Claire always suspected that her “beige, bland” living room could do with a lift, but found that her Changing Rooms makeover transformed much more than just the colour of her room. “Even if you’re having a bad day,” she says, “you come home and it’s bright, and it’s just a pleasure to be in.” Watch our video to hear what Claire learned about decorating from Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and how surrounding herself with a new colour palette helped her tap into her creative side. And keep scrolling to see the palette and techniques the Changing Rooms crew used to bring Laurence’s vision to life.

The Colour Palette

In reimagining Claire’s living room, design “maximalist” Laurence was never going to opt for neutral, understated shades. The ceiling was refreshed with a single coat of White Cotton, but he earmarked the rest of the room for powerful hues. In one section, he combined flamboyant shades of blue: Teal Velvet, Turquoise Jewel (Claire’s favourite), Fortune Green and Maldive Dream. He also carved out a corner in pink: Flamingo Flock, Coral Flair, Salsa Mix and Berry Whip.

The painted panelling technique

The colours “just leap off the wall at you”, Claire exclaims, admiring Laurence’s confidence in colour mixing. It was a “combination I’d never have put together myself,” she says, but the room’s clever painted panelling brings depth and dimension to the space. Inspired? You can recreate this paint effect at home over a weekend – just follow our step-by-step tutorial (with some expert tips by Changing Rooms crew member and Select Decorator George Baker) to see how you can achieve the same effect at home over a weekend.

The Changing Rooms effect

Perhaps the biggest transformation is the way her new room makes Claire feel: “more alive”. “It makes you want to be doing something more creative,” she points out, adding that the makeover has inspired her to pick up her sketchbook again. And Laurence’s approach to colour has also made its mark in her work as a florist: “Now when I’m putting flowers together, they’re not all in the same colour spectrum!”