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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

  3. Julia says

    I LOVE THIS! I must have the clock in the kitchen, any chance Kimberly can share the source for that? Thanks for another great post! xo

    Reply

  5. Katrin says

    I especially love the Rast hack nightstands. Now if I could only get my hands on some campaign style hardware here in Germany…

    Reply

    • DIYgirl says

      I’ll let you in on the great Canadian secret for everything quality in woodworking and gardening… Lee Valley http://www.leevalley.ca

      They have a US link and if you type campaign hardware in the search field you’ll find what you’re looking for. This is THE place for top quality tools and gadgets. Have a look around the whole site, some of the tools are works of art.

    • Kimberly Hughes says

      I found the hardware by searching ‘Brass Military Handles’ on eBay – I don’t think the word ‘campaign’ is used quite as often, it’s more the handles used on old military chests :) Good luck with your search! xxx

  6. Amanda L. says

    I would seriously like to buy one of her paintings. If she hasn’t already, she should open an etsy shop and shoot me an email. I need some of that bright and cheeriness in my life!

    Reply

  7. Crystal says

    Absolutely amazing. Favorite housecrash ever. Ever. I love how she’s managed to make color on the walls and the decor work. That can be hard to do!

    Oh and I’m moving to the UK. Clearly they have way cooler thrift finds than we do. :)

    Reply

    • Emmaleth says

      Trust me, we don’t. One of the reasons I’d consider moving to the US are the awesome thrifting opportunities. Europeans really hang to their good furniture for generations, so all you can find at second hand stores is junk. :(

  10. Scully says

    HOLY COW! I adore *everything*. I love all the colors and textures. Such a gorgeous mix. I’m swooning all over these photos.

    Reply

  12. Rosemary says

    I love the faux fireplace in the dining room and think it would be an awesome project for your home! I’ve been tempted to put one in our rental apartment, but I’ll have to wait until I have an empty wall of my own.

    Reply

  13. lauren says

    Man this place is awesome. I love color and eclecticness (eclecticity??), and a few of the spaces are a little much even for me. But more power to her! I LOOOOOVE that first picture of the dining room. Half our kitchen is a similar midnight blue color – love it.

    Reply

  15. Rachel says

    I love the colour and personality here! One little thing – the UK paint range is “Dulux” (you’ve got it down as Delux twice). Thanks for another fun-filled House Crashing! x

    Reply

  17. em says

    This house is amazing and whimsical. (Do read the “I have a dream” speech on the dining room wall!) I love all the wallpaper. And I love everything about the bedroom- the paint, headboard, pillows, lamps. Please forgive my crassness, but that looks like a bedroom where magic does, indeed, happen.

    Reply

  18. Hollie @ I'm Busy Procrastinating says

    Wow, what a pleasant surprise to see Kimberly’s home here. She’s one of my best bloggy friends and I’ve enjoyed watching her spaces evolve over time. She and Wayne have completed some amazing DIYs (check out the basement before and after). Kimberly is a woman who loves color and isn’t afraid to make bold choices.

    By the way, the leopard velvet pillows on her bed came from my Etsy shop. Check them out here if you’re interested!
    stuckonhue.etsy.com

    Reply

  21. Dona says

    I love the carpet in the dressing room. It’s romantic and bold at the same time. Even after the dark and dramatic bedroom, it was nice to see her girly side alive and well in the dressing room.

    Reply

  22. Laura K says

    I’m so happy to see this home featured on YHL – I started following Kimberley’s blog a few months ago and absolutely adore her home, plus it’s nice to see a house tour from my neck of the woods!

    P.S. the paint brand is Dulux (not Delux) – hope you don’t mind me pointing that out :)

    Reply

  24. jeannette says

    these people have awesome talent. can we know more about how kimberly developed her incredible eye?
    this is your best crash yet. does kimberly blog? could you have her guest blog? i’d read every word this chick has to say. love, love, love her and thanks for finding her and featuring her. does she have an at school background and family like you, sherry?

    Reply

    • Meghan, UK says

      Definitely not the norm over here, but it’s becoming more popular to multi-purpose dining rooms as formal dining becomes much less common!

    • Kimberly Hughes says

      No, not common at all, we are just a bit weird! Haha! Actually, it was Wayne’s idea to have it there and I just worked the gallery wall around it. I have to say, we do use it all the time, the dining room has become a hub in our home and we spend so much time in there. It works well for us :) xxx

  29. Constance says

    I agree with others that the kitchen is my favorite – I’m a sucker for submway tile with dark grout + personality in shelving and harward. Love the stylish and also relaxed feel of that choice. Great pops of color with the wallpaper!

    Reply

  30. Steph says

    WOW. This house is GORGEOUS.

    And I am obsessed with those dressers. They look gorgeous and that’s such a great idea for more storage. I think I need to leave work and go measure because I want to do that. There’s no such thing as too many drawers as far as I’m concerned!

    Reply

  31. Jessica M says

    This might sound a bit weird but is there a way we can submit a house for International house crashing without having a blog?

    I’m not a design expert by any means but we are coming up to the end of our first year in our home and i’d be interested to see what people think of it :)

    Most of my family and friends aren’t really into DIY but it would be cool too see the opinions of other house crashing junkies :)

    If it’s not a think you openly take submissions for that’s no problem, I just thought i’d ask :)

    Reply

  35. Amy says

    I’ve been coveting the mirror in the last photo for quite some time. Oh… the loves. I’m quite in love with that house.

    Reply

  37. Jackie says

    This is unbelievably beautiful – I’m obsessed. Thank you SO much for sharing. This is maybe my favorite house that I’ve ever seen. Brava!

    Reply

  39. Janet S says

    I love her brush stroke paintings and the dressing room mirror. Amazed at people that bring home thrift and make it look amazing.

    Reply

  40. Arlyne C says

    So much to love here and tons of inspiration. I love her art work against the bold wall colors and of course the collage wall in the dining room because I always love those. Great house crash – thx for sharing.

    Reply

  41. Jazmin says

    While I’m more of a neutral gal, I have to say she has some talent mixing colors, and bold textures, without making it feel overwhelming! I really liked her gallery wall, and her dining room is gorgeous!

    She did an fantastic job!

    Jazmin

    Reply

  42. Kristin says

    I love the kitchen and the dining room. However, it seems like the current design aesthetic for living spaces harkens back to “college apartment”. I definitely don’t think everything has to match, but at the same time I have seen several spaces on these crashes where absolutely nothing in the room goes together. To each his own, but I apparently haven’t progressed far enough to see a room of completely mismatched furniture and patterns as “design”.

    Reply

  43. Tracy says

    Great place. So funky and homey. When can I couch crash? It looks so comfy! Wallpaper and mirrors are amazing. Love the dining room colours.

    Reply

  44. Diane says

    All I can say is wow!! I love the kitchen but super love the dressing room from wallpaper to carpet. The more you look the more details you find that are so eye catching!!

    Reply

  45. karla says

    Wow what an adorable house!! Does going through a house crash ever make you think ‘Wow, we need to step up our game!’? Or ‘If she can put those patterns together, so can I!’? (not that you need to, it’s just how I feel after reading this!) It really leaves me feeling inspired!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Totally! Every house we crash teaches us and inspires us in so many ways, and we love that. We walk away saying “dang, I gotta try ___” or “I’m so into ____ now!”

      xo,
      s

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