2008..a Space Odyssey

Jan 27 2008 Colin And Justin

What's going on with the big cat pictures in the 'before' photo?

Could this be a big game hunter's hideaway? And what's the cage for?

A beast of a home owner? Our occupants lived in a tasteless, unkempt and dowdy space. But we had a plan!

COFFEE TABLE

One of the elements that makes this room feel large is the thin, leggy nature of the coffee table.

By avoiding a solid block design, we provide all the surface needed with a thinner, more delicate frame that doesn't take up eye space.

The table featured here was imported but IKEA (www.ikea.com) have a great range of modern coffee tables such as the Lack, in black or brown, £25, and the Klubbo at £29.90.

ART WORK

If you want a modern, colourful living room, then an essential buy has to be a large piece of statement modern art.

What's more, one large single canvas can provide all the decor required without cluttering your walls the way a haphazard collection of images can.

Canvas Republic (www.canvasrepublic.co.uk) have a great online gallery with canvases from £19.99 for a 12x18in to £99.99 for a 36x60in.

FLOORING

We wanted the look of real stone, yet something that would be warm underfoot and hardwearing.

That's why we opted for this sandstone SS8 Norfolk 12 x12in tile from Karndean - www.karndean.com.

We laid them brick work style and used a tonal 'grout strip' to emphasise the pattern.

We found that the soft, golden tone brought the room alive and increased the feeling of space. So good news all round...

WALLPAPER

Like a stripey top on a size-18 body, horizontal bands can be disastrous.

But while they're not so great on the hips, stripes can make a room feel much larger.

We used Mirage 15625 by Harlequin Harris, available at www.harlequinharris.com or to order from John Lewis (www.johnlewis.com).

Single feature walls like this work well when using bold patterns and, of course, they cost less as they use less paper!

HOT SOFA

Colour doesn't always have to come from your choice of paint shade.

Here, a vibrant, modern sofa adds a strong punch of colour that works well with the strong lines and bold colour of our wallpaper.

Not only does it look absolutely fabulous, it's also extremely practical for a family room.

For a similar feel check out the George sofa in Calm Cranberry from Sofa Workshop, from £1199. See www.sofaworkshop.com

TREATMENTS

The window before had no dressing except for two fake parrots, a hanging plant and a selection of ghastly fans and figurines...

Our job was to simplify the space, lose the clutter and add a treatment that would both look good and shield out the sun.

With a simple tri-bay it's best to follow the natural shape of the window, so we simply added three Venetian blinds.

This keeps the window shelf clear and ready to accessorise. Try Homestyle Blinds for a great range of window treatments - call them on 0800 337700 or visit www.homestyleblinds.co.uk

It was a tasteless, dowdy space.. our job was to simplify it and lose the clutter