My Favourite Room: ‘It’s a bit of anything and everything – but it works for us’
By Grace McGettigan
24th Aug 2020
24th Aug 2020
Lynn Ferrari, @MyOldBrandNewHome
Self-confessed interiors nerd Lynn Ferrari (of the popular @MyOldBrandNewHome page on Instagram) shares her favourite room at home
If you love all things home interiors and you’re constantly craving design inspiration, you need to follow Lynn Ferrari on Instagram.
Hailing from Co Waterford, Lynn is a self-confessed interiors nerd. Her carefully-curated social media page is filled with beautiful imagery of every room imaginable (plus more than the occasional photo of her cute dog, Otis). Whether it’s the bedroom or the kitchen, Lynn’s eye for detail (and her knack for choosing home accessories) makes each space seem warm and homely.
For that reason, we asked Lynn to talk us through her favourite room at home; including where she sourced her favourite items and why she chose particular colours and fabrics. Here’s what she told us.
‘My little escape’
“I think of this room as my little escape,” Lynn says of this living room. “It’s what you’d call our ‘good room’ – except we don’t cover the couches in plastic and animals are allowed on the sofa.
“I don’t use this room every day, or even every week, but when I need a little time out to read or just switch off, it’s the place I go. The colour of the walls, the plants, the velvet material of the couch, all create a relaxing environment. I also think I had a bit of fun when designing this room – I didn’t try to make it all match. It’s a bit of anything and everything in here but it works for us.
“My husband has what we call ‘the green room’ in his family home and we both love it, so that kind of inspired the wall colour,” Lynn explains. “Green, pink and navy are all colours you’ll find in this room and also throughout the rest of our house. The room ties the entire colour scheme of the house together.
“My best friends bought me the pink tub chair for my 30th birthday from Oliver Bonas. I also used a lot of velvet,” Lynn adds. “The sofa and the oversized curtains are both navy velvet; I love the opulent character it gives the room. I didn’t want everything to match too much but I also didn’t want it to look too fussy or kitsch (it’s just not my style), so the velvet and rich colours – in my opinion – help keep a certain maturity to the room.”
View this post on Instagram
As for her favourite furniture, Lynn says, “I filled this room with things I loved. I didn’t rush into decorating it and waited till we found the right pieces. A lot of the stuff is vintage or pre-loved. A few of the items in this room are from my husband’s grandmother’s house. The bar cabinet, the large vintage print that looks like a painting, and the fireguard were all passed down from her. I love mixing old with new and what better way to do that than with items with family history.
“I found the pink lampshade in a vintage shop in Dublin and it was an absolute bargain at €10. I love it,” Lynn says. “And the chest we got from the Kilkenny Salvage Yard.”
Lastly, we asked Lynn if she has any advice on how to put an individual stamp on a room. She said, “I know this is obvious advice, but I really believe it’s true: fill your house with things you love. Indulge in trends and explore your personal style through inexpensive items like cushions, throws and lampshades.”
For more home interiors inspiration, follow Lynn Ferrari @MyOldBrandNewHome on Instagram.
Read more: My Favourite Room: ‘It took me 3 years to find this painting’
Read more: Tips and tricks to prepare your home for sale, from an expert who does it for a living
Read more: Niamh O’Sullivan shares a glimpse inside her home office in Co Kildare