LIV Chats To… Colourful Interior Blogger Charlie About Her Vibrant Rainbow Abode

This week we're chatting to Charlie from @number30eight - her style mixes fun uses of colour with dopamine décor and disco balls!

Hi , first things first, please can you introduce yourself?

Hi! I’m Charlie, a 30-years-young southerner from Bristol, now living in the North West! My partner and I bought a neglected 1950s semi in 2019 and have spent the last 2 and a half years renovating her from top to bottom, with the help of our amazing families (and our two cats Bibi and Myrtle who offer all the emotional support!).
I work as a Recruitment Coordinator for M&S, but when I’m not having my brain fried by spreadsheets - I am living and sleeping interior design, and have done since my earliest memories. My parents bought me a dolls house when I was three and it was the most immaculately kept (tiny) home in England! 27 years later and I’m still spending all my free time arranging and styling furniture, though now it is in my own (big) home. My pride and joy.

Please tell us more about your stunning home and how @number30eight came about?

The pandemic, though very tough as it has been for most people, was the catalyst that reignited my creative spark. I started an interior account on Instagram for my friends and family to follow our renovation journey, as they were keen to keep up with our progress as they couldn’t visit. But it became so much more than that. It kept me sane, and gave me so much hope through a very dark time in the world. My home became this beacon of joy that kept me so positive, but I had no idea that it could help others as well. The interiors community were so kind and supportive and would comment such lovely things like “this post has made me so happy” - I never thought it could bring other people the joy it was giving me, so I just kept on posting my colourful squares and still haven’t stopped.

Please could you describe your interior style? has it always been the same or has it evolved over time?

I would describe my style as joyful, maximalist and FUN! Since buying our first home, we have spent almost every waking hour (and penny!) transforming what was a previously an unloved dirty beige box into a whimsical world of pattern and colour. I don’t think I could pigeonhole my style, it’s incredibly eclectic! It’s light/dark, modern/midcentury and everything in between, full of funky details and personalised collections that make the space feel special and loved.

My interior style has definitely changed over time, as I, myself have. I’ve suffered badly with anxiety since my early teens, but I can see a definite link between when I started feeling more confident, and the colourful house that has blossomed before us. It’s almost like the happier my house felt, then, the happier I felt and so on. More and more colour started creeping in and the effect this had on my mood was amazing - that’s why the first words you’ll read on my IG page are ‘Dopamine Décor’ - because colour really does effect your mood. And it’s very emotive for me - that “right” shade of saffron yellow or fuchsia pink just does something to me - it makes my heart feel happy!

**What brands or trends inspire you or your home purchases?**

I’m not particularly brand-led with my interior style. There are certainly brands that I aspire to afford (if I won the lottery!) found in the back pages of ELLE Decoration. But I’m no minimalist, so I don’t think I’d ever be able to pull off any of the extravagant pieces! Ebay has been a great place to source some really fab and unique pieces for our home at really affordable prices. I’ve also picked up some amazing things just left on the street! I’ve always been (the biggest) fan of Ikea, as they embrace what ‘normal’ homes are like and what they need - i.e STORAGE! And the amount of amazing ‘hacks’ that are out there, ensure that you can make it completely your own if you want to.

I’m also not really a fan of the whole ‘following interior trends’. I’ve done it before and just bought things because I didn’t want to be the person that didn’t have “that thing that everyone wants”, (sometimes Instagram can be bad for influencing this). I’d normally regret these purchases because it wasn’t really for “me”. If it just so happens that I like something or it makes me feel happy, then that’s why I buy it, not because I want to ‘fit in’ with what’s cool at the time on Instagram. I want my home to feel like me, not somebody else. And I want to encourage people to do the same. Your home is for you. So do you!

**What interior Instagram accounts inspire you, could you name your top 3?**

The interiors community on Instagram is an amazing place to get inspiration - it’s now my go-to for any project or DIY idea I might have. You can bet you can find someone who has done something similar already and has an informative ‘how to’ that you can adapt - it’s SO useful when you’re doing a renovation on a budget.
**To name just 3 of my favourite IG accounts is a tall order! So I’m basing this on how many saves I have made! Here goes:**
1. **@halfpaintedhouse** **- Her choice of colours are the BEST and make my heart sing!**
2. **@londogmussehuset** **- Her Scandi aesthetic is just so lovely and bright, fun and homely.**
3. **@dieartige** **- Yeah, just everything… a must follow!**

**We love all of the vibrant colourful hues throughout your home! Where do you get your inspiration?**

Thank you so much! And that is a great question, I am really unable to pinpoint it! It might be cushions!? Which sounds insane but I have always had a big obsession with cushions. I have a few, okay maybe 60!!! And I am constantly moving them about the house, from different chairs, to sofas, to beds - I think it always starts with a cushion! Then things just come together from that. I’ll pick through which blanket will go best, then a few accessories like a colourful candle (or 5) and ‘shop my home’ bringing in pieces from around the house. My paint choices for the walls are always quite simple and calming: Blues and Greys. It’s everything else in the room that brings it all to life.

What is your go-to interior trick… if you have one?

I’m not sure I can class this as a ‘trick’, but I always like flexibility in my home. Having pieces that I can move about to make the space feel different when I want to. I’m a constant faffer, so I love to be able to change the ‘vibe’ of a space quickly with the swap of a cushion. And lighting plays a HUGE part in how a space *feels***, buy all the lamps! That’s my, erm… motto? But seriously, no one likes** ‘*the big light*’.

What's your favourite home purchase you have made recently and is there anything on your Wishlist?

We have made quite a few! The thing I have got the most excited about is our pantry cupboard that we’ll be installing when our kitchen arrives in 3 weeks. It’s going to be my pride and joy as I love organising and finding everything a ‘home’. It sounds a little dramatic but I think it’s going to be life changing!! Our damp kitchen has always made it really challenging for us to store food and literally everything else that you would normally find in a kitchen. We have had to keep things in really odd places that we’d always forget about so would constantly lose things, which made the whole ‘cooking’ process really unenjoyable and even stressful at times. I can’t wait for our little slice of organisational heaven! I’ve gone a bit mad on storage solutions from Ikea! Next on my wishlist is a couple of Hans J. Wegner black wishbone chairs. I love them as they’re a timeless style of chair that have been in production for over 70 years. I’m passionate about investing in pieces that I’ll keep forever.

If you had to change one thing in your home, what would it be and why?

I adore this house and what we have been able to achieve here. My only niggle is that we’d have liked a bigger bathroom. Our fix (as we can’t really do anything about this without a large extension) is to steal a bit of our awkward L-shaped Kitchen to make a downstairs utility and toilet. Adding another loo downstairs is a good compromise to not being able to have a larger upstairs bathroom.

And finally what does the future hold for @number30eight, is there anything left up your sleeve?

Kitchen is incoming! We should have the kitchen built by mid-July so fingers crossed it goes well (we’re building it ourselves eeeek!) Can’t wait to actually enjoy spending time in there, it really will be the heart of our home. It’s such a sunny space, especially at tea time, so it will be lovely being in there with my partner who loves to cook! I’ll just spend the time opening all the drawers and cupboards repeatedly getting my life from the neatly arranged tins of beans!