I think of myself as anti-trend but the 'look-through' decorating trick I keep seeing on Instagram really works

Bedroom with blue and white striped wall, red woodwork and red striped cushions on the bed.

Home decorator Lara Winter is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on revamping a 200 year old cottage to make it right for modern family life. See the rest of her articles here.

Look, I’ll admit it: I’ve said before that I don’t really do trends. I like homes that feel personal, not like they’ve been copy-pasted from Pinterest. I don’t believe in design “rules” either. But as with all good rules, there’s always an exception.