If you are looking for inspiration on how to create a period home full of character and colour, Elle Hervin’s beautifully curated Instagram account is the place to be. As soon as you click follow, you step through the door and into the safe space of her characterful and colourful 1930s period property, sitting prettily on the North East coastline.
Each piece of content highlights how Elle has complemented the era of which her home was built, with a focus on vintage and antique finds.
We poured a cup of tea and sat down on the sofa with Elle, to talk all things interiors, renovation and what inspires her home style.
Every home has a story, we’d love to know about yours. Can you tell us a little bit about it?
I’m a firm believer that things happen for a reason, and I think fate definitely played a part in this house becoming our home. The property had already been sold to another buyer but the sale had fallen through so it came back on the market, as happens all the time of course.
The house was in a terrible state; it hadn’t been updated for around 40 years and needed a full-scale renovation but yet, there was a huge amount of viewings lined up for the property. We happened to be one of the first on the list to view it and made a spontaneous decision to put in an immediate offer and cheekily asked the owner to cancel the other viewings. We never expected him to agree, but the house gods were clearly looking down on us that day, for he did, and the property was ours.
What then followed was six hard months of renovating, with three boys (our youngest was a baby at the time) in tow! It has evolved so much over the last six years; layers of colour, pattern and furniture with stories to tell have all helped to create corners of interest and character. It feels like the most authentic version of us yet.
What is your favourite room in your home and why?
This is such a hard question for me to answer because each of the rooms in our home have their own identity and purpose. I feel inspired and motivated when I sit down to work at our old Victorian dining table and I’m surrounded by my little library of bookshelves. It’s where I plan my creative endeavours and do most of my writing. But evenings are always spent in the living room; the blue walls feel comforting and immersive, and I can settle down on the sofa with squishy cushions, a throw, and a lit candle or two, and I couldn’t be more content.
Is there a particular era or style that influences your choice in interiors?
I love to mix classic and contemporary interior design styles and have been inspired by many different eras. The house is 1930s so there has been a deliberate but subtle nod to Art Deco design, in the style of lighting I’ve chosen along with some of the accessories I’ve added, such as classic Art Deco arched fan mirrors. I also love the romance and moodiness of Victorian décor, and this is reflected in some of the darker, more traditional paint colours I’ve chosen for the house.
You have a fantastic eye for colour! What advice would you give to someone who is wanting to inject colour into a neutral space?
Confidence in using colour in the home comes with practice! The more you do it, the easier and more fun it becomes. Colour can be added really easily and subtly through accessories such as patterned cushions, throws, lampshades or artwork. A neutral space can also be complemented by a statement piece of furniture such as a patterned sofa, armchair or footstool.
You’ve chosen our Exbury sofa in V&A Flowering Kale fabric, what was it that first drew you to this print and sofa shape?
I had been looking for a sofa that was a little bit special for some time; I wanted something classic and timeless in terms of design but that had a little contemporary edge to it. Pattern and colour was a must; this was going to be a standout piece of furniture that would capture people’s attention and invite conversations. But, it also had to be one of quality and endurance (we are a family of five and I’m outnumbered by boys!).
I already have a lot of pattern clashes going on in the living room in all of the cushions I have collected over the years so I chose to go with a single colour pattern print. The V&A Flowering Kale fabric is both striking but understated enough for it not to be too ‘busy’ or overwhelming, and it works beautifully against the blue walls. What I love about the Exbury’s design is that it combines the elegance of the traditional Chesterfield shape, but without the button-back it feels like a simplified, more understated version. It’s got lovely deep seats and the rolled arms are so elegant.
Elle’s Exbury sofa in Flowering Kale Chilli, from our V&A Brompton Collection.
For more interior design inspiration, be sure to join us on Instagram at @sofasandstuff.