If you are a decor lover, you will probably know what the Japandi trend is all about.
Soothing, neutral and perfect for lovers of minimalist interiors, Japandi combines neutral and chic Japanese design with Scandinavian slenderness for a muted yet sumptuous finish.
Think neutral color palettes with monochrome accents, nature-inspired landscapes and clean lines – Japandi is a growing decor trend that is not slowing down.
And now a South London-based mother has proven that the Japandi trend can be followed and applied, even on the dullest and most dilapidated homes, cost-effectively.
Green Lili spoke to DIY-loving Ore from the Instagram page @oreahome to find out how she transformed her dilapidated Victorian terrace.
The Japandi-loving mother opened up about how she did it, revealing that she wanted to ensure her home was ‘abomination hand-held’, welcoming and homely.
Ore (33) is based in South London and loves her husband and two children and has made her decor dreams a reality.
By managing her Instagram page, Pray likes to share decorative pieces, insights on how she did her amazing renovation and money saving tips.
She describes her decorating style as “a mix of influences” with most rooms consisting of a minimal Japandi atmosphere.
A monochromatic color palette with hints of green, gold, gray and wood adorns every inch of Ore’s home.
“My main focus for any room I decorate is to make it feel comfortable for those who enjoy it,” explains the London mother.
She bought the property as a trial sale, which meant that the previous owner had died, and from the beginning it was clear that it had been unloved for a number of years and needed a refurbishment.
Once Ore and her family completed the house and got the keys, they got their builders the next day to start working.
“Everything is painted in psychedelic green or purple,” Ore explains.
“The refurbishment took about five months, and we used a building team for the most part, with a few do-it-yourselfers thrown in here and there.”
The family did not have a vision in terms of design, but knew Ore knew she wanted their new home to have the ‘feel of a home’.
‘I wanted it to be comfortable and inviting, but, above all, functional for our family and young children.
‘I wanted a beautiful house, but I did not want it to feel like a museum, and it had to be’ grubby hand-proof ‘, as I like to say.
“It then affected the paint color choices around the house and a lot of the styling.”
One of her favorite rooms is her office – which set her back less than £ 300 to refurbish.
“It was just a room with a single-colored wall, and it was not a very inviting space to work,” she explained.
“I worked on it myself on weekends and saved money because there are no labor costs.”
Bid also refurbished their entrance shoe storage unit.
“It was initially a basic white Ikea hemnes shoe cabinet, and I turned it into a black ribbed cabinet that fits more with the rest of the decor and style of the house.”
“Also, do not be in a hurry when it comes to decoration,” she explains.
‘Social media posts and roles will show you how home accounts click their fingers and a room is transformed, but in reality it takes a lot of time to decorate and transform a home, so do not feel rushed about what you see online not. ‘
Ears’ top decoration tip
Pray recommends that if you can try your hand at doing some of the work yourself instead of hiring trade – do it.
‘Things like panel work, although difficult at first, are very easy to do.
‘DIY, which will save you hundreds to pay for something. The same goes for paint.
‘Also consider buying your home – are there any items in other rooms or in storage that you may not be using that will work well to decorate the new room?
Look at main street shops for affordable finishes – places like Dunelm, H&M and Zara are great for getting luxury finishes, but on a budget. ‘
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