Interior designer Wioleta Kelly’s home has seen big changes in recent months, mostly due to the arrival of twins Max and Zoe in September.
“They turned everything upside down – in a good way though!” laughs Wioleta, who previously shared her story in Irish Country Living about taking a leap of faith after redundancy to turn her passion for her home into her full-time job with Abbeyfeale Interior Design.
COVID-19, of course, has presented new challenges for the business. Wioleta had just returned from maternity leave when the country went into lockdown, meaning that the face-to-face consultations that had been booked right up to the summer were postponed.
However, since she started sharing tricks of the trade on social media, she’s been in high demand, between offering online room and home consultations and running her popular five-day “Give your home a WOW factor” course, which costs just €49 and includes the chance to send Wioleta a photograph of a room in your house you are struggling to decorate for customised tips.
Wioleta Kelly shares her tips on how to brighten a dark room. \ Lynda Kenny
She has also launched her blog www.abbeyfealeinteriors.com, which is packed with easy decorating and DIY ideas. Over the next few weeks, Wioleta will be sharing some of her top tips for readers to try at home, from her beginner’s guide to painting, to advice on decorating your front door and creating an eye-catching mural.
For further inspiration, you can follow Wioleta on Instagram @wioleta_kelly and on www.facebook.com/abbeyfealeinteriors
How to brighten up a dark room
This is a problem in many Irish homes, especially if it’s an older house. However, I have lots of tips to let the light in!
A top trick is to hang a large mirror directly across from the window, if possible. You will find a wide range of options at IKEA, Michael Murphy Home Furnishing and Vobe Interiors. I’m also a fan of metallic wallpapers, as they bounce light off the walls. Shops like www.grahambrown.com have a great selection right now. Consider furniture with light-reflecting surfaces, such as a glass coffee table. Don’t block whatever light you do get with heavy curtains. A blind might be a good option, but I would advise that you don’t install it in the window alcove. Instead, hang it on the wall above, halfway between the top of the window and the ceiling. This means that when the blind is up, it’s not blocking the light. If you do prefer curtains, consider extending the curtain pole on either side, so that they cover the wall, not the light, when pulled back. Speaking of windows, if you have dark woodwork on the sills, painting them off-white will instantly bring more light into the room. My favourite off-white is “Queen Anne’s Lace” by Colourtrend in a satin finish, while a good primer for woodwork is No.1 Primer by Colourtrend. Avoid placing objects like picture frames on the window sills, as again, these will only block the light. If you have a dark carpet in a dark room, you will never make it bright. Depending on your budget, consider replacing it with a wooden or laminate floor. You can then brighten it up even more so with a large rug. I love the rugs from www.jysk.ie– I have them in my sitting room and in the twins’ nursery. They are synthetic, so you can power wash them in the garden in summer and they are like new Remember that clever use of wall, tables and floor lamps will also help to brighten up a dark room.
Interior designer Wioleta Kelly’s home has seen big changes in recent months, mostly due to the arrival of twins Max and Zoe in September.
“They turned everything upside down – in a good way though!” laughs Wioleta, who previously shared her story in Irish Country Living about taking a leap of faith after redundancy to turn her passion for her home into her full-time job with Abbeyfeale Interior Design.
COVID-19, of course, has presented new challenges for the business. Wioleta had just returned from maternity leave when the country went into lockdown, meaning that the face-to-face consultations that had been booked right up to the summer were postponed.
However, since she started sharing tricks of the trade on social media, she’s been in high demand, between offering online room and home consultations and running her popular five-day “Give your home a WOW factor” course, which costs just €49 and includes the chance to send Wioleta a photograph of a room in your house you are struggling to decorate for customised tips.
Wioleta Kelly shares her tips on how to brighten a dark room. \ Lynda Kenny
She has also launched her blog www.abbeyfealeinteriors.com, which is packed with easy decorating and DIY ideas. Over the next few weeks, Wioleta will be sharing some of her top tips for readers to try at home, from her beginner’s guide to painting, to advice on decorating your front door and creating an eye-catching mural.
For further inspiration, you can follow Wioleta on Instagram @wioleta_kelly and on www.facebook.com/abbeyfealeinteriors
How to brighten up a dark room
This is a problem in many Irish homes, especially if it’s an older house. However, I have lots of tips to let the light in!
A top trick is to hang a large mirror directly across from the window, if possible. You will find a wide range of options at IKEA, Michael Murphy Home Furnishing and Vobe Interiors. I’m also a fan of metallic wallpapers, as they bounce light off the walls. Shops like www.grahambrown.com have a great selection right now. Consider furniture with light-reflecting surfaces, such as a glass coffee table. Don’t block whatever light you do get with heavy curtains. A blind might be a good option, but I would advise that you don’t install it in the window alcove. Instead, hang it on the wall above, halfway between the top of the window and the ceiling. This means that when the blind is up, it’s not blocking the light. If you do prefer curtains, consider extending the curtain pole on either side, so that they cover the wall, not the light, when pulled back. Speaking of windows, if you have dark woodwork on the sills, painting them off-white will instantly bring more light into the room. My favourite off-white is “Queen Anne’s Lace” by Colourtrend in a satin finish, while a good primer for woodwork is No.1 Primer by Colourtrend. Avoid placing objects like picture frames on the window sills, as again, these will only block the light. If you have a dark carpet in a dark room, you will never make it bright. Depending on your budget, consider replacing it with a wooden or laminate floor. You can then brighten it up even more so with a large rug. I love the rugs from www.jysk.ie– I have them in my sitting room and in the twins’ nursery. They are synthetic, so you can power wash them in the garden in summer and they are like new Remember that clever use of wall, tables and floor lamps will also help to brighten up a dark room.
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: