Interior design ideas: A whiter shade of pale - in pictures

Ingrid and Vidar Aune Westrum, both 31, were teenage sweethearts in the sleepy coastal area of Sandefjord, before moving north to Oslo. On a visit home, they spotted this wood-panelled house for sale and knew they had to have it. Painting the wooden floors and walls white provided the perfect canvas for their colourful accessories. In the dining room, dated plastic flooring, MDF and thick wallpaper were stripped back to reveal the wood panels underneath. The dining chairs are flea market finds, Ikea and designer – find the Tolix chairs at SCP. The window seat doubles as storage – Future & Found stocks similar cushions. The table is from Ikea, sanded and painted. For a similar black light, try Ikea's Foto pendant in dark grey. → Photograph: Marianne Wie

In the living room, a plain Ikea sofa is cheered up with cushions from OYOY, H&M Home and Tas-Ka, as well as homemade ones. Ikea sells cow hide rugs, and the multicoloured baubles by the window are by Happy Lights. → Photograph: Marianne Wie

The cupboard door in the hallway is painted with blackboard paint, and the chest in pastel gloss paint (for similar, try Farrow & Ball's Full Gloss). The pendant light picks out the black of the elegant banister. A twisted stick in a vase is an effective makeshift hat stand. → Photograph: Marianne Wie

Shots of neon and pastels work brilliantly against an all-white background. Ingrid’s mind never stops ticking over with new ideas – she says she’s overdosed on flowery patterns and plans to ‘roughen things up with raw wood’ – but for now the pair are still experimenting with colour and pattern. → Photograph: Marianne Wie

Reclaimed doors were sanded down to retain their shabbiness; an antique stove, although not working, gives a cosy feel. → Photograph: Marianne Wie

'If you have the money,' Ingrid says, 'you can buy a perfect house full of designer things – but that’s not really a home, is it?' The pair started blogging about the renovation to keep their Oslo friends updated, but were soon getting hits from all over the world. Ingrid has also started selling some of her favourite products online, as well as at a design shop in the neighbouring town of Tønsberg. → Photograph: Marianne Wie

Acquiring basic items of furniture from flea markets, Ikea or as hand-me-downs, Ingrid customised them with paint and wallpaper, sewed cushion covers from vintage fabrics and upholstered their headboard. → Photograph: Marianne Wie

Called Fjeldborg (which means Mountain Castle in Norwegian), the three-bedroom house was built in 1925 and is just five minutes' walk from the sea. It is, Ingrid and Vidar say, still a work in progress – they are currently creating a decking area and summerhouse. Photograph: Marianne Wie