The Girl With The Pink Door
By Laura Michlek
Looking at the vibrant pink door from the outside you may think you could tell a lot about the person living inside. You might imagine someone quirky and fun with a tad of eccentricity or someone who is dynamic and cheerful, the kind of person who would always put a smile on your face. And, as you ponder on what the inside might look like you may picture a continuation of the pink colour scheme throughout the home or even imagine an amalgamation of vivid colours lining the walls…
Well wonder no more, in this issue we get to step over the threshold of that pink door and meet the girl with the passion for pink, the delightful Revi Winton. And let us tell you, the inside is beyond your ‘wildest’ expectations.
As you open the front door you are greeted with the grandest of entrance halls which gives you a taste of the jaw dropping interiors to come. Your eyes are first drawn to the cascading leopard print carpet that covers the Victorian staircase.
Then you are captured by the continuation of pink across her ornately panelled walls, before resting your eyes on her exquisitely refurbished vintage cinema seats.
“Oh yes, you spotted my cinema seats! I actually found our first set of cinema seats from a hall in Saltcoats. They were a dirty mess, made with cream leather and a black frame. I had them professionally shot blasted and then I spray painted them in gold before I changed out the foam and reupholstered them in a fab jungle print. That wild print looked great set against the soft pink (Calamine from Farrow & Ball) of the hall walls. I love them because they’re so practical. They are used all the time. The kids use them to sit and put on their shoes, Barry uses them to wait when I’m running late getting ready, and Ethel (the pug) loves to sit and wait for me coming home from work. Since my first set I’ve sold loads of sets. I now get heavy vintage cast iron sets that are powder coated in gold so they will withstand any hoover hits or kids jumping over them. I couldn’t part with my first set, so they now live in our garden pub, The Shakermaker.”
The Shakermaker? Where did that name come from?
“We named it The Shakermaker as we’re big Oasis fans (a song taken from their album ‘Definitely Maybe’). Barry actually built it himself, it’s been a great addition to the house, it’s used all the time. The polished oak floor is perfect for dancing, and it even has its own wee toilet that I papered in a jungle theme print and a faux living wall with a custom-made neon sign that I added a background to.”
As you wander around Revi’s home it’s clear the family has a passion for all things musical, with each wall featuring a nod to their favourite musicians in the form of their most-loved lyrics or charming framed prints.
“Yes, we are huge music fans as you can tell from all the prints about the house. I have a neon sign from The Verve of ‘Love Is Noise’ in the hall, and my daughter loves the Artic Monkeys and has a neon sign ‘Not shy of a spark!’ above her bed (a line from ‘505’). I think your house should reflect who you are so if you like a picture hang it! You could also add ticket stubs or an old birthday card. Art is what you like and what makes you smile so just go for it.”
It really is a house that evokes a sense of the family’s personalities from within its walls.
Revi purchased ‘The house with the pink door’ back in August 2017 along with her husband Barry, their two children Nia and Sonny and their dogs Ethel the Pug and Dixie the Coonhound. Upon first viewing the home they could see its potential and were impressed with how well maintained it was. They just couldn’t wait to get their hands on it and inject some colour. Ticking the larger jobs off the list first, such as replacing the boiler, new electrics and monoblocking the drive, they then let their creative juices flow and transformed it into the eclectic home that you see today.
“When we first moved in there was an old green carpet on the stairs. I loved it, but it was done, so we painted the walls white and had a fluffy blue carpet fitted before adding a gallery wall of photos. I loved the pictures, but the carpet just wasn’t doing it for me, I wanted bold and grand. I had the idea of the leopard print carpet when one day I came home and flung my leopard print scarf on the banister and it fell on the stairs. It was a ‘wee moment’ and that was it! The search for the leopard print carpet of dreams started, along with the saving for it. The hall was covered in woodchip that had been painted over a million times. It took four weeks to get it all off and we had to have makeshift scaffolding built to get all the high bits, then it was all replastered. I wanted to add panelling and I could see where the picture rail had originally been, so that was my starting point. Then I added the dado rail and the panels were built in between. The panel sizes were actually determined by the size of my cinema seats as I wanted the panels to frame them so that they would be the focal point of the hall.”
So, the inspiration all came from a scarf – that’s something you don’t hear every day!
“It’s actually not the only inspiration that came from an item of clothing. I have always loved the colour pink; my front door was colour matched to my daughter’s raincoat from when she was little. I see inspiration everywhere, be it clothes or something I’d like to adapt. I once made a pelmet for my old house from a blouse that I loved the pattern of.
“Colour is around me all day (Revi works as a printer in her day job) so the Pantone chart books are never far away from me.”
Colour is something you cannot escape from in Revi’s home: rich blues paired with contrasting pinks and mustards, bold prints and intricate bright patterned wallpapers, textured throws and brushed antique gold accessories – concepts you never knew could be paired but work so well together. It has me wondering how Revi would describe her style.
“I would say I’m a relaxed maximalist. I love colour and pattern. I love to clash but I don’t want to fill a space too much as I’m too lazy to dust it all!”
As you can tell Revi loves outlandish décor, and she informs us that her two favourite Instagram accounts to make purchases from are @boonieandbold and @avalana_design. They both create original artworks and it’s easy to see why they inspire her with their daring jungle prints and one-of-a-kind pieces. We also discussed a few of her favourite shops.
“I’m a massive fan of TK Maxx for wee accessories or cushions, and H&M for throws or bedding. M&S has an amazing homeware range, La Redoute, Luxology Home and Dowsing & Reynolds have the most beautiful light fittings, switches and kitchenware.”
Talking of lighting, you might have noticed some of the quirky lighting featured in Revi’s home, from parrots to pineapples to giant trees and even the sumptuous glass chandeliers featured in her hall. It’s clear to see lighting is never an afterthought in her home.
“I’m a big fan of lighting. Barry says if there’s a plug then I’ll stick a lamp in it! Olive & Sage are amazing for lighting. I have a few lamps from there, my big gold palm being my favourite.”
Reupholstering, upcycling and creating furniture is another passion of Revi’s. Many of the items you see in her home she has created herself. These include her daughter’s bed, all of the seats in The Shakermaker and even some of the cabinets.
“I love traditional style so I would always look for an old bit of furniture before I buy a new piece. When I couldn’t find a footstool in the colour I wanted for the front room I made one myself from scratch. It is covered in a soft pink velvet and the lid opens for storage. I also added castors so it could be easily moved. And my favourite has to be my cast iron radiators. They were in a sorry state when I found them but now they look amazing.”
It just goes to show what you can achieve with a little imagination!
We talked of the upcoming festive period. Unsurprisingly, when it comes to Christmas, Revi is very much a handmade Christmas kind of girl.
“I love decorating for Christmas, I make all my garlands myself. I like a traditional Christmas but I add leopard print ribbon, velvets and loads of green foliage.”
We wouldn’t expect anything less!
Revi’s home is as colourful on the inside as it is on the outside. We hope our visit has sparked your imagination and inspired you to explore your colourful side.
