Woes to Wise

How we transformed two tricky rooms with a little help from Hillarys

If you’ve ever tried to DIY your way through window dressing, especially in a bay window, you’ll know it’s not for the faint-hearted. After two failed attempts at putting up curtain rails ourselves, we finally admitted defeat. And honestly? It was the best decision we’ve made. With two young children and a home that’s been a labour of love (and dust) for years, we were ready to hand over the reins, at least for this part of the project. Enter Hillarys.

From forgotten to finished, our living room story

Our living room sits at the front of a large L-shaped open-plan space, with the kitchen and dining area flowing out into the garden. We poured our energy into the extension - new kitchen, bifold doors, the works, but the living room? It got left behind. Old curtains, peeling frosted cling film for privacy, and a general sense of “we’ll get to it eventually”.

We wanted to bring it up to the same standard as the rest of the house. Something that felt intentional. Grown-up. A little bit luxe. Think boutique hotel, but still family-friendly.

Why Hillarys?

We tried the DIY route. Twice. And both times, the results were… let’s just say “characterful.” Bay windows are notoriously tricky, and while I love sewing, dragging heavy curtain fabric through a machine is not my idea of fun. Add in two kids and zero spare time, and the decision was easy. Hillarys offered us not just expertise, but time back to spend as a family, and that’s priceless.

“My daughter walked in and gasped, ‘It looks like a hotel!’ Even my dad, who’s not easily impressed, commented on the quality.”
Rumana Dawood

A nursery that works as hard as we do

The nursery was a different kind of challenge. It’s our box room, and during the loft conversion, one of the walls had to move to make space for the new staircase. That left us with a cot pushed up against the window wall, and no way to reach any curtains or blinds.

We needed a solution that was practical, safe, and stylish. Something that could block out light for naps, but still feel soft and welcoming.

The Hillarys solution

Our advisor immediately understood the challenge. We went for an electric blackout blind, controlled by a wall switch and paired with sheer voiles to soften the space. I’ll admit, I was sceptical about Roman blinds at first (I’d always thought of them as a bit old-fashioned), but these are sleek, modern, and beautifully made.

Now, the blind is part of our baby’s bedtime routine. When it goes down, she knows it’s time to wind down too.

"It’s like a party trick—people always admire the blind and then get confused trying to find the cord. Watching their faces when I hit the switch never gets old!"
Rumana Dawood

What we’ve learned

Let the experts help. Our advisor and fitter brought ideas and solutions we’d never have thought of.
Don’t rush the fabric choice. I wanted something interesting but timeless. Taking the time to find the right one paid off.
Function can be beautiful. The nursery blind is practical, but it’s also one of my favourite features in the room.

Would we do it again?

Absolutely. In fact, we’re already eyeing up the next room. Working with Hillarys has been a breath of fresh air. From measuring to fitting, they took care of everything and gave us the motivation to focus on the parts of home renovation we actually enjoy.

It’s given our home an instant facelift. It finally feels like our home, not a halfway-there project, and we’re so pleased to finally have gone from woe to wise!

Buying a home with a friend: how we made it work, and made it ours
Luke Catleugh is currently renovating his first home, with a little bit of a twist, having bought it with a friend. Read on to find out more about Luke’s house journey so far.
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