Making a house feel like home

5 bedroom family home | complete interior design | crowborough, east sussex

kitchen-with-dining-space-and-living-room

At Smartstyle we often talk about spaces needing to look great, work brilliantly, and feel fantastic. This is an example of a fundamentally good house that still didn’t feel right for its owners. When my client bought this five-bedroom property it had been recently renovated, but decorated top-to-toe in neutral tones. The grey and taupe felt flat and joyless to them, and their existing furniture didn’t suit the new space.

We were brought in to take the good bones of the property and transform it into a home that reflected the personality of the whole family, including three growing sons. We worked through the house to fill it with harmonious colour, warmth and energy, creating a welcoming home that feels right for every member of the family.

Kitchen with teal blue island and blue bar stools

Colourful seating area in a open plan kitchen

the kitchen

A spacious, open-plan kitchen, dining and living area lies at the heart of this home. The kitchen was already fitted with neutral coloured Neptune cabinetry, so we focused on bringing character and warmth to what was already there. Painting the island in a soft green instantly gave the room a focal point. We sourced colourful stools with a small footprint so we could fit five, not four, around the island, and their sculptural backs introduced personality and playfulness. A patterned blind adds visual interest, and statement pendant lights completed the transformation, turning the kitchen into a welcoming, sociable space where the whole family naturally gathers.

Colourful dining rom chairs at an oak dining room table

two blue armchairs next to mid blue curtain

transitional space

Between the kitchen and the dining/living area, a spare wall was creating a sense of dead space. We noticed that the sunlight streamed through into this corner, so we created a place to sit and enjoy it, by adding two contemporary wing-back armchairs in a sapphire blue. We extended the curtain stack behind the chairs to soften the space further and hide a utilities cupboard in the corner. An oak cabinet adds character and provides extra storage for the family’s large book collection.

yellow and teal chairs around an oak dinign room table

detail of oak dining table with colourful chairs

Dining area

The dining area flows visually and spatially from the kitchen — making it easy to move between the two spaces. Mismatched chairs in stain-resistant velvet pair sophistication with practicality, proving it is possible to have your cake and eat it. For the large table we reused the legs from the client’s existing table and added a new, beautifully grained timber top, sourced through our cabinetmakers. Finished with a hardwearing lacquer for everyday durability, it’s a piece that feels both personal and purposeful. A striking artwork finishes the space.

Colorful living room space in a family kitchen

Detail of styling items on a colouful footstool in a seating area

living space

This seating area prioritises comfort for when the family are relaxing and watching TV together at the end of a long day. The sofas are upholstered in complementary but different fabrics, one in blue chenille and the other in peacock linen, to add subtle interest and texture. A generous ottoman provides leg room for everyone, and contains valuable hidden storage. For larger gatherings such as Christmas or family birthdays, the blue wing chairs can be brought through to provide extra seating.

Hallway showing an armchair in eh doorway leading to the seating area in the family kitchen

reflection in a mirror of a blue sofa in a family living room

detail of teal blue chair with orange throw and abstract blue and green cushion

hallway

The characterful scheme is pulled through into the hallway with an occasional chair, and an interesting mirror bounces light and colour into the space.

Living room with blue sofa, orange chairs adn bespoke book case with glass doors

Image showing a glass front bookcase opening and closing behind a blue sofa

detail of deep orange roses in a blue adn white vase in front of a blue sofa

sitting room

The sitting room’s long, narrow shape made it awkward to furnish and difficult to use, so it was rarely enjoyed by the family. We reworked the layout to give the room not one but two clear functions. A bespoke bookcase now anchors the far wall, with long-term storage built in behind the sofa, and upper doors that open independently for easy access. This unit also helps to visually shorten the space. At the opposite end, a deep blue wall allows the television to recede, while echoing the tone of the sofa to create balance. Two orange swivel chairs bring a lively focal point to the center of the room and can turn to form an intimate seating area — or face the screen for family movie nights.

orange basin unit in front of dark blue paneling and wiggle blue wallpaper

wall hung toilet in front of dark blue paneling and wiggle blue wallpaper

cloakroom

The smallest room in the house can be a great place to have a little fun. Here, we created a true destination cloakroom, adding panelling with dado rails and beading applied directly to the wall for character and depth. The vanity unit was repainted to tie the scheme together, while a gallery of photographs tells a family story.

light teal headboard withe three cushions with small orange details and glass orange bedside lights

a giff of a light teal headboard withe three cushions with small orange details and glass orange bedside lights

Light teal deep button sofa adn orange chair as a seating area in a master bedroom

detail of Light teal deep button sofa in a seating area in a master bedroom

gif image showing lights coming n and off above a Light teal deep button sofa in a seating area in a master bedroom

Master bedroom suite

We began by rethinking the layout to make better use of this room’s generous proportions. The bed was repositioned to give it a view of the window rather than the door, and we added feature bedside tables. The smoked glass lamps add softness to the space, throwing light patterns from the window even when switched off. A deep rug now anchors the luxurious sitting area, and a clever pop-up-desk coffee table provides a hidden sanctuary for quiet home-working. The colour palette overall is calm and soothing, with small notes of orange to lift the mood. The full-length curtain treatment visually unifies the window arrangement. Because the radiators are below the windows, we added blinds that can be used in winter without blocking the heat.

wardrobe adn bookcase in a child's bedroom

detail of a roman blind in blue and white fabric

youngest son’s room

When we were designing rooms for the family’s three sons, we kept in mind the person each boy is now, and the one he’s fast becoming.

In this, the youngest son’s room, bolster cushions on the bed create a relaxed sitting area for reading or gaming, and a clever Z-bed chair folds out for sleepovers. We used a combination of three cabinet types from Ikea to provide storage for clothes and books; a cost-effective high-street solution that helped make the budget go a bit further. Investing in quality blinds ensures the rooms will stand the test of time, while the overall scheme balances fun and function.

light green walls and dark green bed in a young boys bedroom

detail of bed in light green walls and dark green bed in a young boys bedroom

dark wood desk with tan leather chair in light green walls and dark green bed in a young boys bedroom

This room will see the second son through his teen years, so an L-shaped industrial-style desk creates a stylish study area. The leather desk chair provides the necessary ergonomic function without making the room feel corporate.

view from landing into a teenage boys room in dark blue

colourfull cushion on dark blue duvet cover

detail of dark blue bed into a teenage boys room in dark blue

The eldest son benefits from the largest room with an ensuite bathroom. However, on occasion he may need to vacate to let guests use the room, so we kept that in mind with a more flexible, mature scheme.

view from hallway into colourful guest bedroom

detail of side of bed with deep green ceramic table lamp

guest room

The guest room is small, so we chose a ¾ size bed to avoid it dominating the space. To keep things in balance, we scaled down bedside tables and lamps, using colour, pattern and texture to add interest and cosiness.

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