Colourful Maximalism: styled by Nicola Broughton

Colourful Maximalism

Colourful Maximalism: styled by Nicola Broughton

Using colour can be daunting for some, but not for Nicola Broughton. The award-winning blogger aka @the_girl_with_the_green_sofa couldn’t live without it! A proud owner of our Audrey bed, we sat down with the lovely lady to pick her brains on bedroom style and to glean her top-tips for anyone looking to redecorate their boudoir…  

Tell us about how you started in the world of interiors, and what you love about it

Interiors have always been a hobby of mine, from the first apartment I was able to decorate in Canada where I lived for a couple of years, to upcycling furniture in my Dad’s garage whilst studying.

I find the creative outlet a great stress relief to a busy job and being a full-time working mum of two primary school kids. I love decorating-for me I get great pleasure in imagining a room scheme and then creating that room scheme myself, be it wallpapering, painting, I’ve even tried my hand a tiling. I draw the line at electrics and plumbing, but never say never!

I started on Instagram in response to Abigail Ahern launching a competition for her “Colour” book – you had to tag a picture of a colourful room – little did I know the journey that would start for me!

Tell us about your blog and your Instagram page

My Instagram page showcases my own home, sometimes homes of others that have inspired me. I’m drawn to colour so my interiors are very colourful and maximalist. I started my blog as an extension of my Instagram account, but also to showcase homes that inspire me, to talk about interior trends, design and inspiration and to showcase work I have done with brands.

How would you describe your bedroom style?

Colourful and Maximalist. I love adding pattern to a room so you will find wallpaper and patterned textiles in most of my rooms. Many items of furniture are also colourful and tactile and I’m a firm believer that you cannot have too many cushions!

What are your views on using colour – either as a statement piece or in more subtle ways?

I can’t live without colour. I like my home to feel like it is giving me a hug, a place I can relax in and I use colour to achieve that. I use colour in a statement way but you don’t have to, if you are afraid of colour (or afraid of getting it wrong), try starting small – add a cushion, a rug, some curtains and then move from there. You won’t always get it right – I’ve made some mistakes, but then I’ve learned from them, learned what works for me.

What features drew you to choosing the Audrey bed for your master bedroom?

I’d been after a statement bed for a long time. I’d written a piece for Real Homes about my top ten items and I found the Audrey bed as part of this research (and wrote about it). I loved the style of the bed, the way the headboard wraps around you. It is extremely comfortable and comforting to sit in bed and read against the headboard. The fact that I chose velvet means it is lovely to lay my head against softness of the fabric.

Talk us through the process you went through when designing your master bedroom   

When I redecorated a couple of months ago (due to a leaky shower in the next room), the scheme was designed around the bed. I chose a deep brown which makes the ochre bed stand out, alongside a dusky pink which compliments the yellow and brown. The colours give the room a lovely warm feeling to it. I bought a number of tester pots to ensure the colours worked well in the room.

The panelling behind my bed is a DIY job and reasonably simple to do and very cost effective. I simply used MDF, cut to size and stuck it to the walls. It makes a real statement in any room. I’ve got panelling in my hallway and bathroom-all DIY.

Now I have the colour scheme pinned down, I knew I wanted some pattern so I chose to add this to the fireplace wall, but in the same colour pink as the rest of the room.

I upcycled my vintage bedroom furniture with chalk paint and rattan, as I’d been after some rattan furniture but wanted to create my own in a more sustainable way.

Lighting compliments the colour scheme and I’ve chosen to add lots of textiles.

Finally, what are 5 pieces of advice you’d give anyone looking to redecorating their bedroom?

• Start with the basics. What do you want to the room to feel like? what colours are you drawn to? what colours make you feel cosy and relaxed? The reason I say this is that most of us will use the bedroom to sleep in, so a colour that is vibrant might not have the right effect. Do you have a favourite cushion, pattern or piece of art that you are drawn to? Can you pick colours from that to use in the room?
• The bed is the main item of furniture in the room, and I’d say is something you have to consider next. What style of bed are you going for? What colour? What texture, since textural fabrics will add another layer to your room?
• Get the best quality mattress for your bed that you can afford – you will be sleeping on it every night. I’d say this also applies to bedlinen.
• Choose your accessories and additional furniture to fit what you have. By now you will have the makings of a room scheme, but what will take it up another level is your use of accessories-cushions, rugs, curtains or blinds, lighting, plants, artwork and additional furniture-perhaps you have room for a comfy chair, bedside tables, a dressing table. Look at how they fit into your scheme.
• Decorate slowly. My room schemes often take up to a year to come together. I like to start with the basics; colour, paint, furniture and then take my time adding to it, finding the right items that work in the room, not rushing to add too much. I also shop my own home and move things around regularly until they feel right.