Within weeks of buying their Victorian terrace in North Yorkshire, Ben and Frances Franklin (@itsnotsogrimupnorth) began gutting it. But before anyone reaches for the cliché about millennials and their greige extensions, the couple were not removing its charm but revealing it.
‘Many original features had sadly been lost, so restoring that character was important to us,’ recalls Frances. That meant the Artex on ceilings would have to go, replaced by elegant coving, elaborate ceiling roses and reams of beaded panelling. ‘It was a huge project, but it meant we could put our own stamp on it from day one,’ adds Ben.
Nowhere is this more evident than in the primary bedroom, a vision in pink with a rose-coloured carpet, fluted chandelier and built-in wardrobes.
‘We’re glad we committed fully to the pink rather than toning the idea down,’ says Frances. 'It feels sophisticated yet fun, but also warm and restful, which is exactly what we wanted for a bedroom. We learned not to be afraid of pushing boundaries. If you want to colour-drench your bedroom, you absolutely should!’
The before
‘As the house hadn’t been updated for a very long time, we took it right back to brick. It was basically a blank canvas.’
The plan
Ben and Frances’s main motivation for gutting the house was to create something that felt uniquely theirs.
‘It’s easy to make safe choices, but your home should reflect you and the things you genuinely love,’ says Ben. 'Our original concept was a boutique Parisian hotel: romantic, elegant and slightly playful. Frances had always wanted an entirely pink bedroom, so we trusted our instincts, and the colour became the starting point.’
The pair landed on Lick’s Pink 03, a muted bubblegum pink, and, after an unexpectedly long hunt, they found a matching pink carpet at Tapi.
'The aim wasn’t just to make the room feel luxurious; we wanted to maximise storage. Built-in wardrobes were a must, although a completely bespoke design wasn’t in the budget.’
Any renovator worth their salt will know where they went next: IKEA.
The process
The alcoves provided a natural spot for the pair’s epic IKEA hack, and they enlisted some help. ‘Ben’s parents are no strangers to a renovation, so we were lucky to be able to hand the practical side over to them,’ says Frances.
Two PAX wardrobes were installed in each alcove, adding a little bridge formed with a pair of EKET base units. To mimic the look of something built-in, they used MDF boards to fill the gaps and topped the wardrobes with plaster coving that runs around the room. Brass handles from Plank finished the look. 'It looks bespoke but without the hefty price tag,’ adds Frances.
The rest of the bedroom was assembled slowly – ‘with a mix of high-street, antique and vintage pieces collected over time’, and, not content with just the one DIY project, Frances set about making cushions to dress up the accent chair and old MADE bed that had joined them from their previous home.
Biggest challenge
‘As we were renovating the whole house, balancing the sheer number of decisions that had to be made all at once was definitely the hardest part.’
Design hero
‘The pink colour-drenching. Using it across the walls, carpet and textiles makes the room feel enveloping and surprisingly calming.’
Biggest splurge
‘The pink carpet. We wanted something warm rather than overly bright. Finding the right colour was harder than expected.’
Best bargain
‘Definitely the striped armchair, which was an absolute steal from Homesense.’
Sourcebook
- Paint Lick
- Carpet Tapi
- Bed Made
- Bedside tables The Cotswold Company
- Lampshade Pooky
- Chandelier B&Q
- Cushion fabric Colefax & Fowler
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Get the look: the colour-drenched pink bedroom
