How to get a home that makes you smile
What's the secret to a happy home - the kind that lifts your spirits and inspires you every day?
Brazilian/British interior designer Ju De Paula of Blueberry Living has a fairly good idea about the transformative powers of a home that radiates with energy. Her own inimitable style permeates every room of her home - a hyper-feminine and flower-filled sanctuary, vibrating with colour, texture and pattern.
We caught up with Ju and asked her to reveal her style secrets.
Your home looks beautiful and has such a distinctive style. How would you describe it?
Our home was designed to radiate joy and sunshine. It's colourful, patterned, bright and airy with a touch of Alice in Wonderland to it!
Is it expensive to achieve your look?
People often think that we spent a fortune on our home because we have Designers Guild everywhere, but in reality, I designed our home on a very tight budget!
I wanted our home to look refreshing, gorgeous and original - but it also had to be budget-friendly (without looking cheap).
So I had find creative ways to achieve what I had in mind, without spending a fortune!
I had to be super smart with the design, so we could afford the high-end fabrics and wallpapers that we love. I also learned lots of new skills from Pinterest and YouTube, like painting, wallpapering, upholstering, sewing, and upcycling.
"I just adore how it turned out, as our home is now filled with one-off pieces made with lots of love (I'm the crazy lady who hugs her furniture!)"
Ju De Paula
What’s the one purchase for your home you’ve blown your budget on?
The wallpaper in my study! It was much more than what I had budgeted for, but I knew it would create a huge impact and really make the room special. I compromised on all the other pieces I needed to complete the scheme! And I'm so glad I did it, because the gorgeous wallpaper never fails to put a smile on my face every time I walk through the door!
What’s been the best buy?
I don't really have a best buy, as I truly love every single thing in our home, but the pair of 1950s cocktail chairs are pretty special to me because they are the first pieces I reupholstered myself and it was so much fun creating it!
What design brands are you loving at the moment?
Designers Guild really connects to me in a unique way, but I also love Anthropologie!
Do you have any secret online interiors shops you can share with us?
I like wayfair.co.uk and amara.com, because they both have a huge selection and you can find beautiful pieces.
What are your favourite interiors shops in London?
I love going treasure hunting in charity shops and vintage/ antique fairs - it's one of my favourite things to do!
But I also like visiting Designers Guild Marylebone Store and Anthropologie Regent's Street.
Other shops I like include TK Maxx (For unique accessories and dinnerware), Home Sense (For bed linen, dinnerware, lighting, Eastern furniture and unique accessories), Zara Home (for accessories, lighting, dinnerware, and bed linen) and H&M Home (for textiles, accessories, rugs, dinnerware and kids rooms).
What’s the secret to a happy home?
Surround yourself with what you really love and what makes you smile.
Transform your space into your very own sanctuary… a place that will make the simple pleasures of everyday living feel extra special, leaving you feeling refreshed, empowered and ready to bloom!
Sign up to Ju's next online course and learn how to design a home that will make you smile. For more details, go to Blueberry Living & Co.
Follow Ju on Instagram here.
Photography by Alexandra Joseph
