Sulking Room Pink Lounge Reveal

My Sulking Room Pink Lounge Makeover

You may have read on our Instagram posts and on our previous planning blog post that we’ve been revamping my lounge. I’m really pleased to say it’s finished!!!! It’s been a painstaking process.. it’s one thing working on someone else’s house and going home in the evening, but if your own home it’s constant and it’s never quite a priority – it’s always about fitting it in around the kids, work, the puppy and believe it or not, a social life! But it is now done ?

I decided on first sight that Sulking Room Pink, one of Farrow and Ball’s new colours, had to be mine. I’d been mulling over what to do with my lounge, I loved pink but I’m not a pink pink person and wasn’t sure I could live with it. When I saw the sulky, dirty tones of Sulking Room I knew it was ideal. I included it in my plans from the start, including this early mock up below. Pink lounge here I come!

I also love the slightly oriental vibes I’ve seen creeping in and I wanted to try it out myself. I also knew I wanted to try some more faux panelling as it was a big room and I didn’t want to feel the need to clutter my walls with picture and objects, which I might otherwise.

I was also going to change the furniture. I loved my mid century sideboard, but I just couldn’t make it work anymore so he had to go to a new loving home. In its place stands a beautiful new sideboard from Nine Schools in Oyster grey, which adds to my oriental undertone and matches the Pignoir painted panelled pretty much perfectly (that was a tongue twister wasn’t it!).

I also purchased some new chairs to almost match my sofa but not too much. They’re from West Elm and they are perfect! Comfortable to relax in with your feet up, and they also look fab. A great price too!

In such a large room it’s difficult to know how to position furniture. I wanted the fire to be the feature, but as it’s in the middle that means the sofas etc tend to be central too. I wanted to create a useful working, eating, reading space in the lounge separate from the sofa area. I purchased this amazing bistro table from eBay (but also available on LaRedoute) and I love it! By the window, perfectly sized, it’s just want I wanted. A small, cosy nook by the radiator with a view…

To add to the zoning I decided to change my lighting. I have two ceiling lights but they were very central and the ceiling height meant I couldn’t have a chandelier or anything fancy. So, I decided to rewire the fittings and create looping flex that took the lights to where I wanted them; one lower light over the bistro table and one centrally over the coffee table by the fire. I’d admired the beautiful designer paper lanterns but didn’t have the budget, so I created a double lantern myself for the reading area and used a lovely simple shade from Habitat for the central light. I’m so pleased with this effect!

The other big change is the fireplace. You might notice that I LOVE marble. I found this gorgeous marble fireplace at a reclaim centre in Portsmouth and it was a perfect fit. We cleaned and polished it up and fitted it ourselves. It sits on slate tiles for contrast with a reclaimed brass fender from eBay. The chimney breast is painted in Charleston Grey to compliment and tone the pink – based on Farrow & Balls suggested palette.

In the windows I’ve taken down the curtains for a paired back look. I panelled around the window frame to create the illusion of the French chateau windows and to give them more prominence and tying them in with the panelling. I went for a textured fabric roller blind from Dunelm after much deliberation. I’d considered creating shutters but I didn’t think my skills were up to it, plus I didn’t want to lose any light during the daytime. I’m pleased with them and they are really practical in terms of retaining heat from the under-window radiators.

Finally, I added accessories like mirrors, cushions and candles from a range of sources (see footnote), all in the autumnal shades that I love; rust, plum, dusky pink and mustard. I couldn’t mind picture to fit the colour scheme so I painted some myself and collected some pampas and foliage locally to finish the look.