot. I often recommend it to friends and family!
I always advise people to go to a Karndean showroom and see the huge range of products in situ. When we were looking at options, we really appreciated the advice we received and being able to play around with different colours and laying patterns.
After our design consultation, we were given full-size samples of different tones to bring home with us. I then laid them out in different corners of the space to see how they looked at different times of day as the light changed.
Our design consultant suggested adding the darker design strip around the border and I’m so glad we decided to go with this. This small detail has given a professional finish that I think takes the floor to the next level!
Now we’ve finished renovating our downstairs living spaces, we’re finally planning our master bedroom. Our plan is to extend the room by incorporating an unused storage space, giving us a luxurious ensuite bathroom and dressing area.”
We love the way Laura has expressed her individuality and created something unique by adding personal touches to her flooring. To follow the next chapter of her home renovation story, follow her on Instagram at @lauracrombie.
Discover our Art Select and Heritage Collection.