'My home helped me get colour confident'

After a false start painting her whole house grey, Kirsty Beare got it right second time around with an on-trend palette of green and gentle pops of pink

- Lisa Moses

COME ON IN...

WE ARE Kirsty Beare, 33, a primary school teacher, and my husband Gary, 35, a treasury analyst, and our one-year-old son, Tom.

OUR HOME IS a two-bedroom Victorian terrace in east Belfast, which we bought in June 2017. I share my renovation journey on Instagram @atnumberfourteen_.

MY FAVOURITE ROOM is definitely our bedroom. The fireplace is the star of the show – I love the way it complements my pink and green colour scheme.

MY BIGGEST CHALLENGE WAS ripping off all the wallpaper. There were layers and layers that had also been painted over, so it took what felt like forever.

MY BEST IDEA Once I moved away from the light-grey and leaned into the darkness of the house it all made sense. I thought I needed to paint it light, but I was wrong and as soon as I chose the rich greens, the rooms felt transformed.

When Kirsty and Gary made the decision to get on the property ladder, they both knew a period property would be their top choice. 'We were renting a converted apartment in a Victorian house and I wanted to find a place that had that same character,' says Kirsty.

The moment the couple walked through the door they knew it was the one. ‘The fireplace in the bedroom was the clincher, but the cornicing, picture rails and ceiling roses sealed the deal,’ says Kirsty. ‘I knew I’d want to put my own stamp on our first proper home together, so although this place didn’t require structural work, the fact that it needed decorating throughout was actually a bonus.’

BROKEN PLAN

For an open space that flows that still has clear zones, remove dividing doors and tidy up the frames.

LIVING ROOM