A 1920s London House Was All Gray — But a Bright, Joyful Color Refresh Changed Everything

“We fell in love with this house for its space and the neighbourhood, but we needed help making it feel like home,” begins homeowner Caroline. “It was very consistent with the rest of the neighbourhood: a lot of white and gray. On paper, it was spacious and bright, but in the middle of a gray London autumn or winter, it didn’t exactly spark much joy.”

“Our goal was a bit of a contradiction: We wanted the house to spark dopamine and joy, but also feel incredibly calm. We knew what we wanted to feel, but we didn’t know how to get there, so we asked Justine to help us bridge that gap,” Caroline continues.

Justine, who’s the founder of Rainbow Shaker, known for “expressive, color-forward spaces that balance playfulness with purpose,” was able to transform this three-bedroom home, likely built in the 1920s, without any structural renovation. She calls it a “high-impact emotional redesign.” The hallway, staircase, kitchen, living areas, home office, and both children’s rooms all got a vibrant refresh — and the design started in the entry.

“I always believe the first 30 seconds inside a home should feel intentional. From there, we tackled the kitchen (the heart of family life), then the children’s rooms,” Justine explains of the refresh, which took several months to complete, and included bespoke carpentry, decor, lighting upgrades, vinyl work, and styling.

Despite the happy final result of this home, there were design difficulties Justine had to tackle, like rooms that didn’t visually connect, storage that just didn’t function, and two kids who had very imaginative and big design wishes.

“We overcame these challenges by designing from memory, not trends,” Justine writes. “The client’s joyful Miami holiday became our emotional anchor, and from there, we built a structured, Bauhaus-inspired color strategy to create cohesion across the home.” No one could possibly call this home gloomy or gray now.

• Entry — Johnstone’s Paint “Swansong”
• Entry — Benjamin Moore “Aurora Borealis”
• Entry — YesColours “Fresh Aqua”
• Entry — Dulux “Satsuma Spice”
• Entry — Johnstone’s Paint ”NCS S 2565-R80B”
• Living Room — Johnstone’s Paint “Swansong”
• Living Room — Benjamin Moore “Smashing Pink”
• Living Room — Benjamin Moore “Sea of Green”
• Living Room — YesColours “Fresh Lilac”
• Living Room — YesColours “Fresh Yellow”
• Living Room — Johnstone’s Paint ”NCS S 2565-R80B”
• Living Room — Dulux “Satsuma Spice”
• Office — Johnstone’s Paint “Swansong”
• Office — YesColours “Friendly Blue”
• Office — YesColours “Malagasy Coral”
• Office — YesColours “Fresh Yellow”
• Office — YesColours “Electric Orange”
• Office — Benjamin Moore “Aurora Borealis”

• Stair Riser Decals — Etsy
• Tubi 8-Hook Coloured Steel Coat Rack — La Redoute
• Shoe Prints — East End Prints

• Yellow Modern Minimalist Aluminum Disc 1-Light Pendant Light — Vidilion
• Ande Side Table — noo.ma
• Prints — East End Prints
• Elements Tela Bathroom Wall Light — Dunelm
• Set of 2 Lia Graphic — La Redoute
• Yellow SOTENÄS Armchair — IKEA (brought all the way from France by train when visiting family!)
• Grid Bespoke Wallpaper — Made Of Sundays

• Habitat 60 Hub Pendant Light by Sebastian Conran — Habitat
• Jodi — La Redoute
• Juano Outdoor Rug — La Redoute

• Bundle of 3 Organic Cotton Tea Towels — Eloisa Henderson-Figueroa
• Jimna Lamps — La Redoute

• Prints — East End Prints
• Tufted Rug Leopard — Ferm Living

• Prints — East End Prints
• Disco Cats Party A4 Art Print — Hung on You Boutique
• Milo Scallop Plain Wool Rug — Dunelm
• Alcove Cushion Pad Bespoke — Wiggle With Me Fabric, Sorbet Dreams
• Wiggle Cushion — Fox & Furb

• Prints — East End Prints
• Abby Velvet Cushion Cover — La Redoute
• Pineapple Appliqué Yellow Cushion Cover — Oliver Bonas
• Nils Wall Sconce Yellow Flush Mount On/Off Switch — Etsy
• Aston — elesi

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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