Stumped and uninspired with small, boxy terraced house - help!

[Chinchillaa]

Just bought a house - ex-council, built in the 1930's, it's a box, very plain, and I am at a loss as to what to do. Floor plan attached for reference.

I always wanted a lovely period property and was even up for buying a flat in a converted Victorian house but DH was not keen, let us say [hmmm] and so here we are with this house!

Every single idea I had - bold, rich, dark walls, bare floorboards and lush rugs, pink front door (I know!), ceiling rose - will look ridiculous and out of place in this house because it's so bloody small and lacks the ceiling height to pull off that kind of look.

There are literally zero features. Everything is boxy. Every room is painted beige or white at the moment and I know that in theory it's a blank canvas, but I am just so uninspired. Looking on pinterest just makes it worse because beautiful period properties come up when I search for "terraced house inspiration" and remind me that I am a long way off from my dream house.

And yes, it is up to me to decorate because DH thinks the house perfectly fine as it is because it's functional. But it's so devoid of personality it's making me depressed at a time when I should be getting excited about my first home. When pushed, he thinks a feature wall is the height of design and it's stressing me out.

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions for how to translate some of those bold period house styles into something that will work, or been in this situation and successfully decorated a tiny, characterless house?

As an example, I like this kind of stuff

You'll probably have most success if you look toward contemporary features (ie. 1930s) rather than Victorian. I think Victorian style will look out of place in your house, whereas modern and mid century stuff could work...
We are at a similar stage with a 1930s house devoid of original features and trying to reinstate some, eg. An original fireplace (decorative) and other bits and pieces.

How about sage green, maybe with some Persian red? Agree with mid century furniture. And floor boards will make the rooms feel bigger, with rugs to give some interest?

As @TiddleTaddleTat says, look later. Think 1920s rather than Victorian. Growing up my friend lived in a 1930s semi and I still want that house!

I agree that going more mid-century or modern will work much better with this sort of house. In addition to Pinterest, have a look on Houzz.

Do you plan to stay in this house for long?

Don't shy away from colour just because your house is small...if you have enough light it can work.

This is my 70's terrace sitting room. My mum was horrified when I told her what I was planning. I also have a black wall in my dining room and a purple feature wall in my bedroom!

In terms of mater war features, I wouldn't try to add any as having grand panelling etc will be a bit much for this type of house.

I saw this lovely fuchsia pink door the other day, be bold!



Mater war = interwar

You could add period features... 1930s is period when you remember it's nearly 100 years ago! Look up art deco, there is some striking design from that era. Picture rails would fit, and lift the ceilings, with white on the ceilings and the wall above the picture rail you could have a darker colour still. You can make it a nice home.

I t hink you can do bold rich colours with lots of texture in small rooms. My friends live in a really minimalist contemporary house with a snug as well as the cavernous open plan living area. The snug is small and dark and full of velvet, it's beautiful. Something like this:-

Petrol blue lounge with mustard yellow no 16 on this:-

www.idealhome.co.uk/living-room/living-room-ideas/living-room-colour-schemes-89978

How about grey and amethyst in the bedroom.

Fill it with things you love. It will be stunning. It's yours. Do whatever you like to it.

Have you searched on Pinterest for 1930s house ideas?

Personally I feel decor is best when it references the age of the house- (not in the style of the era, as such, just not trying ro make it something its not). I moved from a Victorian flat with huge proportions to a 1930s house with smaller rooms ans lower ceilings and it took me a while to get past wanting to decorate it the same. Colours and patterns were certainly very fashionable in the 30s (stripping wallpaper off revealed floor to ceiling stenciling in a lot of our rooms!!). I think a pale greeny colour also feels 'of that era. My living room is painted in a colour match for F+B arsnic which I would never have chosen before but feels right here.

We've also got some original oak floorboards so don't discount a wooden floor- ours are only round the edges of the rooms so we have giant rugs to cover the cheap pine boards in the middle. Again, this is how it would have been originally.

I also managed to buy some wooden 1930s fire surrounds pretty cheaply online. They are not fashionable at the minute, but the wooden styles are much less of an 'acquired taste' than the tiled variety of the same era (and have large enough openings for a wood burning stove). They are a bit art deco in style and get quite a few complements.

I think it's very possible to have a lot of fun decorating a 1930's place, but it did require me to step out of my comfort zone of a more traditional look.

That's very like our first house. We used the tiny 3rd bedroom to make a staircase up to a big loft bedroom with huge window and fab views.

How much outside space do you have? I'd be tempted to add a conservatory extension (if space allows) to give yourself a bigger kitchen/diner.

I really think that playing with texture can add a lot of character. An embroidered picture in a frame, a velvet chesterfield sofa, exposed floorboards with a tasselled rug. A wicker basket. Different sized and patterned cushions, a wool throw....you get the gist.

The anthropologie website always inspires me - but it's all down to taste! Wallpaper is also a great way of injecting texture (not just literally, more that a very discreet pattern can add depth and add interest to a wall). I would avoid bold bright walls however and stick to interesting furnishings that really reflect your style and the things you like, that way you can easily change it up.

I promise you my house does not look as mad as I sound!!

Wow, so many responses so quickly, thank you!

I do like mid-century modern, I suppose I've always associated it with minimalism and I have a lot of clutter but that's a good starting point, thank you.

MintyCedric

That is a very cheerful Christmas room, it look lovely!

"1930s house" on pinterest is coming up with those huge semis - I wish that was the space I was dealing with!

Lotsie

Ahhh I LOVE Anthropologie, I always got my knobs from there to update furniture. In fact I was just looking at the sale - everything is so beautiful.

You could open up the lounge into the kitchen which would make it feel bigger. I think the Architecture section on Houzz (2015) has good ideas on 1930s semis. Some are quite big but use of judicious colour and furniture can be used in a smaller house. Not many are using huge amounts of dark or bright colours but it’s useful to see how colour and light can be used.

BubblesBuddy

Oh if only this was a semi It's a mid-terrace house.

I shall have a look at the architecture bit though, thanks for the tip.

@Chinchillaa Haha - I have a drawer of anthro knobs I've collected in the sale which I am always certain at the time I will find a home for!

Light, cosy, mid-century rustic like these examples?

www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/710935491150822541/

John Lewis have a little, light leather sofa just like the one in those Pinterest pictures. It's very comfortable and can fit 3 adults sitting together (if close family!) or one person lying down very nicely. My parents have it and it is great for fitting in a small space and lightening the room up.

Like this, @ElizabethinherGermanGarden ?
www.johnlewis.com/house-by-john-lewis-arlo-small-2-seater-leather-sofa-dark-leg/milan-chestnut/p3369036

West Elm is really good for mid-century stuff.

Google 1930s colours - you can certainly have colour in the house.

Also like others, mid century furniture would be amazing! I love 1930s architecture and design. I think you just need to embrace it and let go of the Victorian ideas you had.

www.littlegreene.com/paint/colour/period-paint-colours/1930s-colour-paint

JoJoSM2

West Elm is really good for mid-century stuff.

Yes, but I find the quality really poor and prices high. I don't think I'd ever annually buy anything substantial from there, but it's great for inspiration.

OliviaBenson

Ooh interesting colours, thank you!