We’re pleased to welcome back Instagram blogger Lareese Craig, who last month spoke to us about [designing her dream kitchen] as part of her Brighton home renovation project. This time round, she talks to us about her modern Moroccan inspired living space.
"Hi, it’s @lareesecraig again and welcome back to the second part of my guest blog. In my last post I chatted through our kitchen renovation featuring the rather lovely Morning Oak flooring and now, I’m back to show you how we’ve carried it through to our lounge.
Image above shows Art Select, Morning Oak AP06
We moved into our Victorian maisonette in Brighton three months ago and even though it had plenty of original charm and character, it certainly needed a bit of sprucing up. Having seen what a difference the flooring made in the kitchen, we decided to carry it through to the lounge to create harmony between the two adjacent rooms and we couldn’t be happier with the result.
The lounge was painted a classic warm maggy shade when we moved in - show me a house that isn’t - so we swiftly did away with that and opted for a subdued pale grey to lift the space and make the most of the high ceilings. With a lighter colour on the walls, I felt more could be made of the styling and soft furnishings without feeling compromised by that tricky magnolia.
Image above shows Art Select, Morning Oak AP06
I wanted to create a sense of escapism in this room. That meant lots of texture, space to unwind and a nod to that nomadic lifestyle. A little sprinkling of earthy plants has helped to add a laidback ambience, while the mix of rattan, bamboo and jute have ticked all the boho boxes!
And then there’s the flooring, of course. Since we went for a pale stone grey on the walls, the room initially felt quite cold and dare I say it, a little too minimalist for my liking. I wanted to fight the urge to fill every nook and cranny with furniture for the sake of it and find substance in simplicity instead. A neutral handwoven rug, coffee table and soft sofa area is all it needed to feel like home.
The warmth from the wood flooring immediately brought all the components of the lounge together, creating a space that’s both as cosy and comfortable as it is pared-back.
And just as the calm is restored… We’re onto the bathroom renovation next. Gulp! You’ll find me hiding in here talking to my plants!"
