Case Study: Transforming a 5-Bedroom Home in Goff’s Oak
- Robert Paul
- Mar 12
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 19
From Vision to Reality: A Conversation with Zoe on Transforming Their Family Home
When Zoe and her family moved into their home, they had a clear intention: this was a five-year space, a home for their children’s schooling years before they moved on. They didn’t want to embark on a full-scale renovation, but they did want to refresh the house—bringing in a sense of calm, cohesion, and subtle sophistication.
I sat down with Zoe to reflect on the experience, from our initial workshop to the final result, exploring how colour, light, and materials transformed their home.
The Beginning: A New Way of Seeing the Space
Robert: Let’s start at the beginning. When we had our initial workshop, how did that shape the way you saw your home?
Zoe: I went into it thinking we’d just be picking some colours, but I came out of it looking at our home completely differently. I hadn’t realised how much light affected the way colour feels in a space. You helped me see how a colour isn’t just a colour—it changes, shifts, and adapts depending on what’s around it. That was a game-changer for me.
Robert: Beyond light, did the process change how you felt about colour emotionally?
Zoe: Yes! I never really thought about why I was drawn to certain colours before. But through our discussions, I realised that it wasn’t just about aesthetics—it was about what felt right for us as a family. There were colours I instinctively loved, and others I disliked without knowing why. By understanding that, we were able to create a palette that truly worked for us.
Setting the Mood: A House of Subtle Greys
For this home, grey became the foundation, but not in a way that felt cold or lifeless. The challenge was to create depth, warmth, and variation while maintaining an effortless flow from room to room.
Robert: What made you feel drawn to the grey palette?
Zoe: I wanted something neutral but not boring. Something timeless. But I also didn’t want every room to feel the same. What I loved was how you showed me that greys could be soft, warm, cool, deep, and airy—all within the same home. The combination of the Slate Family from Paint Library and the French Grey Family from Little Greene gave us such a beautiful range to work with.
Robert: And what about the placement of colour?
Zoe: That was one of my favourite parts! It wasn’t just about choosing a wall colour—it was about the whole room. Sometimes we double-drenched a space, wrapping the walls and ceiling in the same tone for a cocooning effect. Other times, we used a soft white on the ceiling to create contrast and lift the space. I had no idea how much of a difference that would make! I also learned that white isn’t just white—it can completely change a scheme. And I definitely know now that I’ll never use brilliant white again!
The entrance hall and staircase set the tone for the rest of the home, creating a seamless transition between spaces.The staircase, painted in a soft grey-green, subtly plays with natural light, appearing cooler in the morning and warmer in the evening. It was a key moment in the process—helping Zoe see how paint choices could shape mood and perception.
Zoe: What really made everything click for me was realising how artistic this whole process is. The way you placed the colours—it wasn’t just technical, it felt intuitive. It made me feel like I was working with an artist, not just a colour consultant, and that made all the difference.
After
Beyond Paint: A Whole-Home Approach
This wasn’t just about walls. I worked with Zoe and her family on everything from paint to carpets, flooring, and soft furnishings.
Robert: How did you feel about incorporating carpets, flooring, and furnishings into the process?
Zoe: Honestly, I hadn’t even thought about how much that mattered. The carpets and flooring, for example—I didn’t realise how much they could impact the warmth and feel of a room. The choices we made just made everything feel more cohesive. I think if I had chosen everything separately, it wouldn’t have felt as put together.
One of the most striking transformations was how the flooring worked with the colours in the entrance hall and the adult living room (dining room). The subtle tones of the Slate Family and French Grey Family blended effortlessly with the flooring, creating a natural flow between spaces. This element tied the whole scheme together in a way that felt almost magical—softening transitions and enhancing the calm, cohesive atmosphere throughout the home.
One of the most striking transformations was Bedroom 5 (the attic bedroom). The original exposed wood beams gave it a rustic feel, but the space was craving a fresh, modern update. By painting the beams in a soft grey and choosing light flooring and furnishings, the entire space opened up—transforming it into a tranquil, airy retreat.
The Power of Light: How Colour Transforms
Throughout the house, lighting played a crucial role in how the grey tones were experienced.
Bedroom 1 embraces natural light, making the soft greys feel light and expansive.
The Dining Room (Adult Living Room), with its deeper grey tones, feels grounded, intimate, and sophisticated.
The entrance hall and staircase shift throughout the day, creating constant movement within the space.
Robert: Do you have a favourite room now?
Zoe: I love the way our bedroom feels in the morning. It’s just so peaceful. But I also love the entrance hall because it’s the first thing I see when I come home, and it feels so much more welcoming now.
After
Final Thoughts: A Home That Feels Like Theirs
Looking back, Zoe described the process as something far more impactful than she expected.
Zoe: I thought we were just going to be choosing some colours. I didn’t realise how much thought went into everything and how much it would change how I feel in my own home. The house doesn’t just look better—it feels better.
For me, this project was about more than just grey paint—it was about creating a space that reflected Zoe and her family’s lifestyle, needs, and emotions. It was about making a temporary house feel like a home, even if only for a few years.
Location Availability
Based in Cambridge, I provide Colour Consultancy services in Cambridgeshire and surrounding areas such as Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk. I also cover East London, North London, and West London, offering tailored guidance to suit your space and vision.
I am also available for nationwide and international projects, depending on agreed terms and scheduling. No matter where you’re located, my goal is to help you create a space that feels right for you.
By Robert Paul