An artist with an eye for interior design has transformed her “blank canvas” home into a dreamy visual masterpiece.
Valentina Albert, from regional New South Wales, bought the adorable four-bedroom cottage nine years ago with her husband Stéphane and has been slowly working on it ever since.
Now the once bland-looking property is warm and bright, with colorful walls, intriguing art sculptures and a huge walk-in closet.
The 38-year-old shared her design secrets with FEMAIL to help and inspire others who want to DIY their own home on a budget.
Australian artist Valentina Albert, from regional New South Wales, has shared her interior design secrets that she used to transform her home into a visual masterpiece.
After entering the home, guests are immediately drawn to the pink art wall at the end of the hallway (pictured)
As you walk through the cozy home, you can count the different shades of blue in different areas—a color that Tina says reminds her of happy beach memories and nostalgia.
Upon entering the home, guests are immediately drawn to the pink art wall at the end of the hallway.
The wall has a variety of artwork, prints, magazine covers from the 1920s and 1960s, personal photographs and even a white monkey hanging from the ceiling.
As you walk through the cozy house, you can count the different shades of blue in different areas, a color that reminds Tina of happy memories of the beach and her childhood.
The property originally had white walls and wooden floors, something Tina described as “flat and boring”.
“As soon as we saw the house and moved in, we knew what we wanted to do in the future,” he said.
“We started, cut and changed some things over time and decided to use the space differently – it’s been an evolving process over nine years.”
The kitchen and living room have pops of color with rugs, artwork, sculptures and plants that also keep the house from looking cluttered.
The couple started painting walls, designing rooms and found the perfect place for the furniture.
“You also want to get a sense of what it’s like to live in the space; I guess that’s why this process has taken us so long.” “We wanted to see what works for us and how we live,” Tina added.
Four years later, they decided to modify the floor plan to create a walk-in closet attached to their master bedroom, a feature that easily makes others envious.
The bedroom was originally a second living room and one wall was removed to create the closet.
Valentina and her husband Stéphane have lived in the property for nine years and have been modifying it little by little over time. Four years later, they modified the plan to create a dressing room attached to her bedroom (pictured)
The closet (pictured) was originally another room and now makes others envious of its size.
Tina agreed that her style is colorful, bold and eclectic combined with contemporary design.
While many turned to Pinterest or Instagram for DIY ideas, Tina said inspiration can come from anywhere, such as light, linear patterns and movement.
Your creative mind can extract ideas from mundane objects and apply them in another way. For example, you might like the look of a lamp and integrate it into another location.
Decorating the house with something much more elegant and personal is perhaps the only trend that Tina follows, as she ignores what is popular in the market.
“I like to do what we feel is right and I’m not afraid to do things differently,” he said.
The one thing he will never do is have something brown or beige, as he prefers a more adventurous design.
Tina agreed that her style is colorful, bold and eclectic combined with contemporary design.
Throughout the entire process, the couple always asked themselves four questions: What is our budget? What are we willing to spend? What can we do ourselves and what can we outsource?
While the house is really colorful, it is not overwhelming and there is an overall balance.
“We have a lot of white around it to connect the space and balance everything,” Tina said.
The kitchen and living room have pops of color through rugs, artwork, sculptures and plants that also keep the house from looking cluttered.
To keep the budget under control, the couple did everything they could and only outsourced when necessary.
Throughout the entire process, the couple always asked themselves four questions: What is our budget? What are we willing to spend? What can we do ourselves and what can we outsource?
The backyard is lush with a garden and outdoor terrace (left) and there is also a cocktail bar.
The kitchen (left) has a neutral tone for balance and there is another gallery wall in another part of the house (right)
As advice to others, Tina suggested not being afraid to use color, understanding how it can change mood, and thinking about the functionality of a home.
‘Many people don’t know where to start (when renewing). “My biggest advice is not to focus on trends, but to think deeply about how you want to live and how you want to feel in your space,” she said.
‘Do you want a reading corner? Is it a space where your family congregates? Do you like your children to draw at the kitchen table?
He also highlighted the importance of choosing colors.
‘What do you like about it and how does that color make you feel?’ She asked, adding, “For me, it’s about connection and leveraging partnership.”
Tina explained that she likes to wear a lot of blue because she has a lot of good memories and nostalgia associated with that color.
“Take a step back and write down what you like, what you don’t like and why,” he said.
The couple also plans to sell their beloved home in the future to move to a larger property better suited to their lifestyle.