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Home decoration

Ex council house .. modernist cool.?

137 replies

Freelady · 28/12/2021 18:18

Hello, we moved from a stunning period home of 5 floors to a 2 storey ex council house in a very expensive an beautiful area... think sea, woods, etc.
I love the area but am struggling with the shape of the house, the low ceilings, the windows long and wide not tall and high.

Our previous home was mostly wood floors, white walls with original windows and fireplaces. We also had strong confident colours. I understood the shapes and style.
In this house ,i utterly lack confidence.
The doors arw cheap flat doors. The simple style does suit the house tho.
I feel that this era ( boxy 1950?) Suits minimlist design? However, it can also lack style and strenght in this settimg cf with a ,say, stunning modernist home.
I have white upvc windows, all beige carperts and neutral walls ( shades of white). My dh finds it relaxing.
In my old house the white worked , as the housw had drama . High celings, 25 foot kithen ,sash windows, woodburners and original fires. This house needs a style injestion .. the house does not carry its own style iyswim?
Ive looked at the book style council on line but not bought it. Ive bought some ercol, which i love and a unit ( side board from made) nothing looks cool with the cheap doors, the windows.. i just cant seem to crack it .. i dont know were to start.. any ideas please and also any web sites. ?
There are only two rooms downstairs both face the road.( privacy also issue) and are long and narrow to back of the house at about 10 feet wide each ,then 15 long to.rear of house.
Thanks ... thanks !

OP posts:
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Kshhuxnxk · 28/12/2021 18:21

It's really quite difficult without photo's.

Freelady · 28/12/2021 18:40

Ok , will try do some , but dont want out self as live in v small rural community !

OP posts:
ThesecondLEM · 28/12/2021 18:47

Your old house will have been built to a high quality.

The council house will have been built on a budget. It probably begs expensive furniture as cheap modern just looks cheap sadly.

1990s · 28/12/2021 18:56

I live in a 50s council house and I think the key is to the lean into modern, mixed with mid century.

My house is very largely white with pale carpet, except a bold colour in the living room. Built in storage with high quality hardware looks good, creating zones with furniture.

Think about window dressings, heavy lined curtains look a lot better than blinds.

I think my house looks great, as do a lot of visitors I have. Yours can too.

1990s · 28/12/2021 18:57

Also just to say most of my furniture is IKEA, Made etc. You just have to choose well.

HelloDulling · 28/12/2021 18:58

I love mid century modern design. Ercol is a good start!

Poppiesway1 · 28/12/2021 19:02

Hi, have a look on Instagram, there are quite a few “ex council homes” renovation accounts that are quite good to flick through for inspiration. I never knew there was so many different styles of council homes.

Palavah · 28/12/2021 19:03

Yes mid century modern/modern with the odd heritage piece such as a persian rug or velvet sofa.

Are you on instagram? Look for #s like 1950shouse modernhouse and even new builds.

You might well want to replace or upgrade rthe doors.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 28/12/2021 19:05

White would work here. Fill it with recoil style furniture, layered framed artwork, woven rugs and lots of leafy plants

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 28/12/2021 19:08

Ercol not recoil

NoTelly · 28/12/2021 19:14

Definitely mid century which is very on trend. Nice curved sideboards and units, starburst clock (there are a few in John Lewis rn), glass nests of tables. Big structured scandi type lighting, think atomic age style chic, neat sort of sofas, you can have lots of fun with this. And hurrah for being in a house that will be far cosier, have fewer bodges and is a lot less likely to need expensive repairs. I lived in period houses for well over a decade before moving into a relatively modern flat and I would never, ever live in an old house again.

NoTelly · 28/12/2021 19:29

For your doors these would work I think. 50s doors tend to have just vertical panel divides, so something like this:

www.building-supplies-online.co.uk/xl-joinery-shaker-4-panel-internal-white-primed-door.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMInpzp_ZyH9QIVgqZ3Ch07twBnEAQYBSABEgJTpvD_BwE#prod_id=72141

NoTelly · 28/12/2021 19:30

Sorry, I mean horizontal panel divides.

If you wanted to go all out you could get some with glass panels.

Freelady · 29/12/2021 10:31

Thank you all.! Such a help!!!

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Freelady · 29/12/2021 10:35

I have an original atomic lamp from a vintage fair! Plus ercol and 1960s basket chair sin kitchen
.
Feel bit more condident now thanks.
In old house i had mismatched vintage plates and serving dishes.. shd i go ultra.modern ? Habitat? They are looking old old in this house?
Mind u i have some 1960s homemaker plates.. they are staying as i display them on the wall... as v lovely to.my eye!

OP posts:
Freelady · 29/12/2021 10:48

Ooh so a few questions please.
How do you up grade doors as mentioned.? Any idea? Does that mean add different hardware and if so what would be good?
What is good quality hardware , also mwntioned like? Any suppliers( i cant tell what wd be good quality hardware on doors and storage on this sort sort of door or cupboards ? Or local diy shop is awful for stuff v v limited in range as aimed at either rental holiday cottages or cuteer cottage style as that is predominant housing here.
No intresting shops at all.
What sort of storage. ? House is small.. we do have alcoves by the side of two fireplaces .. but my instinct is not to.build bookshelves as we did in old house rammwd with books..instinct is clean clear lines.
Also living room .. at the mo we have mid corn shade of farrel n ball and mid yellow n gray orla k curtians.. they look too safe somehow in this house.. any idea of colour we cd use.. ? And also do i keep curtains no pattern?
Kitchen .. cutians or blind? Clean look..? In kitchen i have installed an original 1970.s kitchen.. a woodburner, atomic lamp, retro.fridge and 1960 basket chair s, with a Made curved sideboard and ercol dining table.white walls.

OP posts:
BrassicaBabe · 29/12/2021 10:52

I'm loving Mid Century Modern style and this website

www.vinterior.co

Kshhuxnxk · 29/12/2021 10:55

@ThesecondLEM

Your old house will have been built to a high quality.

The council house will have been built on a budget. It probably begs expensive furniture as cheap modern just looks cheap sadly.

What an absolutely snobbish opinion. Council houses will withstand much longer than your 60 year life span new build. Indeed, my council house is almost 100 years old and still likely to last another 100 years - it's absolutely solid!
Kshhuxnxk · 29/12/2021 11:00

OP in my living room I have a large creamy limestone fireplace with and a bay window. The bay window has dark wooden blinds and my flooring is original wood, sanded and stained. I have two harris tweed chairs and a tan leather sofa (there was a harris tweed sofa but the pup ate it). I have the alcove either side of the fireplace. My tv is in one and it sits on a small unit. The other side is built in at the bottom and at the top has made to measure invisible shelving with select pictures on it. My kitchen has cashmere coloured units and having knocked the wall down my dining table is at the far end with patio doors leading out to the garden area. I would suggest start neutral to freshen it up and whatever you think looks good will look fabulous.

Kshhuxnxk · 29/12/2021 11:05

Doors - council houses generally have larger doors than 'normal' houses so if you're replacing you need to buy bigger and cut them down. Doors only have a certain cutdown point so it's something to be aware of. You could use the hardware you have if it matches or buy new. I would recommend www.vintagedoorknobs.co.uk/

Blinds, curtains etc it's all whatever your taste is.

sunshinesupermum · 29/12/2021 11:06

The Orla Kiely curtains sound just right. Don't change for plain. Patterned ones are very retro mid century. I second Vinterior and bought a few GPlan pieces which look great in my contemporary flat.

BrassicaBabe · 29/12/2021 11:18

@sunshinesupermum

The Orla Kiely curtains sound just right. Don't change for plain. Patterned ones are very retro mid century. I second Vinterior and bought a few GPlan pieces which look great in my contemporary flat.
These are on my wish list at the moment. Shock

https://www.vinterior.co/lighting/table-lamps/pair-of-tessuto-vetri-venini-table-lamps-with-murano-glass-swirl-bowl-shades-1970s

I bloody love them. But I'm also determined NOT to get drunk and buy them ShockGrin

Freelady · 29/12/2021 11:34

Omg love those lamps !! Ive been lookinh at ercol giffaffe but 1k plus.
Love love the idea of wood floors ,which we used to have throughout, but dh loves the carpets.!

OP posts:
TheWayTheLightFalls · 29/12/2021 11:36

I live in a 50s council house and I think the key is to the lean into modern, mixed with mid century.

I agree. My old flat was ex-council and this kind of look worked brilliantly. Ercol, metro tiles, strong lines and colours. And it was absolutely bombproof when it came to build quality, I wish I could find a new-build like it.