Kel Harmer transformed a magnolia new-build in Portishead, near Bristol, into a pastel-hued family home after a Florida holiday changed her design preferences.
From blank canvas to bold color
The five-bedroom house offered a blank slate when the family moved in six years ago. Harmer, a stylist and founder of the interiors blog Oh So Kel, began with the upstairs bedrooms before tackling the lower floors.
“With two young children, we wanted a property that didn’t require major work, so this new-build suited us,” she explained. The ground floor originally had separate rooms—a kitchen, dining area, and living space—but Harmer preferred an open-plan layout for daily life.
Three years after moving in, they removed a wall to combine the kitchen and dining room. The redesign drew inspiration from The Colony Hotel in Palm Beach, featuring sage-green units and palm-print wallpaper as a focal point.
A kitchen built for entertaining
The original kitchen had dark laminate worktops and an awkward breakfast bar facing a wall. Harmer and her husband, Dan, chose a Shaker-style design from Magnet, customizing it with different handles, taps, and worktops to stay within budget while achieving a polished look.
Bi-fold doors now connect the space to the garden, making it the heart of the home. A built-in seating area with hidden storage replaced the old dining room, which became a family living space.
Harmer’s enthusiasm for hosting shaped many of the updates. “Dan enjoys cooking while I like preparing cocktails and canapés,” she said. “We host often, so the kitchen needed to support our social life.”
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The palm-print wallpaper from Wallpaper Direct and a neon print by Pun gave the room a tropical feel. For seating, Harmer found a set of vintage-style chairs on eBay, originally listed as “pub chairs,” for £120 for 12.
Living spaces with a holiday feel
The living room initially centered around the television, but Harmer wanted a different focus. She filled a faux fireplace with logs arranged in a wine rack and added a large rug from Wayfair to warm the space.
A dusty pink armchair and teal sofa provide seating for the family. Photos from their Florida road trip on the walls reinforce the color scheme that now defines the home.
Practical updates for a growing family
Emmie’s bedroom began as a nursery but has adapted as she grew. A cloud mural by Rebel Walls sets the theme, while an IKEA wardrobe and floating shelves help manage clutter. “We gave Emmie her own wardrobe so she can choose her outfits independently,” Harmer said.
The bathroom, left by the previous owners, remains unfinished. For now, Harmer has refreshed it with blue-grey paint, a new floor, and dot stickers on the walls. “Because it’s temporary, we’ve enjoyed experimenting more than we would with a permanent space,” she noted.
The changes didn’t happen all at once. Harmer acknowledged making a few color mistakes early on, but a trip to Miami altered her perspective. Instead of bringing back souvenirs, she returned with an appreciation for bold patterns and a readiness to take design risks at home.
“Since I’ve been bolder, the house has truly come together,” she said. “The palm-print wallpaper is the latest addition inspired by our travels.”
