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Before and After: A UK Victorian Went from Completely Bland to Colorfully Whimsical

Adrienne Breaux
Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director at AT Media
For more than 10 years, I've led Apartment Therapy's real home content, producing thousands of house tours from around the world. Currently, I live in my maximalist dream home in New Orleans, Louisiana, with my partner, a perfect dog, and a cute cat.
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published Sep 3, 2021
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Credit: Lucy Hamilton At Home
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Lucy Hamilton runs an online decor store called Lucy Hamilton at Home, which along with her home, is a perfect encapsulation of her design style: Bright colors, cute art, fun wallpapers, and whimsical accessories.

Name: Lucy Hamilton, her partner Stephen, and daughters 8-year-old Darcey, and 5-year-old Alice
Location: UK
Type of Home: Victorian semi 
Years lived in: 6 years, owned

Lucy Hamilton’s Victorian semi-attached house has four bedrooms over three narrow floors and lots of architectural character (like delightful old fireplaces). But it’s not the house’s history that makes it stand apart… it’s Lucy’s colorful, one-of-a-kind, whimsical style. She runs an online decor store called Lucy Hamilton at Home, which, along with her home, is a perfect encapsulation of her design style: Bright colors, cute art, fun wallpapers, and whimsical accessories. It all blends together to create an incredibly cozy and happy home.

Credit: Lucy Hamilton At Home

Apartment Therapy Survey:

My Style: Whimsical, happy, colorful, and pretty 

Credit: Lucy Hamilton At Home

Inspiration: Disney. “Alice in Wonderland”

Credit: Lucy Hamilton At Home

Favorite Element: The kitchen when the doors are open, looking at the garden. Also, the wall mural. It’s a pretty and magical space. 

Credit: Lucy Hamilton At Home

Biggest Challenge: Our kitchen; see before pics. It’s very narrow. And there was no dining area. We knocked out all the cupboards at the end and painted the cabinets. We also laid a white floor to brighten it up. 

Credit: Lucy Hamilton At Home

Proudest DIY: Painted stair runners! Very time consuming. But love love them. 

Credit: Lucy Hamilton At Home

Biggest Indulgence: All my wallpapers are very expensive. The one in the living room on the fireplace wall was £185 per roll. I love it, so it was worth every penny!

Credit: Lucy Hamilton At Home

What are your favorite products you have bought for your home and why? Wall mural in kitchen by Woodchip & Magnolia. And our playhouses. 

Credit: Lucy Hamilton At Home

What’s your absolute best home secret or decorating advice? Don’t be boring, don’t just make your whole room gray! Take a chance, paint things… can change easily. Mix cheap with expensive! Mix patterns and textures for layered look. 

Resources

Credit: Lucy Hamilton At Home
  • I love Valspar paint by B&Q. Great colours.
  • I love wall stickers for kids rooms. I sell all my favourites at my shop. 
  • I love wallpapers by Woodchip & Magnolia. Lacroix. House of Hackney.
  • Sofa — Laura Ashley 
  • Table in kitchen  — IKEA
  • Tile stickers — My shop 
  • Cushions — My shop 
  • Bed — eBay
  • Kids bed — IKEA 
  • French bed — eBay. I painted it gloss white.
  • Kids playroom storage — Besta unit from IKEA
  • Mirrors — eBay
  • Most  accessories — My shop, lucyhamiltonathome 
  • Bath — Victoria plumb
  • Kitchen floor — IKEA
  • Paint for stairs — Ronseal floor paint

Thanks Lucy!

This house tour’s responses were edited for length and clarity.

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This post originally ran on Apartment Therapy. See it there: Before and After: A UK Victorian Went from Completely Bland to Colorfully Whimsical