YOU DON’T NEED A WAD OF CASH TO CREATE A DESIGNER LOOK, SAYS TV PRESENTER HANNAH SANDLING

Buying her west London home from former Bond girl Britt Ekland should have meant that Fabulous style expert Hannah Sandling wouldn’t have to do much DIY.

But minimalist-lover Hannah, 32, couldn’t live with the bright orange floorboards and shocking pink carpet she found in the living room.

“Painting these floorboards white was a real labour of love,” she says.

“It took days to cover the orange and, by the end of it, I was sick of looking at them.

"But it was worth it, because it totally opened up the space.”

Hannah also whitewashed the walls, creating a blank canvas in her living room that was perfect for her chic, ethnic furniture and striking zebra-skin rug.

“I’m secretly a hippie at heart and I think my living room decor reflects that,” she confesses.

“The wooden bucket chair is one of my favourite pieces of furniture, and I have an amazing wicker basket with glass woven into it that I keep in the fireplace.”

The one thing you won’t see in the three-storey town house she shares with her property developer boyfriend Oliver, 28, is clutter.

“Oliver’s always moaning that the place is like a show home, but I need everything tidied away,” says Hannah.

“I hate having photo frames on display and I can’t stand lots of ornaments.”

Instead, to add some colour, Hannah created her own painting to hang above the fireplace.

“I bought a canvas, then swished on some leftover paint with an old coconut plant,” she reveals. “I just rolled the plant in paint and that’s what I ended up with. People shouldn’t be afraid to have a go at painting.

"It’s the ideal way to get some artwork for a room which perfectly matches your colour scheme.”

Hannah presents 60 Minute Makeover on Wednesdays, 2pm, ITV1.

1. LADDER “I get sent lots of dresses to wear to red-carpet events. When they arrive, I hang them on this ladder so I can see them in all their glory and pick which one I want to wear.”

2. RUG “I inherited the zebra-skin rug from my grandparents, who brought it back from Africa years ago. They passed it on to my parents, who then donated it to me.”

3. CUSHIONS “I adore this yellow cushion. If you decide to go monochrome like I have, it’s good to add the occasional splash of colour.”

4. CUPBOARDS “I hate cluttered surfaces so I use these cupboards to store books, photos and magazines. I can’t function properly if my house is messy.”

5. OSTRICH EGGS “I keep my collection of ostrich eggs in this bowl decorated with a silver dragonfly motif. It’s very feminine and really appeals to my girlie side.”

HANNAH'S STYLE TIPS

* Have a mirror in every room because they inject so much light and space.
* If you can’t find a painting to complement your colour scheme, don’t be afraid to paint a piece of canvas or MDF yourself.
* Mix contemporary design with unusual ornaments and old family furniture you’ve inherited to create a home with lots of personality.

 

Words: Eimear O’Hagan; Compiled by Sally Gillam; Photography: Jamie Hughes; Hair and Make-Up: Carlos Palma at Minx

 

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