Fleetwood interior designer Catherine Ruane demonstrates how to use unique paintwork to create a statement in this home cinema room
After so much time in our homes, renovation projects are at the forefront of everyone’s wish list for the year ahead. Take inspiration from our new series, showcasing amazing transformations in real Irish homes. Here, Fleetwood interior designer Catherine Ruane demonstrates how to use unique paintwork to create a statement in this home in County Mayo
The Brief: Create a sophisticated living room with a sense of atmosphere
Cosy evenings at home so often revolve around a great movie and conversation in front of the fire. Catherine’s client wanted an inviting yet contemporary space that had a cinematic feel for their Co Mayo home. Catherine dreamed up this relaxing design, with a focus on strong colour choices and ambient lighting.
“Dramatic shades create a sophisticated room and are the perfect backdrop for accessories in gold finishes. By painting both the walls and skirting in the same colour, it accentuates the bulkhead lighting, a real feature around the room,” Catherine says.
“If we had painted the skirting in a bright colour it would draw your eye to the base of the wall, but this way you are drawn to the white and the light. The deep blue green colour just invites you to sit and relax, perfect to create the cinema feel the client was after.”
The wall colour is Fleetwood Colour Perfect CP1002 Midsummer Gale, which was mixed into Prestige Washable Matt Finish which has a beautiful texture. The same colour was used on the skirting, but was mixed in the Prestige Water-Based Satin Finish for a different effect.
Texture tips
Texture is such an important design element to create warmth and interest in a room. Catherine wanted to draw the eye to the chimney breast without using wallpaper, and accentuate the beauty of the wall colour.
She used a specialist polished plaster on the chimney breast called San Marco, which has a beautiful metallic fine texture finish. Painter Stephen King matched the colour with the Fleetwood Colour Perfect CP1002 Midsummer Gale, and applied it to the wall like plaster, to create this stunning shimmer effect that perfectly complements the walls.
Fleetwood Brilliant White Ceiling Paint, and Vogue Studio White on the architraves, finishes the look.
Sense of luxury
Once the colour palette and design scheme had been decided, Catherine arranged for some clever construction work to create a more contemporary feel in the space.
“The fireplace was originally built for a free standing stove, so I got this built up to fit a new insert gas fire,” Catherine explains.
“We then added the ceiling bulkhead for the LED lighting. It gives a beautiful low atmospheric glow and added aesthetic appeal. I sourced a modern LED brushed gold light fitting for the centre from Midwest Lighting in Castlebar, Co Mayo, and used spotlights and table lamps to finish the lighting scheme.”
To add to this sophisticated look, Catherine sourced authentic herringbone laminate flooring which is practical and cost-effective, in a Golden Walnut shade.
Finishing touches
It couldn’t be a cinema room without extravagant furniture in a decadent fabric. Catherine sourced an oversized sofa with large cushion and pillows which felt substantial enough for this spacious room.
“The Catalan is an extremely comfortable suite, with a large ottoman, from McDermott Furniture Store in Castlebar,” Catherine says.
“I paired it with the Fama Moon Rise chair, as it is the ultimate in comfort, reclining, swivel and rocking. I chose a beautiful blush pink fabric with a blue green stitching running through the fabric.”
A brushed gold sideboard in a beautiful dark wood from Home Gallery in Galway accentuates the modern sophisticated feel in the room. Curtains in a herringbone fabric, and a white voile, hang from a wave track to give luxurious warmth and privacy.
To add personality to the room and bring the whole colour scheme together, Catherine sourced an original two piece artwork titled Cosmic Swirl from dettiruddy.com. Affordable scatter cushions and a gold plant stand from TK Maxx, a pink Dunnes Stores vase and an opulent mirror and table lamps from Mindy Brownes complete the space.
To find your nearest Fleetwood Prestige stockist, visit Fleetwood.ie. Fleetwood Prestige is exclusive to the Vogue and Pantone Colour Collections.
