CRUSH ON COLOUR

A designer with minimalist aspirations knows in her heart she's more attracted to thrift shop treasures contrasting with new designer discoveries

- MONIQUE VAN DER PAUW

Walls painted in a neutral shade are a predictable choice for many homeowners, but may not be for everyone. “What was I thinking?” says Sheila Thompson. She is referring to her previous colour selection: all white. “Never again,” she says. Because colour gives a face to your home, “and brings warmth and personality”. The white period is now about eight years behind her. “Since then, we have seen all sorts of colours here. We have painted, painted and painted.” Aubergine (eggplant) and antique pink determine the current palette. “I find pink one of the most difficult colours; it quickly becomes too sweet or too loud, like a lollipop. This is a greyish shade - I like that it’s beautifully calm.

Points for improvement

Sheila and Ben have lived together since 2012 when Sheila moved into Ben's house: an apartment on the third and fourth floors of a building built in 1890, within walking distance of Amsterdam's Vondelpark. “The interior has beautiful details, such as the old windows and ensuite doors, which a carpenter told us were probably not original, but were still beautifully renovated.” The property was in tiptop condition, but Sheila did see a few areas that needed improving.

"By knocking down a dividing wall and moving the kitchen, we created a kitchen-diner, which I really wanted. It was a major operation; if we had known everything in advance, we probably wouldn't have started it. But it has become such a nice space. I have my work spot here, and we always sit around the kitchen table with friends."