A mum has spent £2,500 and hours of hard DIY work transforming her dull home into a psychedelic wonderland.
Rachael Havenhand, from Sheffield, moved into the property six years ago and “tried to be normal” by keeping the home generic in tones of beige and grey.
But, she couldn’t deny her love of bright colours and soon transformed the property.
The single mum now has 45,000 Instagram followers who love her interior style.
Rachael, 29, takes inspiration from 80s and 90s music and culture and even commissions artwork for other people based on her unique taste.
Plus, her daughters, Gabriella, nine, and Florence, six, adore their fun home.
(Image: Rachel Havenhand)
At first, the mum clashed with her landlord over the eccentric interiors, but eventually they agreed to support her so long as she white washes the lot when she leaves.
Rachael told YorkshireLive: “When I first moved into the house it was very neutral, it was still a lovely house but it was just not my taste, it didn’t excite me and I wanted to make it feel like home.
“I started by up-cycling some furniture in neon colours, then I painted the walls pink and I’ve continued to add to it ever since. It’s never finished, I’ve always got new ideas and things I want to do.”
(Image: Rachel Havenhand)
(Image: Rachel Havenhand)
She continued: “I’m constantly changing things – I’m a creative person I just cannot sit still, I wake up in the middle of the night with new ideas. I literally get depressed if I’m not creating.”
“Once I get going with a project I can’t stop, I painted the lino on the kitchen floor turquoise and then hand painted geometric brushstrokes in neon pink one by one.
“It took me the best part of a week and I was up all night, until six in the morning some nights.
“I just absolutely love colour – it’s the best thing ever, colour dictates everything, it makes me happy.”
Rachael spent just £2,500 on the new look as she gets most of her furniture free from Facebook Marketplace, eBay or family and then upcycles it.
(Image: Rachel Havenhand)
(Image: Rachel Havenhand)
She added: “I know it’s not to everyone’s taste but me and my girls love it and that’s all that matters.
“I think a lot of people are scared of colour, it wasn’t to my ex’s taste at all, he lives in a beige flat now we’ve split, with black furniture but I am painting a rainbow mural on the wall in the girls’ bedroom at his home.
“I get the odd comment like ‘oh I couldn’t live here it would give me a headache’ but I just find it funny. The majority of people can appreciate what I have created.”
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Rachel’s style extends to her colourfully dyed hair and unusual clothes, too.
One day she homes to own her own home and decorate it in the same way.
To do this the personal trainer and beautician is determined to become a successful interior designer and artist.
She said: “I hope that when I do move it will be to my own property where the sky is the limit. If it was my own home I’d be building rainbows and all sorts.
“I did a commission for a woman and she said I can’t believe I’ve got a Rachael Havenhand piece of art, it gave me shivers.
“It blows my mind that I get orders from all over the world, that somebody from America has chosen to have a piece of my art that I created on their wall – there’s no feeling like it.
“That’s the dream, I would love to become recognised world wide for my interior design and art.”
