Have a wander around this calm, light-filled home in Derbyshire

The owners created a cosy home using a palette of natural whites, greys and soft minks, with the odd bold pop of colour

kitchen with white fixtures and kitchen chimney
(Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole)

'My husband and I were really excited at the prospect of buying our first home together, but we didn’t want a massive project,’ says the owner. ‘We are both originally from Liverpool but my husband was offered a job in Derby after finishing his degree, and after 18 months of renting in the city, we decided it was time to buy our own home.'

Related: Step inside this three-bedroomed semi-detached Twenties house in Birmingham

Exterior

exterior of brick wall house with white door and windows

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole)

'After looking around at what was available in our price range, we bought an 11-year-old new build with potential. The house was originally a show home for the new estate and had some great extra features, such as a wide landing and bigger rooms. We also liked the kitchen at the back of the house with space for a breakfast table, and the formal dining area with doors leading out to the garden. However, although the property was relatively spacious, the dark colours used throughout the house made it seem small and poky. I wanted to fill the house with light and create a calm space for us to enjoy together. Luckily, we had a month left on our rental after we completed, so we decided get most of the decorating done while the house was empty.'

Living room

living room with white wall and window

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole)

living room with white wall and cushions on couch

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole)

'Removing all the dark, shiny grey paint was a priority, but it was a massive job, involving many late nights for my husband and my dad. We kept the original kitchen, but re-tiled the room with classic subway tiles and added black appliances to give the room a stylish, grown-up feel. We also replaced all the black carpets with soft mink ones. Using these light colours and adding lots of mirrors gave the house an airy feel and made it look a lot larger.'

The owners favourite upcycled project has to be the pallet shelves on the wall in the snug. 'A local business was offering pallets for free and I’d seen a similar idea using crates as shelving on Pinterest, so I chose the smallest one, sanded it down and painted it with French Grey chalk paint. I love the quirky, industrial look it adds to the room.'

Hallway

hallway with white wall and wooden floor

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole)

hallway with white table and chair

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole)

'I’m not generally too adventurous with wall colours, so we mainly opted for white and mocha walls with some French grey. We then added pops of colour using accessories and bedding, which
can be easily updated.'

Kitchen

kitchen with white wall and window

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole)

dining area with watch on wall and dinning table and chairs

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole)

'Once the decorating was finished it finally felt like the fun could start. My first experiment was to hang a wall of frames on the staircase. I wanted to add black to the mocha walls and I think this really complements the space. I collected memories from holidays, family pictures and inspiring quotes to motivate us. This encouraged me to experiment further throughout the house, and I chose some strong orange accessories for the play room. We wanted this room to be different from the living room, which is styled with teal accessories, and I’d seen lots of orange on Pinterest.'

Get the look
Buy now: Clock, £120, Next

Dining room

dinning room with white wall and window

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole)

dinning room with frame on wall and kettle

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole)

'As this is the first home we’ve owned, I constantly had an eye on the budget, but I love shopping around for bargains. I write a blog, where I show what can be achieved by upcycling secondhand furniture. This means I do a lot of research into products so I had loads of ideas at my fingertips. I also love looking through magazines and have lots of Pinterest boards, which helped me to bring all my ideas together.'

Get the look
Buy now: Ekedalen extendable table, £170, Ikea

Staircase

staircase wall having photo frames on it

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole)

'Although we had a few bumps along the way, such as the boiler breaking and the en suite leaking, I think we have been very lucky with our first house. I now love to show off my home on my Instagram feed, and the positive feedback has been amazing.'

Related: Look inside this terraced house in Southwest London

Bedrooms

bedroom with white wall and grey bedlinen

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole)

bedroom with white wall and bed

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole)

bedroom with window near bed and flower pot

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole)

bedroom with frames on blue wall and mirror

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole)

When it came to the dressing room, the owner decided to try something different. 'I kept seeing this deep blue colour on Pinterest and I just decided to go for it. I love the bold look it creates and, by adding white furniture, I have created quite a glamorous space.' In the master bedroom, letter art is a simple and effective way of adding interest to a large wall, while a brick-effect wallpaper really takes hold in the guest bedroom.

Get the look
Buy now: Malm chest of 6 drawers, £80, Ikea

Bathroom

bathroom with white wall and window

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole)

bathroom with whit wall and it has a mirror

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole)

'I’m slowly ticking off things that I would like to add to the house and, although I know this will never be totally finished, creating a warm, sociable space that relatives and friends love to come to is the best result!'

Get the look
Buy now: Vinyl flooring, Carpetright

This house originally featured in Style at Home, February 2018

Deputy Editor

Jennifer is the Deputy Editor (Digital) for Homes & Gardens online. Prior to her current position, she completed various short courses a KLC Design School, and wrote across sister brands Ideal Home, LivingEtc, 25 Beautiful Homes, Country Homes & Interiors, and Style at Home.