At home with interiors influencer, Val

I love period homes and was keen to find an end of terrace, so when this came on the market, I knew I had to see it. The layout was exactly what I was looking for and it had lots of the original Victorian features too, many of which I have been able to keep or restore during the renovations.

I had spoken to a number of radiator companies to get advice.  The Radiator centre took the time to help me find radiators that would be suitable to my home.  Nick is not only knowledgeable but clearly very passionate about every single radiator he stocks.  Within no time he was able to direct me to a selection that would work efficiently in my space.  I managed to find very beautiful radiators that generate a lot of heat and are silent.  Nick even sent me samples for the different valve finishes which now match the rest of the metals in my home perfectly.  Highly recommend them.

Think about what you want to use each room for as many will have more than one function.  I am a big advocate for multi-functional furniture pieces, for example, the radiator in the hallway doubles as a console unit and has glove warming drawers within, where as the unit encasing my bookcase has two hidden side panels with internal shelving which doubles up as a home bar.  

Finding your own personal style takes time but once you find it, try to create a sense of flow and cohesion through the whole home.  For example, I’ve used the same bespoke oak floor throughout the downstairs, which draws the eye through to the garden.  You can still section off different zones using rugs.  I used four different paints for the downstairs as the natural light is different in each room but I ensured they all blend into one another so there is only a subtle change as you move from room to room. 

For more top tips from Val on home renovation head over to his Instagram page @no5_thehouse where he regularly posts handy advice and ideas for his loyal followers.