Customer Style Focus: Rhys’ Rustic Chill Out Zone

Rhys won our Deck the Halls ‘before and after’ competition with his stunning rustic transformation of an old annex! I interviewed him about the project…

Above: Rhys created a half Hygge, half man cave look, using Antique Vintage Wood Effect Tiles on the back wall, and Barn Tiles around the fireplace.

How would you describe your room before you decorated it, and what made you decide to decorate?

The room used to be an old annex that was pretty much falling down around us and was used only for storage space as it had a lot of damp in it, so we decided to transform it into a garden / cinema room. It’s a room looking out into the garden therefore we wanted it to fit into the surroundings but also blend into the rest of the house without looking out of place

Above: The annex before the transformation.

When it came to decorating, where did you take your inspiration from?

We have always been interested in the American style of decoration, and the rustic style they have but were especially influenced and inspired by Route 66, and tried to mix this up with modern tiles and put a bit of a twist to it all. We then found the tiles on your site and fell in love as they were exactly what we were looking for, modern and rustic, and very high quality.

Did you choose your décor / colour scheme around your choice of tiles, or did you choose tiles to fit in with a scheme you’d already chosen?

When we started the project we had an idea of the type of style we wanted but after ordering a few samples from your site it was then a case of going ahead with planning the décor and colour schemes around the tiles themselves. To be honest I did have some pointers from my partner as I’m colour blind but overall I feel we managed to get everything right between us. I was amazed at how nice the tiles themselves were and the quality gives the room a nice feel.

What drew you to the tiles you chose?

After looking and pondering for a long time the quality of the tiles themselves is what made us choose, and looking back it’s the best decision we made to the room. I initially thought it may give the room a cold feeling but in the end it’s the complete opposite as the room feels very warm and cosy. I have another room in the house, where I have a feature wall which is wallpapered to look like drift wood and the difference between this and actually tiling a wall is unbelievable. The quality shines through when walls are tiled.

Above: The exterior of the annex after the glass doors were added.

Did you do the tiling work yourself, or did you hire a tiler?

I didn’t do the tiling myself, but my partner’s uncle was at hand to carry out the work, who’s in the trade and what a great job he did, the finish is excellent. He also commented on the high quality of the tiles as they do look fantastic once up.

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What part of the project did you find the most challenging?

To me wiring the surround sound / projector / TV was the hardest part as I wanted all the wires concealed without anything on show. It worked out in the end but if I was to do this again in the future I would definitely ensure that I wire more spare cables in! I was also amazed at how much measuring and planning is needed on a project like this, Looking back on the project now gives me a great sense of achievement

What’s your favourite accessory in the room, now that it’s finished, and where did you find it?

My favourite accessory has to be the projector screen which is hidden within the ceiling. We got this from Sapphire Projector screens online and was a bargain considering it’s size and quality. It gives the room multifunction, as we can watch tv with the log burner on a summers evening but can also chill out with a movie in the winter.

Have you had any compliments on your rustic project, from your family and friends?

We have had many compliments from family and friends, as well as the air conditioning man who posted some photos of the room on his Facebook page! When you do get compliments all the restless nights of measurements and fittings rolling around in your head make it all worth while.

Do you have any more decorating projects lined up around the house?

Nothing at the moment but will be looking at possibly doing a bedroom in the near future. Going to enjoy the finished project for a while.

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Do you have a New Year’s Resolution for your home?

My New Year’s Resolution to our home is the same every year, to keep it maintained to a high standard and fix all the jobs that are required regardless of how small they seem.

What would you say to people who are thinking about buying tiles from Walls and Floors?

I would say definitely do it, having looked for tiles for this project for some time, no one else came close to the quality and choice of styles on offer by you.

There you have it! We hope you love Rhys’ rustic transformation as much as we do! For more interviews with our customers about their fantastic tiling transformations, visit our Customer Style Focus section.