PATTERN POWER

Shelley injected fun and vibrancy into her new build-home using bold wallpapers, pretty paint colours and upcycled furniture

When Covid lockdowns started, Shelley Hammond moved in with her parents so they could support each other. Having spent the summer relaxing in their garden, it made her realise how much she wanted an outdoor space for herself. So she put her two-bed maisonette up for sale, and started house-hunting in the Surrey area.

‘My mum convinced me to look at a new- build development nearby, but I wasn’t keen,’ says Shelley. Her perception of such properties was that they were poorly built and ill-proportioned. ‘This house changed my opinion completely,’ she says. Situated on a pretty street in a little village with woodland nearby, the area felt peaceful and calm. ‘I’d been living in a busy town centre, and this house offered me a different pace of life.’ Shelley instantly loved the open-plan kitchen and living room layout, as well as the huge attic master bedroom with generous ensuite bathroom. ‘But what sealed the deal for me was the south-facing garden,’ she says. ‘The house ticked so many boxes for me, and within 16 weeks I had moved in.’

Like most new builds, the house had been painted in a neutral colour scheme with beige carpets and walls. And Shelley was desperate to decorate the rooms to reflect her love of colour and pattern.