I made the home my mother dreamed of

Erin Hayhow has brought colour back to her family home by upcycling furniture from her childhood and adding her own artwork

Feature Stephanie Durrant

‘Pink is my favourite shade,’ Erin tells us. ‘I painted the kitchen cupboards myself as they were a hideous false wood and needed updating, along with the handles. I’m not afraid of using colour!’

Shopping

Head to page 22 for our pick of bright and bold dining chairs

GOOD IDEA

Paint a table top with chalkboard paint as a fun alternative to a memo pad

‘Most of my furniture is upcycled - I hardly bought anything new’

Welcome to my home

A bit about me

I’m Erin Hayhow, an artist from Whitstable. I live with two female lodgers who are now good friends.

Where I live

My home is a threebedroom 1930s converted bungalow with original stained glass panels and doors. It previously belonged to my parents.

What I wanted to change

I hated the kitchen units and the dated fish on the tiles in the upstairs bathroom.

How I made it my own

The majority of the furniture is upcycled. I hardly bought anything new as I wanted to spend as little money as possible and use my creativity to change the things that were already here.

My favourite part

I love what I call the studio, which is the old part of the bungalow. The Mondrian-inspired fireplace is one of my favourite features.

Expert advice

How to incorporate your own artwork into your home