Pastel Power

In Lovisa and Paul’s Victorian revamp, soft sorbet shades set a calm palette – then a host of brilliantly wayward finishing touches stir things up

- Jo Leevers

Midway Through her revamp of this home, Lovisa's obsession with paint swatches became a running joke with her children. ‘I would carry little squares of paper in my bag and, every time we went into a shop, they would groan as I started to riffle in my bag for them,’ she says. But there was method in Lovisa’s rummaging. ‘When your mind is buzzing with ideas for a project, it helps keep a focus. If, say, a vintage vase caught my eye, I’d only buy it if it matched.’

Embarking on a creative project with something akin to a rulebook might seem counter intuitive, but Lovisa’s core colours – serene pastels and darker blues – provide the common thread for this home. Then, the randomness that always comes with vintage pieces injects the surprise elements. ‘Sticking to a set of colours doesn’t stifle creativity, it just keeps my quirkiness on track,’ she says.