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House Crashing: Cheery Across The Pond

We like to House Crash at least once a month but somehow it has been nearly two since our last one, so we’re sorry for the delay, but we hope that this awesome one all the way from the UK makes up for it! We knew as soon as we saw this place that it was primed and ready for a crashing, and since it’s a little too far for a road trip, we had a lot of fun getting all of the virtual details (and photos) for you guys.

Meet Kimberly. She’s married to Wayne, and is an American who has been living in Manchester, UK for over a decade.

Swoon Self Portrait

This is her charming Edwardian home that was built in 1906. They’ve lived here since June of 2010, and have been having fun putting their stamp on it since the day they moved in. It might not be giant, but it’s packed with style, personality, and feel-good vibes. Can you see that dragonfly door knocker? She got it here and I’m in love. The geometric doormat from Ikea is also doing things to me, along with that cool transfer film door number over the glossy black door (from here).

Swoon Front Porch

Once inside, let’s start with one of my favorite spaces – her dining room, which is a rich royal blue color (it’s a UK paint called Dulux in Wild Water 1). I really like how Kimberly mixed in those great textured chairs, a big brass mirror, and a lot of fun patterns. It’s a space that feels upscale but also doesn’t take itself too seriously, which I think is a pretty amazing mix. And a fireplace – even a non-working one – in a dining room is a major score. Makes me want to get an old reclaimed mantel and plop it onto the back wall of ours…

Dining Room1

The dining chairs were thrifted from ebay and then painted/reupholstered – and she also found that brass mirror on ebay while the brass light fixture came from Habitat. On the other wall there’s a big frame collage full of even more pattern and color. I love how it goes right up to the crown molding and has everything from words and letters to colorful images and maps.

Dining Room2

Kimberly also painted the art above her secondhand bar cart herself. Here’s a close up.

Dining Room 5

She did another big painting across from the fireplace over the thrifted console table that she found, which she also painted and added new hardware.

Dining Room3

Behind the dining room is the light and airy kitchen. Kimberly and Wayne did a ton of things themselves in this room, like tiling the backsplash and laying the slate flooring (which is heated!). They even ripped down a false (lowered) ceiling, and then plastered to add nearly a foot of head height.

Swoon Kitchen 1

How sweet is that big glass door with those two half-windows on either side? The shiny brass cabinet hardware that she found on ebay is pretty amazing too.

Both Kimberly and Wayne prefer casual and easy-access storage in a kitchen – so a lot of their stuff is housed in doorless cabinets. Once again Kimberly wasn’t afraid of a mix of textures and patterns, so it was fun to see how she layered swirly wallpaper behind lots of kitchen storage and lined up all of their cooking utensils so they hung right within reach from the counter.

Swoon Kitchen 2

Now let’s check out the living room, where there’s a really cool dresser that Kimberly made over with wallpaper. And it’s not just any wallpaper, it’s the same stuff that she used on the wall across from that gorgeous fireplace.

Swoon Living 1 Fireplace

Everything from the marble table to that pretty branchy paper (it’s Cole & Son’s Cow Parsley in Yellow) is elegant but interesting. Kimberly just has a way of pairing things that I’d never think to put together.

Swoon Living 2 Couch

Her master bedroom is another moody space like the dining room, with dark walls (they’re Dulux Night Jewels 1). I’m so into the splashes of yellow and gold along with those stunning blue side tables. Can you believe those are Rast dressers from Ikea that Kimberly hacked with new paint and hardware?

Swoon Bedroom 1

I really like how that she paired that shapely headboard (she splurged to have that custom made) with everything from leopard pillows (which she found on Etsy) to those royal blue dressers and dark walls.

Swoon Bedroom 2

And here’s Kimberly’s dressing room. One thing that really struck me was how many special pieces there are in here – like that statement making mirror, the gorgeous wallpaper (it’s Osborne & Little’s Grove Garden in Green), and the secondhand dresser with brass hardware that she painted herself. I never would’ve had the guts to put them all together, but the result is such a charming and personality-filled space to get ready in the morning. And when it comes to function, she has two Billy bookcases from Ikea in there with painted backs for storing lots of shoes, bags, and other accessories.

Swoom Dressing Room

So a big thanks goes out to Kimberly and Wayne for so thoughtfully allowing us to peek in on their lovely little UK home! You can see more and follow Kimberly over here on her blog – but first let’s play the favorite part game. I’m loving the wallpaper in the dressing room and the living room along with those dining room chairs – and John really likes the navy and yellow color combo in the bedroom. Your turn.

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Comments

  1. Melissa@TheChicDream says

    What a beautiful and interesting home. I love seeing spaces like these. I have always played it safe when it came to decorating but I am planning to spice things up a bit in our new house. I need images like these for inspiration and the nerve to step outside of my comfort zone. My favorite room is the bedroom. I love the bright royal blue tables against the ink-colored walls. The dining room is great too. I will be checking out her blog, for sure!

    Reply

  2. Cindy says

    Sherry, did I just hear you say, “I’m loving the wallpaper”? Is removing wallpaper like childbirth…you forget how painful it is after you see your beautiful baby/bare walls for the first time? hehehe! I’m loving the art that Kimberly painted…oh and the coffee table. I would shave my head for that!

    Reply

  3. Marie says

    LOVE the wall paper!! Osborne & Little! Cole & Sons!!! I’m so jelly! I wanted some Osborne & Little wallpaper for my bubs nursery but its sooooo expensive….wonder if its cheaper there??? I ended up making a stencil that sorta copied the wallpaper i wanted and I’m kinda proud of how it turned out!! So i’ll be tacky and put a link :)
    http://www.moodysioussat.com/2012/12/10/baby-einstein-and-the-spelling-bee/
    (Don’t make fun of my blogging skills…or lack thereof)

    Reply

    • Kimberly Hughes says

      Wow! That stencil job is AMAZING!! I don’t know if it’s cheaper here – they aren’t super expensive but I didn’t need that much as it’s just one wall in the living room and a tiny little box room. I think the living room wallpaper cost around £100 and the wallpaper in the box room around £200 – a bit of a splurge but not enough to bankrupt us ;) xxx

  4. Traci says

    That is a space that will wake you up! Every room is bold and inspiring, and it takes special people to be into that 100% of the time. Also, that colorful painting is just perfect.

    Reply

  5. Jocelyn says

    This is my DREAM housecrashing! I live in exactly this style of house in the UK and it is so so rare to see them in the home style blogosphere! Thanks for the inspiration! Hope your morning sickness is easing, Sherry! xx

    Reply

  6. Laura says

    I was so excited to see that dragonfly door knocker! We recently visited the UK on vacation and spent almost an hour at the place where she bought hers looking for one for ourselves. LOVE everything about this house!

    Reply

  7. Brynne@TheGatheredHome says

    I recently discovered Kimberly’s blog and just about fell over myself trying to read all her old posts while drooling on my keyboard over her fabulous style! She’s so bold and inspired! So fun to see her house crashed here!

    Reply

  8. monika says

    Whoaa, Kimberly! Nicely done. And thanks, John and Sherry, for crashing this pad; it’s sweet without being stuffy. Masterful combinations of pattern and color..

    Reply

  10. Christine says

    My favorite is the big gold sun flower mirror. It’d “make” any room it landed in. Love how this small house feels gigantic.

    Reply

  11. Peony says

    TV in the dining room isn’t that common in the UK but I have seen it a number of times. If your house only has two reception rooms then the dining room often has to do double duty.

    Unfortunately O&L wallpaper is still one of the expensive brands over here too Marie.

    Reply

  18. Tania says

    Totally have been stalking her blog for awhile!!! LOVE her style. Obsessed with her dining room. I even write a post about it a month or so ago. :-D

    Reply

    • Kimberly Hughes says

      Hahaha! I admit I’m a total ‘maximalist’ when it comes to decor – I’m fully aware it’s not to everyone’s taste and not everyone could live with the ‘boldness’ and the ‘stuff’ but we love it ;) xx

    • Kajayjay says

      Yikes! Thoughtless comments like these are what make me not want to submit my photos for a house crash. You could have just as easily said “That’s not really my style – I prefer lots of open space.”

    • Kathryn says

      Agreed, MP.

      I do love that it perfectly reflects the preferences of its occupants, as it should, and I love Kimberly’s mindset of being sort of passers-by in an old home. I think that way too!

      However, for me give me bland walls (though not Magnolia. Way too orange-y for me. It’s a plague over here!), bland carpets, and lots of natural light. I’ll happily tart it up with modern art, plants, books, and items from travels, but they need to go on a blank canvas for my sensory sanity.

  20. Jess says

    A lovely, bright and inviting space full of personality. Great colors throughout. Really unique!! That dining room rug is gorgeous, by the way.

    Reply

  22. Susan M says

    Best House Crash ever! Don’t you love how personal the space is? I like how she is able to use a few trends while still keeping it uniquely their own. Such brave use of color…makes me want to take more design risks. Thanks for sharing this one!

    Reply

  23. Alina says

    Love it! Not sure if it’s been mentioned already, but Dulux paint is also available in Canada if anyone wants to get a similar colour on their walls!

    Reply

  25. Kate says

    Anyone have a suggestion for where one could get a similar window film for over the door in the states? I just looked at the link for where they got theirs and the shipping policies appear to be written so as to discourage international orders. A film like that would be just perfect for our house. We have a window over our front door like theirs but ours is at the same level as the street, so it sometimes feels overly friendly when going down the stairs by the door in our jammies!

    Reply

  26. Carole Poirot says

    How fab!!! Kimberly is a good friend of mine and one my best blog-buddies. Her home is completely different to mine, but I love her colourful style and eclectic taste in accessories. Lovely to see her home here :-) xo

    Reply

  27. Amanda says

    Funny how different people are drawn to different things. Have to admit though that this house is so NOT my style. But even though I personally disliked much of the house choices and shuddered at the black bedroom and yellow accessories(sorry all), it is always fun to see how other people like to decorate. It’s nice to make things your own, so props to them for going for what they want.

    Reply

  28. Lynn @ Our Useful Hands says

    I love all the vibrant colors everywhere. I can’t get away with that aesthetic these days since cool and calm is what I’m trying to live but her living room is the same color as mine and I’m drawing some serious tablescape tactics in her dining room space. I’ve been on the hunt for table chairs for months now and completely discount that I can find stuff on ebay too. Doy! Beautiful home Kimberly!

    My best, Lynn

    Reply

  30. Ashley S says

    Any estimates for how much longer until you announce the “secret project” that was photographed about 3 months ago? It would take ages to go back to the entry but I though you said you’d announce in 3 months (which should be right about now) and you said barnicle wasn’t the secret project.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We just got word that in a few weeks (around March 17th) we’re finally allowed to spill the beans. If it were up to us we would have told you years ago. Haha!

      xo
      s

  31. Lauren says

    LOVE this home, so full of personality! Especially loving the living room wall paper. Great to see a UK home being featured too :)

    Reply

  32. Kristin says

    The house is FAB.U.LOUS. Love it. Thanks for sharing. So many ideas!

    Also love the subtle blurring in the dining room. The fact that you took the time to do that is one of the 412,304,007 reasons I love you!

    Reply

  33. Lorna says

    It’s so nice to see a house crashing from the UK! Their house is a very traditional British style that you get all over the country so it’s great to see what they’ve done with it. It can be frustrating seeing all the American houses on blogs but not having the same style or size of house over here and also not having access to the same shops.

    This is the first time I’ve commented and I just want to say, I love your blog, it’s the only blog I make time to read every day.

    Reply

  34. Sioned says

    She’s put it together really well. I love this! Just fao this is a pretty huge house for the uk. All our homes are teeny because land is so expensive. Your home over here would be closer to a million pounds, that’s like 1.6 million dollars! The property market is crazy

    Reply

  35. Liz says

    Lovely home and great use of colour! I love how dramatic the bedroom is – I wish I was brave enough to try something like that in my own home.

    Reply

  36. Kimberly Hughes says

    First off, a very very big THANK YOU to John and Sherry for welcoming me on their rather fabulous patch on the interwebs. You guys rock and I’m honoured you shared my little humble home with your readers :) SMOOCHES.

    Second, I just want to say that I’m overwhelmed by the lovely responses of so many! THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart, so kind to read your comments and I wish I could respond to each one personally! I’m going to try and respond to as many questions as I can :) And then I’m going to see about widening our front door so I can fit my expanding head out of it… ;) xxx

    Reply

  38. rebecca smith says

    So pleased you have featured a UK home!! There might not be many of us UK readers compared to your US audience but it makes us feel special to see a slice of UK charm on here!

    Reply

  42. Shelly says

    I’m obsessed with her bravery to use dark walls! She has so much great light and happy colors in the room that it looks really awesome and sophisticated! <3

    Reply

  44. k says

    you guys should rename this feature “blog crashing” because goodness you must send so much traffic to every blog no one can keep up! I’m dying to see how she did those canvasses and praying there’s a tutorial whenever her site comes back up! such a great one!

    Reply

  45. Christine says

    I love this type of quirky, cool style…although it just always looks like it’s way too cool for me to pull off. Like I would be a big ole pretender if I tried it.

    One thing I always question when I look at these awesome home shots is I never see the alarm clocks, iphone charging docks, or any of the other mundane things set up beside peoples beds? Is it just that the rest of the world doesn’t need a painfully awful alarm screeching sound to kick them awake in the morning?

    Reply

  47. Diane says

    From what I read on her blog that is the tv in the dining room. She mentioned they spend a lot of time in there so it made sense for them to hang it in there.

    Reply

  48. Sophie says

    I LOVE that kitchen! It’s so awesome to see a house from the UK on your blog, especially since it’s such a typical layout. There are millions of homes like this in the UK – very similar layouts, too, and considering where I live (there are thousands and thousands of these homes really close to my parents’ place) I’ll probably end up living in one of these too.
    It’s so incredible to see that such personality can be crammed into one place. Thank you for sharing Kimberly’s amazing house with us!

    Reply

  49. Becky says

    I guess I am in the minority here. That house has way too much stuff in it which is not soothing to me. The white in the kitchen gives it some breathing room but it’s also full of stuff.

    Reply

  50. Ruth Abbott says

    Talk about timing! I just signed for a rental in Manchester today. Although it’s totally different than this one (old converted mill so think exposed brickwork, beamed ceiling, mezzanine floor) and it’s only mine for a while I can’t wait to move up there and start to customise what I can. luckily my style leans towards ‘tongue in cheek industrial’ on a budget(I did an ikeahack with the Expedit which covered it with a panelled wooden octopus graphic which really typifies my style) and the countless mill and factory conversions available in Manchester UK really lend itself to a slightly more vintage beat up style. I love the tile in the kitchen, the pop of the headboard and the rich paint colours! I think the layers of colour and texture work better in this space than they might in a newer build. One good/bad thing about the UK, there is no lack of buildings with personality!

    Reply

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