Houzz Tour: At Home With... Kimberly Duran of Swoon Worthy
Design blogger Kimberly Duran gives us a tour around her handcrafted and personality-filled Edwardian home
When Kimberly Duran stumbled upon her dream home – an Edwardian semi in Manchester – she was able to see past the drab décor to the beautiful period features and the property’s potential. Over the past five years, she and her partner have really made it their own, ripping down walls, pulling up flooring and putting in new lighting to create a colourful, characterful home.
‘I’ve been blogging now for more than five years and the blog chronicles all of the work we’ve done on the house,’ Duran says. ‘I suppose it’s been my very public transition… I’ve found my feet in terms of my style, what I want to write about and how I want to write about it.’
COMMENT FOR A CHANCE TO WIN
To celebrate some of the most creative and inspiring UK bloggers and their homes, we’ll be asking each blogger in this series to choose a giveaway gift that reflects their personal style. Kimberly Duran has chosen a set of 3 brass and glass tumblers from Rockett St George as her prize. All you have to do to enter is comment below on why you love this home. *This competition has now closed.*
‘I’ve been blogging now for more than five years and the blog chronicles all of the work we’ve done on the house,’ Duran says. ‘I suppose it’s been my very public transition… I’ve found my feet in terms of my style, what I want to write about and how I want to write about it.’
COMMENT FOR A CHANCE TO WIN
To celebrate some of the most creative and inspiring UK bloggers and their homes, we’ll be asking each blogger in this series to choose a giveaway gift that reflects their personal style. Kimberly Duran has chosen a set of 3 brass and glass tumblers from Rockett St George as her prize. All you have to do to enter is comment below on why you love this home. *This competition has now closed.*
What do we need to know about your blog?
I’m an interior-design-obsessed American expat who has lived in the UK since 2001. My blog chronicles the changes my partner and I have made to our Edwardian semi just outside Manchester and the inspiration that led to the changes.
I describe my style as ‘eclectic boho glam’ – gold finishes, cheeky animal prints, touchable, textural fabrics, bold pattern mixing, a touch of vintage and bohemian-style comfort. So you’ll see a lot of that on my blog.
There are also plenty of accessible design ideas, DIY projects and ‘how to’ features, because I don’t have a ‘lottery win’ budget and neither do those who read my blog, but I believe everyone has the right to a beautiful home. In fact, I think when funds are limited, it makes you more creative (yes, there’s a plus side to not winning the lottery!). My hope is that my blog inspires others to feel the same.
I’m an interior-design-obsessed American expat who has lived in the UK since 2001. My blog chronicles the changes my partner and I have made to our Edwardian semi just outside Manchester and the inspiration that led to the changes.
I describe my style as ‘eclectic boho glam’ – gold finishes, cheeky animal prints, touchable, textural fabrics, bold pattern mixing, a touch of vintage and bohemian-style comfort. So you’ll see a lot of that on my blog.
There are also plenty of accessible design ideas, DIY projects and ‘how to’ features, because I don’t have a ‘lottery win’ budget and neither do those who read my blog, but I believe everyone has the right to a beautiful home. In fact, I think when funds are limited, it makes you more creative (yes, there’s a plus side to not winning the lottery!). My hope is that my blog inspires others to feel the same.
What made you start blogging?
I’d been following various types of blogs for years, but it was only when I realised there was a whole bunch of bloggers out there sharing their homes and DIY projects that it was like a light was turned on. I was so used to seeing fancy properties in magazines that were just totally inaccessible and I was incredibly inspired by these ‘normal people’ just making their homes beautiful. When we bought our house, I decided I wanted to do the same.
Dining table, Joss & Main. Dining chairs, vintage from eBay. Pendant light, Habitat.
I’d been following various types of blogs for years, but it was only when I realised there was a whole bunch of bloggers out there sharing their homes and DIY projects that it was like a light was turned on. I was so used to seeing fancy properties in magazines that were just totally inaccessible and I was incredibly inspired by these ‘normal people’ just making their homes beautiful. When we bought our house, I decided I wanted to do the same.
Dining table, Joss & Main. Dining chairs, vintage from eBay. Pendant light, Habitat.
How long have you lived here and how did you and your house meet?
We’ve lived here since June 2010. We knew we wanted an Edwardian or Victorian home – we both love the scale and style of older properties – and when we came across this gem online, it was love at first sight. We pretty much already knew we were going to buy it before we stepped through the door.
It was the style and size we wanted (a three-bedroom Edwardian) in a decent neighbourhood on a cul-de-sac and within walking distance of town, plus it had a great small garden and a cellar that was ripe for renovation. It was exactly what we were looking for.
We’ve lived here since June 2010. We knew we wanted an Edwardian or Victorian home – we both love the scale and style of older properties – and when we came across this gem online, it was love at first sight. We pretty much already knew we were going to buy it before we stepped through the door.
It was the style and size we wanted (a three-bedroom Edwardian) in a decent neighbourhood on a cul-de-sac and within walking distance of town, plus it had a great small garden and a cellar that was ripe for renovation. It was exactly what we were looking for.
What was the house like when you first moved in?
It was a little tired and I knew we wanted to make changes to it, but we didn’t realise at the time just how much we’d end up doing.
The kitchen and bathroom needed some love – both had false ceilings and bad lighting and were just very bland and basic. The flooring in the living room was a wreck (the previous owners had taken their carpet with them) and there were ‘ghosts of furniture past’ outlined in paint on the walls – they’d actually just painted around furniture rather than moving it!
We had a lot of swirly and textured ceilings and walls covered in Anaglypta and woodchip. And the cellar had never been touched – it was just where the spiders hung out.
Curtains, Ikea. Sofa, The Handmade Sofa Company. Hanging chair, Out There Interiors. Coffee table, West Elm.
It was a little tired and I knew we wanted to make changes to it, but we didn’t realise at the time just how much we’d end up doing.
The kitchen and bathroom needed some love – both had false ceilings and bad lighting and were just very bland and basic. The flooring in the living room was a wreck (the previous owners had taken their carpet with them) and there were ‘ghosts of furniture past’ outlined in paint on the walls – they’d actually just painted around furniture rather than moving it!
We had a lot of swirly and textured ceilings and walls covered in Anaglypta and woodchip. And the cellar had never been touched – it was just where the spiders hung out.
Curtains, Ikea. Sofa, The Handmade Sofa Company. Hanging chair, Out There Interiors. Coffee table, West Elm.
What’s your signature dish?
I love to cook, but I don’t really have a specific signature dish. I do, however, have a signature cocktail!
Here’s how it’s done: combine 1 ice cube, 1-2 shots of Disaronno, a wedge of lime and torn up mint leaves in a cocktail shaker – mix them up really well to let all the juices of the lime and mint mingle with the spirit. Then take a tumbler and pour the sweet liquid over ice and top with a mix of pomegranate juice and ginger beer. It’s gorgeous.
Pendant lights, Castlegate Lights.
I love to cook, but I don’t really have a specific signature dish. I do, however, have a signature cocktail!
Here’s how it’s done: combine 1 ice cube, 1-2 shots of Disaronno, a wedge of lime and torn up mint leaves in a cocktail shaker – mix them up really well to let all the juices of the lime and mint mingle with the spirit. Then take a tumbler and pour the sweet liquid over ice and top with a mix of pomegranate juice and ginger beer. It’s gorgeous.
Pendant lights, Castlegate Lights.
What do you think is the next big interiors trend and why?
I think brass and gold are making some incredible headway and they warm up a space like stainless steel and chrome never could. I’m thrilled to see warm metals coming back in a big way.
This is not the gold from the 1990s: it’s softer – brushed or antiqued – and it’s just so beautiful. I’ve had it in my own home for the last four or five years and love it, but I’m sure people thought I was mad when silver was all the rage. Long may the new trend last.
I think brass and gold are making some incredible headway and they warm up a space like stainless steel and chrome never could. I’m thrilled to see warm metals coming back in a big way.
This is not the gold from the 1990s: it’s softer – brushed or antiqued – and it’s just so beautiful. I’ve had it in my own home for the last four or five years and love it, but I’m sure people thought I was mad when silver was all the rage. Long may the new trend last.
What makes you happiest at home?
Having those I love around me – my partner, my 2 cats and our puppy – and knowing the space reflects us and the way we live our lives.
What’s your next big decorating project?
We still have quite a lot of work to do in the kitchen - I want to replace the tiles, the worktop, the sink and tap and we’ve got work to do on the cellar remodel too. So there’s plenty to keep us busy into the new year!
Wallpaper, Sian Zeng.
Having those I love around me – my partner, my 2 cats and our puppy – and knowing the space reflects us and the way we live our lives.
What’s your next big decorating project?
We still have quite a lot of work to do in the kitchen - I want to replace the tiles, the worktop, the sink and tap and we’ve got work to do on the cellar remodel too. So there’s plenty to keep us busy into the new year!
Wallpaper, Sian Zeng.
What’s your proudest DIY achievement?
We’ve done so much around our home, but I think it’s the bathroom renovation I’m most proud of. We did absolutely everything ourselves – it was my design and my partner’s amazing DIY ability that created it in its entirety. I’m really proud of what we do when we work together and the bathroom is testament to that.
Tiles, Fired Earth.
We’ve done so much around our home, but I think it’s the bathroom renovation I’m most proud of. We did absolutely everything ourselves – it was my design and my partner’s amazing DIY ability that created it in its entirety. I’m really proud of what we do when we work together and the bathroom is testament to that.
Tiles, Fired Earth.
What’s your favourite spot in the house and why?
Oh, that’s so hard to say, because I love different rooms for different reasons. Can I have two favourites? I love my dressing room (which is in the boxroom – the smallest bedroom of the three) because it’s my own girlie space where I can get myself ready for the day. Everyone should have a space of their own, even if it’s just an alcove. But I also love the living room, because it’s where we relax together after a long day.
Grove Garden wallpaper, Osborne & Little at John Lewis.
Oh, that’s so hard to say, because I love different rooms for different reasons. Can I have two favourites? I love my dressing room (which is in the boxroom – the smallest bedroom of the three) because it’s my own girlie space where I can get myself ready for the day. Everyone should have a space of their own, even if it’s just an alcove. But I also love the living room, because it’s where we relax together after a long day.
Grove Garden wallpaper, Osborne & Little at John Lewis.
Do you have any pet hates?
Too-short curtains drive me mad – whether they stop at the windowsill or just above the floor, it actually makes me uncomfortable to look at them! Curtains should go all the way to the floor and if for some reason they can’t, then Roman blinds look much classier.
What do you love to do on Sunday afternoons?
Laze around in the garden on a sunny day with my other half and our fur babies and have a barbecue and a few drinks in the sunshine. Nothing better.
What’s your ideal Friday night?
I’m really going to show my age here, but it’s normally ‘movie night’ for us – cuddling up on the sofa and watching films with the candles lit and having a few drinks is perfect for me. I’m a bit of a homebody and my clubbing/party years are far behind me!
Light, Voga. Walls painted in Night Jewels, Dulux. Curtains, Anthropologie.
Too-short curtains drive me mad – whether they stop at the windowsill or just above the floor, it actually makes me uncomfortable to look at them! Curtains should go all the way to the floor and if for some reason they can’t, then Roman blinds look much classier.
What do you love to do on Sunday afternoons?
Laze around in the garden on a sunny day with my other half and our fur babies and have a barbecue and a few drinks in the sunshine. Nothing better.
What’s your ideal Friday night?
I’m really going to show my age here, but it’s normally ‘movie night’ for us – cuddling up on the sofa and watching films with the candles lit and having a few drinks is perfect for me. I’m a bit of a homebody and my clubbing/party years are far behind me!
Light, Voga. Walls painted in Night Jewels, Dulux. Curtains, Anthropologie.
What’s your key to a happy, healthy lifestyle?
Over the past six months I’ve adopted a mostly paleo diet and, aside from the natural sugars in fruit and the odd bite of Green & Black’s chocolate, I very rarely eat any unnatural or processed sugars. It’s the best thing I could have ever done for my body and I feel so much better without it.
I also think it’s important to spend time outdoors on a daily basis – even if it’s just a gentle walk into town. Your body needs to be outdoors and reconnect to nature. It’s just good for the mind, body and spirit.
Bedside table, Ikea hack.
Over the past six months I’ve adopted a mostly paleo diet and, aside from the natural sugars in fruit and the odd bite of Green & Black’s chocolate, I very rarely eat any unnatural or processed sugars. It’s the best thing I could have ever done for my body and I feel so much better without it.
I also think it’s important to spend time outdoors on a daily basis – even if it’s just a gentle walk into town. Your body needs to be outdoors and reconnect to nature. It’s just good for the mind, body and spirit.
Bedside table, Ikea hack.
Visit Kimberly Duran’s blog at www.swoonworthy.co.uk
COMMENT TO WIN
All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is post a comment below on what you love about Kimberly Duran’s home. A random drawing from all comments that were submitted in the contest period and approved by Houzz UK Ltd will determine that month’s prize winner. Approved comments will be included in the draw automatically. The prize winner will receive 3 brass and glass tumblers from Rockett St George. View the full competition T&Cs here.
For your chance to win, comment on this interview by 23.59, 25th September. *This competition has now closed.*
UK interiors blogger? Talk to us! If you’d like to submit your home for this series, please send details to ukeditor@houzz.com.
COMMENT TO WIN
All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is post a comment below on what you love about Kimberly Duran’s home. A random drawing from all comments that were submitted in the contest period and approved by Houzz UK Ltd will determine that month’s prize winner. Approved comments will be included in the draw automatically. The prize winner will receive 3 brass and glass tumblers from Rockett St George. View the full competition T&Cs here.
For your chance to win, comment on this interview by 23.59, 25th September. *This competition has now closed.*
UK interiors blogger? Talk to us! If you’d like to submit your home for this series, please send details to ukeditor@houzz.com.
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Who lives here Kimberly Duran
Blog Swoon Worthy
Property An Edwardian semi built in 1906
Size 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
Location Manchester