Emma McAllister, 35, of Washington, Tyne and Wear, has loved zebras since she can remember.
In fact, the pediatric nurse is such a huge fan of the animal that when she got stuck in protection during the Covid lockdowns, she decided to decorate her home in their honor.
While confined to her three-bedroom semi-detached townhouse, which she bought in 2020 for £207,000, Emma began to fill her time with interior design.
“I found myself bored, and to pass the time I started decorating my house from the blank canvas,” said Emma.
I experimented with bright colors and patterns to make my home a happy place during a terrible time.
“I’ve always loved zebras and found so many different home interiors in this style, so I decided to use them throughout my house.”
It all started when Emma came across a large zebra art print two years ago.
She said, “I loved it every time I walked into the room and it made me want to buy more zebra stuff—which I did.
Emma – who lives with three children Noah, 11, Zach, 8, Felix, 7 and Labrador Monty – has spent £8,000 redecorating her home to the zebra theme, saying it took about six months to complete.
“My bedroom is the largest room and it covers the upper floor since the house is three floors,” she said.
I always like to relax in the bathroom and having previously stayed in hotels that have bathrooms in the bedrooms, I decided to add a bathroom in my room.
I got a plumber to come in and do the plumbing and carpentry for the box on all the piping work. This was the most expensive thing I added in my house, and I also covered the walls.
Then a faux chimney chest and a fire were added to the living room, along with a rug and a zebra-print vase to keep things cohesive.
The house is also painted black and white, with zebra-like stripes at the stairs and black and white brick walls. Even Emma’s sheets carry the monochromatic pattern.
And while Emma loves zebra decor, she says not everyone is too enthusiastic.
“My home’s reactions vary, and it doesn’t suit everyone’s tastes,” she said.
The kind of feedback I get can sometimes be very negative. For example, someone said, “Your house is going to give me a headache.”
I’ve had some lovely comments, like people saying they never thought these colors and patterns would work but I did a great job.
Even kids are used to the unique interior designs, Emma said: ‘My kids weren’t keen on zebra print at first but now they really like it and always point out zebra things if they see it
“I change the house frequently and redecorate as well because I really enjoy doing it.”
As for Emma’s future plans – she hopes to one day meet her inspiration.
“I’ve never met a zebra, but my dream is to go on a safari and see them in real life,” she said.
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