FROM WHITE to wow!

Sarah Brazier's dramatic staircase takes pride of place and sets the scene for the fabulous style of her home

- LISA MOSES

People are always surprised to hear that my home is rented from a housing association. We were originally renting a garden flat in a busy town, but I yearned for a place in the country, and this house, being detached and surrounded by fields, ticked all my boxes.

I had to think hard about the decor because being a new build, this place felt like a bland white box. My last home was decorated quite neutrally, but I wanted to be brave with colour here. However, my biggest fear was tackling the hallway, as it's such a big, open space, so I initially found it daunting.

FIRST SIGHT

When I eventually move, I may need to change the interior back to white, but as tenants, we are allowed to decorate as we like to make the house feel like our home. I was very pleased about this, as I had big ideas for the hallway. It's the first place visitors see, so I wanted to create a bold statement that would make people go ‘wow’ when they stepped through the front door.