It’s time to put the ‘open’ sign back up on The Old Curiosity Shop, and boy have I got some treasures for you today! There is the most beautiful writing desk, jugglers pins, the prettiest painted porcelain egg, gorgeous 1950s chairs, one of the most beautiful mirrors I’ve ever seen, some fabulous garden planters and a whole lot more all from independent sellers.

I thoroughly enjoy myself doing these posts. It’s been a real tonic this weekend. If you’d like to see the others I’ve done, then you can find them under the vintage tab on my homepage.

I can’t think of many other things that are as much fun as rummaging around in a thrift store or antique market. The idea of this little online shop started back in summer last year, and what better name than The Old Curiosity Shop? It’s no secret that I would much rather buy something old than new when it comes to styling my home and garden. There’s so much more character and soul in well-made historical pieces.

Today’s post is not a long read at all, but there are many photos, so you can see all the delights up close.

Candle Guide 2027

Just before we dive in to all the goodies below, I’ve just started collating and testing the next selection of candles for my annual guide. It takes forever to do, which is why I start in August, but the guide won’t be out until November.

This year I thought I’d ask you guys if there’s any particular fragrances or brands you like me to try before you buy? I test each and every one individually for quality of burn, eco credentials, fragrance throw, percentage of pooling, the lot. So hit me up with suggestions and I’ll see what I can do. For now though, here’s the 2026 guide:

Thank you all for the kindness on my last post. It means a great deal to me. Welcome to rather a lot of new members too. The builder didn’t come on Thursday and Friday, but we’ve been assured it will be tomorrow. No news on the frames and glass yet.

Right, come on, let’s have a rummage.

Oh my days I want these 1950s French Workshop Drawers. Look at the colour! There are 54 drawers in total, imagine the fun you could have. Dimensions: 242cm(w) x 41cm(l) x 135cm(h). Drawer dimensions: L32 W22 H17 - £2,200.

Can you tell I have a bit of thing at the moment for sea-foam green? This Chipped painted drawer unit is so cute. Two very sweet drawers, would look great in a kitchen, or as storage in a bathroom. Dimensions: 90.5 x 29.5 x 60 cm. £320 including postage.

Who doesn’t need a good pair of pins in their life? These 19th century English jugglers pins would look great on a sideboard or mantle, placed together, not either end, and at £135 for the pair, it’s a bargain.

Absolutely stunning antique glass dome with real butterflies inside - 485 euro. Some people have a bit of an aversion to dead things, I don’t really like anything stuffed, but these are so delicate. Dimensions: L 40cm, D 23cm, H 55cm.

This Rustic Wooden Ladder would be perfect for hanging towels, displaying ties and scarves, or just as a standalone piece. 170cm x 62cm. £190.

You know you want it. An antique hand painted Chinese porcelain egg can be yours for just £20.

These French metal candle holders date back to the Art Deco period. They have elegant metal flared cups and weighted marble bases. Size 24cm x 12cm - £165 for the pair.

I love the curved arms on these 1950’s Jaroslav Šmídek Original Armchairs in original tufted forest jacquard. They’ve been steam cleaned and the arms have been given a polish. £345 each. Seat Height: 43cm.

This darling little antique French wooden wind-up music box can be yours for just £34.

I’m looking at a lot of things for the new kitchen at the moment. I spied this Oak plate rack, but it won’t work with my design. You have it. £125.

I only ever buy preloved front door furniture, I love the patina and quality of older pieces and definitely don’t want them all polished up to look like new. This is a gem of a brass door Knocker with its very regal lion head face. £150.

As I say, I’m very busy looking at door furniture right now. This Banham Brass Door Hardware Set is a bargain at only £60.

You may as well get the door bell as well - £47.50.

A beautifully weathered vintage French heavy iron folding shelving rack. Would look great used for storing crockery, or even in the garden as a plant theatre. Height 181cm. Width 122cm. Depth 35cm. £495.

A very nice European rustic chopping/dough-making board - £95 each.

You know I love my antique coral. This is a rather rare large piece of vintage mushroom coral and £23.58 is practically free.

These old weathered garden urns are a bargain at £255 for the pair.

A very lovely example of sea fan coral mounted on a stand. 187 euro.

These original antique Chinese woven bamboo rice baskets are supposed to be around 100 years old. Height 36-38cm. Width 32-34cm. Depth 30-32cm - £115.

I nearly didn’t add this in today as I really love it. A mid-century completely refurbished teak writing desk. L 138cm H 177.5cm D 77cm. £495.

An early 20thC French gilt trumeau mirror with an original oil painting above. Isn’t it divine? Height 148cm. Width 69cm. Depth 5cm. £595.

Love the patina on these little antique opera glasses - £25.

Always wanted one of these sets. An Antique croquet set for six players - £260.

An oil painting by E.J Bladen 1887. It seems to be a copy of this American School 19th century painting, but I think I prefer the copy. What about you? £187.90.

Our Friday Get Together is back on 4th September at 5.30pm

I’ll be back with another post on Thursday, but on Friday do come and join us at 5.30pm UK time for our Post It and Smile get together on the private chat. It’s the complete opposite of Read It and Weep. I post a photo of something that made me happy during the week and then everyone else joins in, great fun.

Thank you all so much for all your support. Do leave a heart 🩷, a restack 🔄 and a comment 💬 if you have a moment.

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In 28 years of renovating and restoring period homes I’ve dealt with almost every possible problem that could arise. As soon as you start taking a building to pieces and working with strangers you’re going to uncover unpleasant surprises, it comes with the territory. If you become a serial renovator like me, then you soon get used to it and take it in your stride.

Sometimes the issues are with trades, others it’s the fabric of the building. There was the time our main contractor seemed to lose his mind and then ran off with our money half way through the job, the home where my husband had a huge argument with the building inspector, who subsequently had a heart attack and died half an hour later buying a sandwich from Sainsbury’s, and let’s not forget the one where the entire roof was made of asbestos, or the house that had an underground watercourse not listed in the sales particulars. Oh, and of course, I have to mention the time the builder drilled through to the little girl next door’s bedroom and missed her head by inches. That was a fun one.

In so many ways our latest project at the barn has gone extremely well. We have an absolutely superb team of trades that we trust, all experts in their field, all know each other and get on well, and their finish is exceptional. We are very lucky. It’s been a happy place to be, and gradually seeing the craftsmanship unfold from the perfectly-angled roof trusses and gables to the beautiful reclaimed slate roof. Even the copper plumbing is neat as a pin, and really quite pretty.

Up until last week, all the issues this time have been with either the planning department or the building. We’ve had rotten beams, undulating wonky roof trusses, slates in two different sizes which are no longer made, floors supported by nothing, the dodgiest of electrics, and a conservation officer I would quite happily do away with. Have I missed anything?

In every case I’ve dealt with the problem head on, found a solution with the help of our trusty trades, particularly Steve and Jamie Horncastle, our carpenters. They have been a godsend. Pretty much, we’ve all carried on smiling, kept calm and got on with the job. But, then last week happened and I lost the plot, couldn’t write, and went very quiet. Here’s why…

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His work has appeared in publications including Gardens Illustrated, House & Garden, Homes & Gardens, The English Garden, The Times, The Telegraph and The Guardian, and he has spoken at international conferences all over the world. He’s created show gardens at RHS Chelsea, as well as Hampton Court.

Away from work, Nic divides his time between his own home and Peter’s (his partner) cottage in West Sussex. His life revolves around gardens, three Basset Fauve de Bretagne: Otis, Henry and Rubus, and interiors, antiques, travel, entertaining, Peter’s five-star event horse and an increasingly serious addiction to pickleball.

I first discovered Nic’s stunning gardens on Instagram. I think we followed each other pretty soon after I joined in 2018 and became virtual friends. At the time we only lived a few miles away from each other, but with busy lives, it wasn’t until the summer of 2024 that we actually met. He had designed one of the most unusual, captivatingly beautiful show gardens I’ve ever seen for the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.

Since then, he’s been to our house and helped with my garden design, and I’ve visited his home on one of his National Garden Scheme open days. I can confirm his garden is exquisite. That’s when it occurred to me he had to be one of my guests for this interview series. I’m so very pleased he said yes.

How long have you lived in your current home? Tell us about its history and did you love it the moment you set eyes upon it?

I’ve lived here for fifteen years. It was a complete surprise move. Just before Christmas my mum and I were out shopping. She popped into the bank while I was waiting outside an estate agent’s. I happened to glance in the window and saw this little Edwardian cottage. It was only about three miles from the house I was living in at the time, but it was completely off my radar. I never really drove that way, so I’d never even noticed it before, despite the fact that one of my clients actually lived next door.

I went into the estate agent and asked about it. They said the property was vacant and suggested I wander around the outside, then give them a call if I wanted to see inside.

On the way home from Christmas shopping Mum and I stopped off. The moment I saw it I absolutely loved it. It needed a huge amount of work, but there was something incredibly enchanting about it. It was a detached Edwardian cottage with lovely proportions and real character. I rang the agent, viewed the inside and that was it really.

Has it changed much from when you bought it?

Oh my goodness, yes. It’s changed beyond recognition. When I’d exchanged contracts I brought a few friends round to see it, and I think every single one of them thought I was absolutely insane.

It was filthy, incredibly dated and very, very tired. There was furniture everywhere, grimy curtains, worn carpets – it really wasn’t in a good way. It had been lived in by an elderly lady and her son, who was a double amputee. He was fiercely independent and wouldn’t accept any help, so sadly the house had simply fallen into quite a poor state.

My philosophy was simple: if I couldn’t clean it, I painted it. I cleaned the kitchen because that was all I could do, but everything else got painted. Floors, walls, ceilings… I often joke that I simply painted the dirt in. It was very much a case of making it liveable until I could tackle it properly.

About a year later I obtained planning permission for two small extensions. I worked with an architect, moved out and spent the next eleven months completely rebuilding the place.

It had a new roof, new windows, new floors, new electrics and new plumbing. We raised the kitchen ceiling, knocked through little hallways and lobbies and opened the whole house up. It was one of those houses with lots of little poky spaces that just didn’t make sense, so we completely reworked the layout.

The garden developed alongside the house over the following few years. I redesigned the driveway, built my detached garden office and gradually transformed every outdoor space.

Five years after I bought my cottage, my mum ended up buying the house next door. That became another huge renovation project. She thought she was buying somewhere that just needed decorating, but in reality it ended up having a new roof, the downstairs completely reconfigured, the kitchen moved and pretty much everything else renewed.

Sadly Mum passed away last August, but we had eleven wonderful years living next door to each other. Looking back now, it’s a lovely story really. Two tired cottages, side by side, both completely transformed.

Do you live there with your partner?

I’ve been with Peter for ten years and he’s absolutely my soulmate. The slightly unusual thing is that we don’t actually live together.

He has a beautiful little cottage in Amberley, West Sussex. He’s a lawyer working for an American company, I’m running a garden design practice, so we’re both incredibly busy. We spend every weekend together and FaceTime every evening.

People often ask whether we ought to live together, but honestly it works brilliantly as it is. The time we spend together feels really special because it’s never swallowed up by the monotony of everyday life. We really value our weekends together and, after ten years, it still feels fresh.

Describe your interior style in one sentence.

That’s a difficult one! I’d probably describe it as relaxed country style with antiques, contemporary twists and lots of mirrors. Classic, comfortable and easy to live with.

Does your interior style differ from your professional garden design style?

Not really. The biggest difference is that designing for yourself is actually much harder than designing for clients.

When it’s your own home you’re living with every decision every single day, so you’re constantly questioning yourself. I’m actually quite decisive, and I do make decisions fairly quickly, perhaps a little impulsively sometimes, but I also like things done properly. I’d always rather wait until I can afford the right materials than compromise. That’s very much how I work with gardens too.

My style, both inside and out, is relaxed, classic and comfortable. Nothing too fashionable. Nothing too contrived. If I lived in a huge rambling country house there would definitely be muddy boots in the hallway and dogs asleep on every sofa. I happen to live in a little Edwardian cottage, so life has to be a little tidier than that, but I still have three dogs on the furniture. A house should be easy to live in.

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How much of the way you feel about home is influenced by your childhood?

Quite a lot, actually. I was very fortunate to grow up in a lovely country house with a couple of acres, a swimming pool and a tennis court.

I was incredibly close to my mum, but I think my parents’ marriage probably wasn’t the happiest and, because the house was quite large, it could sometimes feel a little empty. My bedroom became my sanctuary.

I’ve always loved interiors and, even then, I remember having lovely bedding, lamps and creating a room that felt warm and comfortable. Lighting has fascinated me for as long as I can remember. My dad was forever walking past my bedroom turning lights off.

He’d always say, “Wait until you’re paying the electricity bill.”

Well, I do pay the electricity bill now, and I’ve gone completely the opposite way. Most of the lights in my house are on timers or remote controls. Even when I’m away on holiday the lamps come on throughout the house and garden. I simply love walking into a house where every room glows. Dark rooms make me feel slightly miserable.

Growing up, there were parts of our family home that we hardly ever used. We’d open the door before Christmas and discover presents we’d forgotten about from the year before. I never wanted my own home to feel like that. Every room in this house gets used. I think that’s one of the reasons I love it so much.

Your mother lived next door. What was that like?

It was one of the best decisions either of us ever made. The thing that made it work so well was that Mum was never intrusive. She would never just let herself into my house. Even if I was away and asked her to check something she’d say, “Oh, I hate going into your house when you’re not there.” She respected my privacy completely.

I know living next door to your parents wouldn’t suit everyone, but for us it was absolutely perfect. Looking back, they’re some of the happiest years of my life.

Tell us about your garden from when you bought it to how it is today.

The garden is completely different now. It’s still quite a small plot, but I think that’s one of the things that makes it interesting. When I bought it there was a gravel drive, a bit of lawn, an old greenhouse and a rather shabby garage.

Today it’s enclosed behind high fencing and gates with a brick driveway that doubles as a practical working space. My detached five-room garden office sits within the front garden and it all works together beautifully.

At the back there’s a triangular courtyard enclosed by a wonderful Victorian brick wall. That wall was one of the things I fell in love with straight away. When I moved in it felt gloomy and neglected, so I built new sections of wall to enclose the courtyard properly, repaved it and filled it with planting. There’s now a water feature, layered borders and interesting planting in every single corner.

The garden featured on BBC Gardeners’ World back in 2023, which was a real thrill, and now both my garden and my late mum’s garden open together for the National Garden Scheme. Although they’re two completely separate properties, they link beautifully and it’s a lovely journey walking through them. Every corner has been considered. That’s something I’m really proud of.

What is your favourite place in your home?

Without doubt, the kitchen. I spend most of my time there. It’s a large open-plan room with a generous island, a double-sided wood burner and, on the other side of the fire, a really cosy seating area with a sofa and a very comfortable chair.

It’s funny really because my only disappointment with the room is that it’s actually quite dark. We blocked up two windows during the renovation and added a roof-light and glazed panel, but it still needs the lights on during the day. Even so, I absolutely love it. It’s always cool during the summer, wonderfully cosy in winter and it’s very much the heart of the house.

What are your five must-have plants?

That is such a difficult question.

If I look out into the garden today, the first plant I’d choose is Heptacodium miconioides, the Seven-son Flower Tree. Ours is actually in my mum’s garden and it’s absolutely magnificent. It has beautiful peeling bark, elegant leaves and, in late summer, it’s covered in creamy white flowers that the bees absolutely adore. At this time of year it’s literally buzzing with life.

Next would be Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’. I have them outside my front door and, although they cause me endless worry because summer rain often flattens them, this year they’ve been spectacular. Every time I come home they make me smile.

I’d also have Parrotia persica, the Persian Ironwood. I planted five of them when I first exchanged contracts on the house, so they’ve now been with me for fifteen years. They’re incredibly resilient, especially in a heatwave, thrive on my heavy soil and the autumn colour is simply extraordinary.

Then there’s Euphorbia × pasteurii ‘John Phillips’, which absolutely dominates my little courtyard. It’s huge for the space, but I adore it. In late spring it smells of honey and those vibrant lime-green flowers make the whole courtyard glow.

Finally, I’d choose Prunus × subhirtella ‘Autumnalis Rosea Plena’, the winter-flowering cherry. Every morning I look out of my bedroom window and see it.

The leaves colour beautifully in autumn and, almost as soon as they’ve fallen, the delicate double pink flowers begin appearing. It flowers right through until spring and gives me an enormous lift during the darkest months of the year.

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Do you have a garden style you really can’t stand?

Yes. I love gardens that feel as though they belong where they are. What I really dislike is forcing a style onto somewhere simply because it’s fashionable. For example, a very Japanese-inspired gravel garden in the middle of a suburban housing estate just feels completely out of place to me.

White gravel is probably my biggest pet hate. In fact, it’s become a bit of a client filter over the years. If someone fills in our questionnaire and tells me they love white gravel, I immediately think we may not be the right fit for one another!

I don’t like gardens that feel too clinical or too manicured. I want gardens to have soul. I love romantic, softly contemporary planting. Gardens that move, that buzz with insects, that evolve through the seasons.

One of my biggest influences is Jiny Blom. Her work always feels rooted in its surroundings and incredibly natural.

Other than partners and pets, if you could only save one thing from your house in a fire, what would it be?

That’s a really difficult question. I think it would probably be a print by the artist Bambi, who’s often described as the female Banksy. It’s a wonderful image of Queen Elizabeth II riding a motorbike with a corgi and a Fortnum & Mason hamper.

I bought it from my hairdresser Ben, who sadly passed away a couple of years ago. He was great friends with Bambi and always told me one day it would probably be worth a fortune. I honestly don’t know what it’s worth, and that’s not really why I’d save it. It’s near my front door and every single time I see it, I think of Ben. That’s what makes it priceless.

Tell us about your career as a garden designer. Is it something you’ve always wanted to do?

Pretty much, yes. I dragged myself through my A Levels if I’m being honest, then took a gap year before going to Writtle College to study for an honours degree in Landscape and Garden Design.

I’ve always had a good eye for design, proportion and style, and suddenly I was surrounded by people talking about gardens all day. It never really felt like work.

After graduating I worked for another garden designer, Fiona Lawrenson, for about ten months before taking the plunge and setting up on my own. That was twenty-six years ago. I’ve been self-employed ever since.

I’ve designed show gardens, won awards, worked on some incredible private gardens and met wonderful clients. These days we’re fortunate enough to work on beautiful domestic gardens for clients who genuinely value good design. They’re what I call “people like us.” They understand what we do, they trust us and, generally speaking, we all enjoy working together. That’s a lovely place to get to.

You designed some beautiful show gardens. Would you ever do another one?

Firstly, thank you. I’ve been involved with flower shows in one way or another since around 2000. In the early days I was mainly brought in for planting design and worked on gardens for organisations like the RSPB, Daihatsu and the BBC. Our last major show garden was the David Harber and Savills garden at RHS Chelsea in 2018. It’s lovely because people still talk about that garden years later.

Would I do another one? Never say never.

The bit I struggle with is the politics. I don’t always think judging is particularly fair and I don’t think gardens with hugely different budgets can ever be judged equally. Some sponsors might spend over a million pounds while others have a fraction of that. You’re never starting from a level playing field.

What I genuinely love these days is designing gardens that have to work in real life. They’re not there to look fabulous for one week. They’re there to bring joy for decades. That’s much more rewarding.

If your home was on a scale of one to ten, from neat freak to total disaster, where would it sit?

Probably a five. I’ve lived with a proper neat freak before and honestly it was exhausting. I’m naturally quite tidy but I also have ADHD, luckily in combination with a bit of OCD, so I have organised piles everywhere.

Everything inside my cupboards and drawers is beautifully organised. Then you’ll find a suitcase that’s been standing in the hallway for a month because, somehow, it’s quietly become another piece of furniture.

The house is always clean. I have my wonderful Sharon! The bed’s made. The cushions are plumped because the dogs spend their lives digging them up. I probably vacuum the kitchen floor with my little Dyson handheld cleaner several times a day. So I’d say the house is very lived in, very comfortable, but never chaotic.

Tell us an interiors or gardening hack you swear by.

For interiors, it’s definitely mirrors. They create longer views, bounce light around and allow you to see through rooms rather than simply looking at walls. It’s a wonderful trick for making a house feel larger.

Gardening-wise, I recently heard Matthew Wilson suggest adding just a few drops of washing-up liquid to a watering can when watering dried-out pots. It helps the water cling to the compost rather than simply running straight through. I thought that was a brilliant tip and, given the extended heatwave we’ve had this year, I’ll definitely be using it.

If you could renovate or design a home anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Without hesitation...Cape Town. There’s something about the place that completely captivates me. I adore Cape Dutch architecture. The gables. The verandas. Being able to sit outside listening to rain on a corrugated roof.

The gardens are fascinating because they’re influenced by English planting but mixed with tropical species and fynbos that we simply can’t grow here.

Then, of course, there’s Table Mountain. It’s impossible to explain unless you’ve been there. There’s something deeply spiritual about it. I’ve been going every January for fifteen years and I still feel exactly the same every time I arrive. It really is one of my happy places.

What has been your proudest moment?

There have been quite a few lovely moments over the years, but I think having my own garden featured on BBC Gardeners’ World has to be right up there.

It’s funny because I don’t actually watch the programme very much these days, as it’s a little dull, but growing up I was absolutely obsessed with it. I adored Geoff Hamilton. I watched every episode, bought the books and just loved listening to people talk about gardens. To then find myself appearing on the programme for eight or nine minutes, talking about my own garden, felt incredibly special.

Do you have a guilty pleasure?

Ice cream. Without question.

What three things couldn’t you live without in your home and garden?

The first is definitely lighting. I’ve always believed lighting transforms how a house feels.

The second would be my Stihl battery leaf blower. People laugh when I say that, but I absolutely love it. I probably use it every day, multiple times. There’s something incredibly satisfying about giving the garden a quick sweep and instantly making everything feel tidy again. Sometimes my brain can’t quite settle until I’ve been round with the leaf blower.

And finally...My dogs.

Do you put everything away after gardening or are you always losing tools?

I’m hopeless. Absolutely hopeless. I tend to have several things on the go at once. I’ll be watering the garden, then sweeping, then pruning something, then the doorbell goes and suddenly I’m upstairs fitting new cupboard handles while the hosepipe is still lying across the drive.

I do have systems, though. My expensive Niwaki secateurs all live together in a bright yellow toolbox in the car. They’ve earned their own permanent home because they’re far too expensive to lose.

Generally speaking, though, I like seeing everything. I’ve got an open-sided storage area beside the office rather than a gloomy shed. Out of sight really is out of mind for me.

If you could add a secret passage to your house, where would it lead?

That’s quite a fun question. I’d actually have it leading away from the house altogether. Perhaps into a nearby meadow or woodland. Somewhere completely unexpected. I rather like the idea of disappearing from the house without anyone knowing where you’ve gone. Equally, you could arrive home without anyone realising you were there. That sounds rather appealing. Perhaps the woodland might feel a little spooky after dark, so maybe a beautiful open meadow instead!

What’s your biggest design pet hate?

Over-designing. I really can’t bear forcing a style onto something that already had plenty of character. One Instagram account I’ve recently started following is called Weeping 1930s Houses. It’s heartbreaking. Beautiful houses with lovely proportions, bay windows and original character are stripped back, rendered white, fitted with anthracite windows, white gravel driveways and giant bar handles on the front doors. Then there’s usually a Porsche Taycan parked outside. To me it all feels completely soulless.

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love modern architecture. If you’ve got a beautifully designed contemporary house, then celebrate it. But don’t try to turn a charming period house into something it never wanted to be.

Do you have any dreams or aspirations you haven’t fulfilled yet?

I’d love a little farm. Not a huge estate. Just somewhere with a few meadows, a bit of woodland and some old buildings. I’d have chickens, ducks, perhaps a donkey and a goat.

I’d love a collection of old outbuildings that could become holiday cottages, a little tea room or perhaps somewhere for the business. One of my favourite places is Great Dixter. I love the weatherboarding, the barns, the relaxed planting and the sense that everything has evolved naturally over hundreds of years. That, to me, is incredibly beautiful. I don’t dream about enormous houses. I dream about character.

What’s the secret to a happy home?

I think it’s living authentically. Create a home that genuinely reflects who you are, rather than one that’s trying to impress somebody else. Surround yourself with things that bring you joy.

For me that’s old furniture with stories behind it, wonderful plants, beautiful lighting, dogs asleep on the sofa and rooms that feel comfortable rather than perfect.

I love entertaining friends and family. I love a house that feels welcoming. I think people often worry too much about whether everything matches or whether it’s fashionable enough. Actually, the happiest homes are the ones that feel lived in. The ones where people relax as soon as they walk through the front door.

Home should be your sanctuary. It should restore you. It should make you smile when you pull onto the drive. After fifteen years, that’s still exactly how I feel every time I come home. If a house can do that, I think you’ve probably got it right.

Isn’t he just one of the loveliest people ever. He has a wicked sense of humour too. A huge thank you to Nic for allowing us into his home and for sharing more of his life with us.

Join Nic’s Instagram page here.

If you missed my first six guest interviews then you can find them all under the At Home With… tab at the top of my homepage. There are five more guest interviews lined up in the current series. Each new interview will be completely FREE to read.

There’ll be another post from me on Sunday Have the best day everyone.

Just wanted to say a big thank you for all the heart ♥️ taps, comments and restacks (that’s the recycle symbol below). It’s the only way this little newsletter gets noticed by new lovely people just like you. Plus, it lets me know your thoughts and whether you enjoyed what you read. Xx

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If you want someone to thank or blame for the lack of rain over the past four months look no further than yours truly. For eighteen weeks (should have been ten) our barn has been covered in four and a half flights of scaffold, plastic wrap and a tin roof to protect it from the typical British washout summer at a cost of £15,000. Of course, it hasn’t rained once in that time, and we’ve had the hottest, driest summer on record. You couldn’t make it up. I wish to god I’d made a bet on that happening, my bank balance would look a darn sight healthier than it does right now.

Naturally, I can also pretty much guarantee that between now and the glass being fitted it’s going to bucket down in biblical proportions, so if you fancy complimenting or cursing me for that too, then knock yourself out!

On another note: I promise we have never watered our grass once. It’s five feet lower down than the barn, and also the lowest point on the lane, so any water that still might be lying around underground will accumulate in our garden. In very heavy rain it used to pool, but since I’ve dug most of it over, added drainage and masses of compost that seems to have stopped. Anyway, we have green grass, what can I do?

If you’re new around these parts and wondering what the hell is going on, and why I keep talking about an old barn and its garden, then take a look at these to catch up:

Just in case you didn’t read my little note, and you’re wondering where our Friday get-togethers went on the private chat, we’re taking a little summer break. But, the fun will resume on Friday 4th September at 5.30pm BST.

Today I’m going to be telling you about our kitchen company, showing you all the progress, what the views look like from inside, tell you about a few minor (ahem, quite major actually) hiccups, why the scaffold is down before the glass, gutters and fascias were installed, and generally rejoicing in all the light-filled rooms. Sometimes, regardless of whether things are going to plan, you just have to go with the flow and find your happy place. Lot’s of photos coming up today.

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If you read any guide to building and renovating it will tell you to design and plant your garden after you’ve finished with the house. In fact, most gardening manuals would say the same thing. It makes perfect sense. Remodeling a home is a very messy business, and builders are completely plant blind, they won’t even see your prized hydrangeas, let alone care that they’ve been trampled to death. So why then have I done the exact opposite for all ten of our renovations over the last 28 years?

There will be a hell of a lot of naysayers on this topic, particularly on Instagram (looking forward to that). Have I lost my mind? Why would you spend all that money on plants just to have them killed off by a tradesman with clumsy boots and a digger for carnage?

Well, for most homes there are ways to deal with those issues, but for me it’s also about being an impatient gardener, wanting things to look pretty, and saving my sanity all at the same time.

We’re near the end of the exterior works on our barn, and honestly, apart from one or two minor incidents, the garden has come away unscathed. But, you’ve got to rule with an iron fist and set your boundaries. Let me explain.

Creating a garden before doing renovation work is all in the planning. It’s also about being realistic as to how much you can expect from your builder once you’ve had ‘the chat’. By that I mean the sit down heart to heart you’re going to have with Bob telling him that if he ruins your garden hell fire will rain down on him for all eternity. You think I’m joking, I’m not. It’s important to drill in to whoever is responsible that protecting the garden matters, maybe not to them, but most definitely to the person paying out wads of cash.

The buffer zone

But first, let’s discuss how much of the garden you can plant before a build, and where to draw the line. In every home and garden redesign I’ve done I’ve made sure that there was a generous perimeter fence, even if it’s imaginary, between the house and the garden I created. That means having a buffer zone where builders can drop scaffolding collars without breaking your precious terracotta pots, where they can churn up the soil and rampage through overgrowth to their hearts content.

For the barn I left a third of the garden closest to the house empty. Anything that I prized, like the roses I inherited from a previous garden lover, I dug up and either transplanted elsewhere, or put in a pot. We then used tall planters as a wall between the finished garden and the buffer zone, but I have been known to use actual real life fencing before, so don’t be afraid of that. The more obvious the barrier the better. You are literally creating a barricade, it’s Les Miserables Mark II, and you’re fighting for your plants.

In a previous home in Surrey, we build the main structure of the garden three years before we received planning permission to rebuild the house. Life is way too short to be waiting all that time doing nothing, not enjoying your outside space. In that time it went from a mountainous jungle to a mature hanging gardens. You can read my three-parter about that here, here, and here.

We were very lucky this time, as other than the scaffolders, who you can never ever trust to be delicate, all our trades have been super careful. Plus, our scaffold has been sitting on a ten foot deep raised patio, so there’s a good 25 feet or more between workmen and anything resembling a bloom.

You can’t be precious with anything within this zone. If you don’t want it destroyed then remove it. You can’t expect people to build scaffold and create a beautiful home for you without a great deal of mess.

If there is work at the front of your home and you have a gravel driveway, then it’s possible to add walk boards down, or tarpaulin to protect it. We did not do this as the scaffold at the front of our house was so huge there was just no room to protect anything. I promise you we will be out there with a metal detector (already on order) searching for nails in the gravel. The last thing you need after a build is a flat tyre.

The haven

Of course, we are lucky, our garden is quite long, but what if you only have a postage stamp? Cordon off an area at the back of your garden, even if that’s only ten feet from your house, it doesn’t matter how small, work on that and make it pretty. Be sure to include seating, it’s going to become your haven, your island amongst a sea of rubble. It will save you.

That’s exactly what I did when planning Dorothy, our gazebo. I knew that it would become our safe house, a place where we could watch the devastation happening before our eyes, drowning our sorrows with a second glass of Chablis, as we survey the vastly over-budget roofing bill.

Just a bench, it’s all you need, perhaps a parasol in this heat too. But, that little corner of peace, a veritable embassy of asylum, will be one of the best things you ever decided to do.

The chat

Draw out your garden on paper, or if you like, take a photo of it from an upstairs window and then print it off. Mark out any expensive trees, shrubs and anything you particularly love. Then draw the buffer zone and the boundary between where your builder can be messy and where they will be killed instantly by the shrill, piercing cry of a screaming banshee.

Then call the meeting, perhaps provide refreshments and a slice of cake, you want them on side. Lull them into a false sense of security with a Victoria Sandwich, and then sock it to them with your reprimands if they so much as bruise your Annabelles.

The serious point is to make everyone aware of what the boundaries are, and where they are allowed to venture and not. Also, builders aren’t mind readers, so make it obvious. Just yesterday I spoke to our scaffolders first thing and asked them to be extremely careful with Mr. C’s banana (not a euphemism). He’s been growing it all summer and it’s huge I tell you! But once I asked them nicely, and most importantly, in advance, they had no problem avoiding the Musa Basjoo. In fact, they were quite interested and fancied one themselves.

The point

But, why bother with any of this at all? Why not just wait until all the burley men have gone (I’m not being sexist here, I’m sure female builders & scaffolders exist, but I’ve never come across one in the best part of 30 years)?

Well, for a start you won’t have any money left, the burley men will have taken it all. It’ll be years before you get the garden in order.

But also, if you plant out of harms way ahead of a build, then by the time it’s all over you will have a garden that looks like it’s been there forever. You’ll have designed it to blend and complement its new surroundings so that house and garden become a home.

Once the build is over, you’ll also get the joy of planting up the last third of garden, that buffer zone. There’s much to look forward to in that.

What’s more, that place of tranquility, that place where you can nurture and grow life, will be the one thing that will keep you from losing your mind. It will be your saviour. And, in a summer like the one we are having right now, it’ll mean you can be outside enjoying it all, having a BBQ on the weekends, reading under the dappled shade of a tree, or sipping something fabulous whilst guffawing with friends. Have I convinced you? I hope so.

Enjoy your day and thank you for reading.

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First of all, apologies for no post on Thursday, I’m juggling a million balls in the air at the moment. It’s all good, but for three days this week I’ve had to become my alter ego Gladys the Chambermaid, changing beds and scrubbing loos at our holiday home. In between that I’ve had design work to do, content creation for Instagram, and it’s been really full on with the barn renovations.

Our plumber decided he was starting on the first fix for the upstairs en suite on Wednesday, but I was under the impression he was just sorting the heating pipes for the foreseeable and bathrooms would be later. It resulted in a mad panicky day down a sanitary ware rabbit hole, meaning there was absolutely no time left to write before Thursday morning. I think it all got to me, as I ended up with one of those dreadful migraines I used to get when I was much younger. Lasts for days.

Anyway, you may not have even noticed, particularly as it seems half of Substack has taken august off. Perhaps I should take a leaf out of their book?

On a good note, it inadvertently means that I am now much further ahead with my master bedroom en suite bathroom plans. Sometimes being forced to make decisions can be a good thing. It’s not that the plumber actually needed all the vitreous china, taps and click-clack wastes, he’s not fitting out the bathroom for us, we’ll be doing that. But, he is fitting all the pipes and wastes for us, and therefore needs to know exactly where it’s all going. The problem is, you can’t know the exact positions of inlets and outlets unless you’ve chosen what you want.

We had planned for an 1800 x 800mm shower tray, but it turns out the waste would have been precisely over the middle of a floor joist, one of those new ones our carpenter put in after finding out the entire bathroom was being supported by not much more than a few sheets of Quilted Velvet. We’ve now gone for a 1700mm tray, which works just fine. Anyway, the point is, you need to know all your measurements before a plumber can do his handiwork.

If you’re looking to re-design a bathroom soon, then take a look at my two-part guide:

As, I’ve pretty much chosen everything for this bathroom now, I thought I may as well show you. Here’s all the things I added to my basket the other day, which were all delivered by Friday, plus some other bits the plumber doesn’t need, but I want. Lots of links coming up.

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It’s not often you get a bird’s-eye view of the ground floor from the second storey. Would you dare to stand on those joists? I did not I can assure you, particularly being scared of heights, but after major reconstructive surgery, I declare they are straight as a pin and perfectly sound. Three weeks ago, however, they were holding on for dear life. This is just one of the joyful discoveries from the last few weeks since we arrived home from Florence.

I always knew that ripping a 500-year-old barn to pieces would treat us to a whole host of unwanted surprises, but I wasn’t expecting this many. My last renovation update was the live I did on 5th July, a couple of days after we got home. Since then we’ve had quite a few things to contend with as far as the barn is concerned, and to be honest, I’ve struggled to find the time to do everything that my life demands of me. I did actually have half of this post written for you, but lost it when our broadband died a slow painful death, so I’ve started again with the benefit of time and reflection on my side. Believe me, this is a much calmer version of the post.

I always promised you I would tell you everything about the renovation of our barn, not just the fun bits. So many writers and creators skim over anything that goes wrong, which I think is crazy because that’s very often the really juicy stuff. So, today you’re going to hear about the levitating floor, the dodgy electrics with more connections than Clapham Junction, and the multi-level travertine marble floor that we thought was flat.

But, first the floor held up by not much more than a G-string. We’ve always wondered why the en suite bathroom floor was so wonky. It used to creak so loudly it felt like it was about to snap. Now we know why…

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This is a joyful post and FREE to read. However, sometimes life just doesn’t go according to plan. However hard you work, however much you prepare, anticipate and strategise. Every now and again it just goes belly up, and there isn’t a damn thing you can do about it. This week has been one of those weeks, and it’s still only Wednesday as I’m writing this.

It’s left me searching for inspiration, for something to surprise me, but in a good way. I’m feeling the need for a little comfort and delight, so I thought perhaps today I’d simply share the things that make my heart sing, the things that are melting my butter right now. Here goes:

1. Waking up knowing it’s going to be another sunny day. I know a lot of people moan about the heatwaves, and of course, there’s all the dreadful wildfires, climate change and all the seriousness that involves, and our gardens are definitely struggling, but for us Brits particularly, isn’t it also wonderful that when you open your eyes in the morning the sun is already shining? It feels like those endless summers of my childhood.

2. Going to the freezer and discovering a long forgotten almond Magnum.

3. Filling the bird feed and water bowl up, and then whiling away half an hour or so just watching grateful mouths gorging on grubs and seeds.

4. Getting to the end of my wretched Q1 self-employed digital tax return.

5. Loving my husband for thinking he’d planted sunflowers, when in fact, they are sweetcorn. Juicy and fat they are too. I feel a BBQ coming on.

6. Trying Tesco’s Finest Caesar Salad and Bacon Coleslaw for the first time and becoming immediately addicted. It won’t help with the diet, but hey!

   

7. Binge-watching season 1 and 2 of The Undeclared War on Channel 4. Love a thriller.

8. Waking up thinking it’s Monday, then realising it’s only Sunday.

9. Driving down the tree-lined lane to our village, with the windows wound down, the radio on, and being thankful for where we live.

10. My dog Missy still being alive to see her 17th birthday, but also going viral on Substack Notes too!

11. Salad, salad and more salad, particularly anything with juicy tomatoes, and I’ve got a particular craving for raw fennel bulb shavings too.

12. Keeping my Norfolk Natural Living geranium and tomato leaf eau de parfum next to my desk for whenever I feel like a summery spritz.

13. This always makes me laugh. I know it’s childish. Don’t care.

14. Finishing work and having a chilled glass of Chablis under the gazebo.

15. Finding out that The White Swan in Bosham, near me, will be re-opening with an ex-head chef of Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons at the helm. A friend of mine had him cook for them at their home last week, very fancy, but apparently he’s amazing, and we should all feel very lucky.

16. This shirt.

    

17. Zipping up my new size 34 inch waist shorts to find they’re loose.

18. Finding out that Holly Willoughby’s new show has bombed. That shouldn’t make me smile, but I’ve never quite forgiven her for how she treated her supposed v good friend Phillip Scofield a few years back, and for that dreadful cringeworthy speech she made live on TV the morning after his removal from the show. The rights and wrongs of what he did is another story, but friends should stand by one another.

19. This unlacquered brass bathroom tap.

    

20. It’s not even August yet. I love this summer.

21. Seeing another flush of roses when it only feels like yesterday I pruned them.

22. Hearing that two of your besties are coming home from Pakistan for an impromptu visit. Much jubilation. Wine shall be consumed in vast quantities.

23. is on Substack.

24. This Summer Glow Box from John Lewis.

25. Thrilled to bits with the final TV movie finale to the Heartstopper series. I’ve loved it from the very first episode. Life-affirming, hopeful in a world that generally isn’t, and above all, grounding in a belief that love will prevail regardless of who you love. If you haven’t seen it at all, then start from series one. Yes, it’s a gay drama, and you may not think that applies to you, but it will warm your heart and make you smile.

26. Any and every sunset.

27. This from Luke Hamnett.

28. Spending a Sunday tidying up and clearing all the mess from builders, even though they will ruin it within a day. Just one day of seeing things clearly can bring so much hope.

29. This man’s front garden in our village. I’m trying to pluck up the courage to ring the doorbell and ask if I can see his back garden, hoping he doesn’t think it’s a euphemism.

30. Hearing the tune to ‘Just one Cornetto’ being played by the ice cream van. Who wants a 99 Flake?

31. Hoping we might be back in the barn for Christmas.

32. Getting the ingredients to make this salmon, boursin & lemon tart from the fabulous .

33. This parasol holder.

    

34. This built-in glass chiller if I won the lottery.

35. Finally sitting down properly to write my book. God knows when it’ll be finished, but…

36. Realising this week that I can’t be all things, I can’t be everywhere at once, that I don’t have the same endless supply of energy that I had in my thirties, and being okay with it.

37. Starting to think about colour swatches for the barn.

38. Sitting in the garden till after 9pm.

39. Batch-cooking for one hot afternoon so I don’t have to cook for another three days.

40. Going to clean our holiday home ready for the next guests, and finding out that only one bed was slept in. I can’t tell you the joy that brings me!

    

    Just wanted to say a big thank you for all the heart ♥️ taps, comments and restacks (that’s the recycle symbol below). It’s the only way this little newsletter gets noticed by new lovely people just like you. Xx

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My writing schedule has been turned upside down a little after mind-numbingly dull issues with our broadband. There was supposed to be a big barn renovation update last Sunday, but that will now be winging its way to you next Sunday. Everything I was writing somehow got lost in the ether after the system crashed for the umpteenth time.

Sky broadband customer service is appalling, and don’t get me started on the chatbot, which asks you to do everything online when, of course, you can’t because you don’t have bloody internet. Am I the only person who swears at chatbots?

Any road up, I now have a shiny new router, so I’ve conjured up just a little something for you today full of all the vintage things I’ve bought in the last ten days, and what I think I might use them for when the barn is finished.

A note on the use of AI

Substack has brought in a new feature, partnering with an AI detection tool from Pangram. Readers can now scan any post or note for use of Al. Writers can scan their drafts for it too, but I don’t understand that. The only purpose I can think of is to screenshot it as proof of being AI-free, but that’s rather tedious.

Anyway, I believe it’s put the cat amongst the pigeons somewhat. There’s definitely a few newsletters I’ve had my suspicions over, but ultimately whatever they do to get by is up to them, and I certainly won’t be judge and jury. Although, I do think using the scanner on a few might be jolly good fun if I get a free morning, just sayin’.

As is illustrated in this post, other than Canva for artwork, I use Al for one thing only: creating images of my home and garden for how it might look once finished. It’s brilliant for that. I can pop my original photo of the sideboard, for example, in ChatGPT, add in a colour swatch, perhaps add a room I want it to go in, and hey presto, I can see exactly (well, almost, it does have a tendency to add unnecessary bumph) how it might look. More importantly, it means I can show you what’s inside my head. I’m totally up for that.

I do NOT ever use it for writing. My work is my own. I don’t even use it to spell check or check for grammar, I do that myself. Well, apart from when my friend Barb messages me with massive clangers. I probably don’t get it right all the time, but I’m not adverse to the odd speller. I love to write. I think I’m pretty good at it, and the more I practice the better I will become. But, I won’t improve if I rely on AI to do it all for me, and it would certainly be far less fun.

I’m a little concerned whether Pangram is completely accurate though. It would be awful to be accused of something that wasn’t true. I’ve also just discovered writers can turn off AI detection, which is a disappointing addition, kind of goes against the whole point. Why would you do that? It’ll set alarm bells ringing for sure, similar to turning your like and view count off on Insta.

Either way, I’d imagine there’s a fair few writers on here quaking in their boots right now. It’ll be interesting to see how this all unfolds.

I’d like to join Home & Hort

The Sideboard

I visited The Loseley Decorative Home & Salvage Show last Friday, and Ardingly Antiques Fair on Tuesday. The next show there is on 1st and 2nd of September. Always go on the Tuesday if you can, all the best treasures are gone by Wednesday. I’ve also been rummaging through eBay for an old sideboard I’d like to repurpose.

Part of the renovation post I lost was about the en suite bathroom upstairs in the master bedroom. I’m creating an area, which is actually outside the bathroom (sounds odd, but you’ll understand when you see next Sunday’s post), where we have two sinks on a vanity unit about 1.2-3 metres long. There will be two swivel mirrors above that have clever shelves behind them (saved from a previous renovation), and I’ll finish the look off with pretty wall lights, as yet not found.

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Robyn studied Fashion Business at university with dreams of becoming a buyer. But life had other plans. After spending 13 years working in insurance, her world changed suddenly in 2017 when her stepdad was diagnosed with terminal cancer. At the time, he and Robyn’s mum were her family’s main childcare support, meaning Robyn had to make the difficult decision to leave her job and be at home with her children. Tragically, her stepdad passed away before she had even worked her notice.

Finding herself unemployed for the first time, Robyn began building an online children’s clothing business and started documenting the renovation and styling of her home. What began as a creative outlet soon grew into a thriving career, with her honest, inspiring and down-to-earth content resonating with audiences across the UK and beyond.

Today, Robyn has built up a hugely loyal online community through her love of interiors, fashion, family life and brilliantly relatable content. She’s amassed over one million followers across Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Facebook, with over 900k on Instagram alone. If you are one of those followers then you’re going to love this interview as I delve deeper into her home life, renovation journey and what it was really like nearly losing your husband to be just before the wedding. If you’re new to Robyn’s world, then get ready, you’re about to make a new life-long friend.

How long have you lived in your current home? Tell us about its history and did you love it the moment you set eyes upon it? How does it differ from your previous home?

We only moved into our new house last October, so we’re still very much at the beginning of the journey. It’s an Edwardian property, built somewhere between 1901 and 1910, and it has six bedrooms and the most amazing period features.

It’s very different from our previous home, but that house was all about the location. When we bought it 12 years ago, our budget was obviously much smaller, and we never imagined we’d end up here. This is our third home, and all three have been renovations. That’s really how we’ve managed to climb the property ladder — by buying houses that needed work and slowly turning them into something special.

Tell me more about your last home and the huge amount of work you did to it. Is that where you learnt a lot of your DIY skills? Was it hard leaving it?

We bought our previous home for a really good price — £290,000 — and it genuinely was on our dream road.

We used to walk our eldest son, Cannon, down that road in his buggy and I would always say: “I’d love to live here one day.” Jake would reply: “One day.” But never in a million years did I actually think we would.

At the time, Jake used to work away from home. I saw the house come up on Rightmove and phoned straight away, even though we couldn’t afford the asking price. I managed to get a viewing the following day and took my six-year-old nephew with me because Jake was away for work.

I fell in love with it instantly. It was dated and needed completely ripping out, but I could see the potential straight away. I went home and put in an offer before Jake had even seen it.

They didn’t accept our first offer, so I went back with the absolute maximum the bank would lend us at the time, which was £290,000. It was £40,000 under the asking price, but they accepted it. Still at this point Jake hadn’t seen the house, so technically I bought it without him even stepping foot inside.

It was a probate house being sold by the grandchildren of the lady who had passed away, and they desperately wanted it to go to a family. I found out after everything had gone through that they had actually turned down a higher offer, which felt completely insane.

When we moved in, the previous owners had left lots of things in the loft. One day, we came across the mortgage offer and completion letter from when they bought the house in 1985.

My stomach nearly came out of my mouth.

The date on the letter, and the date they moved in, was 28 August 1985 — the day I was born. So, while I was being born just down the road, they were moving into the house that would one day become my home. It felt like fate. Like the path had been set from the beginning.

The reason I went into all of that is because, when we moved in, we were completely maxed out on the mortgage. We were skint, so the only thing we could do was learn how to renovate it ourselves. I started watching YouTube videos and just giving things a go — and the rest is history.

Ten years later, people sometimes think I’ve got it all worked out and that I know exactly what I’m doing, but the truth is, I literally just picked up the tools one day, watched a video and gave it a go.

Leaving that house was really hard, which is why we didn’t sell it. It is the most incredible house in the best location, but I also love that other people now get to come and visit it, see it in the flesh and experience how cool and full of life Folkestone has become.

Our first house was a two-year flip, and we made a nice profit on it, which gave us the deposit for what we always thought would be our forever home. Until recently, that is.

So you’re renting out your previous home now?

Yes, rather than selling it and closing the door on a decade of memories, we took a big risk choosing to give it a new life as a seaside holiday let. It’s been emotional, but incredibly rewarding too. Seeing the house loved and enjoyed by other families has made the leap feel all the more worthwhile.

Folkestone itself has become one of the UK’s most exciting coastal destinations, blending traditional seaside charm with a thriving creative scene, independent shops, brilliant restaurants, beach bars, the Harbour Arm and the town’s much-loved Creative Quarter. Our house is set on the seafront, so it’s brilliantly situated. It’s fully booked this summer, but there are still some dates available for the rest of the year. Massive plug, but do check out the Instagram page, or book online here.

Is your real home life in any way different from the life we get to see?

What you see online is definitely real, but there’s a lot more chaos behind the scenes. As a family, we’re constantly taking the mick out of each other, and we don’t take life too seriously at all.

How do you juggle being a mum, a full time content creator and all that home renovating? Do you have any help?

Funny you should ask this. Last year, it was definitely a struggle, but things have changed quite a lot recently.

Jake, my husband, has now left the company he was working for and works with me in the business. He also picks up a lot more of the home stuff, like the washing and school runs, so things are becoming much more balanced.

I don’t really broadcast that on social media, but it’s not a secret either.

Tell us about the time your now husband didn’t turn up for the wedding. That must have been a terrifying time?

He had one job: turn up. And he didn’t 😂

In 2023, we flew to Santorini to get married with 52 of our friends and family. Two days before the wedding, we went to the venue to pay the final balance for everything, and you know what weddings are like. We were talking thousands. So, two days before the wedding, everything was paid for and good to go. Or so we thought.

That evening, Jake went out with his friends for a meal and a few drinks. Honestly, it was nothing too crazy. Us girls and the kids all went out for a nice meal and then headed back to the hotel bar for a few drinks afterwards. The boys slowly started trickling back. It was around 10:30 or 11pm at this point.

One of our male friends came back and I heard him try to pull my best friend to the side. He said: “Come with me. Don’t get Robyn.” Obviously, hearing that, I went straight over and said, “What’s going on?”

He said: “Jake has fallen off the cliff.”

We all knew exactly what cliff he meant. Opposite our hotel was a 100-metre drop, with only a tiny wall in front of it. We’d already been there a few days, so we were all really paranoid and careful whenever we walked into town, holding the kids’ hands tightly and being extra aware of it.

Well, that was it. I just started screaming.

I don’t remember too much about what happened after that. It was such a surreal experience — a bit like a blackout. You know in films when people seem to go in and out of consciousness? It felt like that.

I was told it wasn’t going to be good and that they were trying to locate him. It was pitch black and there were no lights down there at all.

I was driven to the hospital, but when I got there, they wouldn’t let me see him until they had stabilised him. They couldn’t tell me anything, not whether he was going to be okay, not how bad it was, nothing. It was two hours of torture waiting outside that hospital.

Then the police turned up and I instantly thought the worst. I thought he was dead and they had come to tell me. But they had actually come to breathalyse him for insurance purposes. At the time, I had no idea.

Two hours later, they told me they had stabilised him and that I could see him. He was a mess. The first thing he said to me was: “Do you hate me?”

Crikey Moses Robyn, this is horrific. How bad were his injuries?

No one really knew how bad the injuries were until the next day. They spent the night scanning him and doing tests. The following day, they told us he had broken seven ribs, his back and one of his legs. One of his lungs had collapsed, and he had a mass on his spleen which they said could rupture at any time. They didn’t have the facilities there to deal with it. It was incomprehensible. I just couldn’t take in what was happening.

They said they needed to airlift him to Athens for an operation, and they booked the helicopter for that evening. He was only allowed one passenger with him, which was me, and the kids and everyone else had to stay behind.

That was probably one of the worst days of my life. I remember standing outside the hospital barely able to stand, just sobbing to my sister and sister-in-law.

While my bridesmaids packed me a bag, I was only allowed to take a small backpack and nothing else, my sister-in-law and brother-in-law took me up to the wedding venue, where I had to tell them we wouldn’t be getting married.

Later that evening, we were taken by the army in a helicopter to a hospital in Athens. The hospital was complete chaos. I had never seen anything like it in my life. There were beds and people lined up in every corridor with the most horrific injuries. We later found out that a car bomb had just gone off. It honestly felt like something from a Netflix documentary.

I’m not sure why, but I wasn’t allowed to be in the same room as Jake until they had assessed him. That wasn’t going to happen until the morning, so I had to go and find a hotel to stay in. I stayed there for two nights and then rented myself an apartment. Jake’s dad also came over to stay with me.

A lot happened after that. Jake had to be operated on, which was terrifying. The language barrier and the hospital conditions were really difficult to navigate, and it was just an incredibly overwhelming time.

After about three weeks, when I knew he was stable, I flew home to see our kids. My mum had taken them home from Santorini and was looking after them. The guilt I felt was indescribable.

After about another week, the holiday insurance flew Jake home in an air ambulance. He stayed in hospital for another couple of weeks back in the UK because they reassessed him and found that his other leg was also broken. That needed operating on too, with metal screws put in.

Eventually, he came home in a wheelchair and had to rebuild himself. I was also trying my best to care for him, washing him and looking after him, which I found really hard. But we got through it all.

We didn’t get our wedding that year, but we did return to Santorini the following year — twice. Once, just the two of us, to get some closure, and then a second time to finally live out the dream of getting married there.

And actually, as I’m writing this, it’s our second wedding anniversary tomorrow and we are both eternally grateful for a second chance.

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Wowzers! Thank you for being so open about all that. I’m so glad, as I’m sure everyone else reading this is, to know that he’s ok. Seems a bit bizarre to carry on asking interiors-related questions after that, but onwards we must go. Describe your design style in one sentence.

I’m fully in my granny chic era!

How much of the way you feel about home is influenced by your home life as a child?

A lot, I think. When my parents separated, my sister and I went to live with my mum. She bought a really run-down house, she still lives in the same one now, and it needed so much work. I remember she bought it for £52,000, which sounds crazy now.

We spent so many weekends and evenings after school stripping wallpaper, painting and helping her do it up. I think that’s where my passion for interiors and renovating houses really came from.

Tell us about your garden and how important is it to you?

The garden in our new home needs a lot of work, but it has this gorgeous brick wall all around it and I can’t wait to see it come to life.

I am definitely the person who only likes white and green flowers, so the plan is lots of hydrangeas, especially out the front.

In the back garden, I really want to recreate something similar to the garden room we had at the old house. I would also absolutely love a small swimming pool, but I’m still working on Jake. You’ll have to follow along to see if he caves!

Our old garden was the hub of our home. We were always out there. We recently built a bar and a home gym in it, and we were always having friends over. Some of our best memories were made in that garden.

Other than family and pets obvs, if you could only save one item in your home in a fire, what would it be?

My tripod, so I could record it. That would make good content. 🤣🤣

One of the things I love about you is your sense of realness. It’s clear that what you show on your social channels is exactly as you are. Have there ever been times when you’ve filmed something and then thought better of it and binned it?

Hmmm, I tend to post exactly what I’m thinking, which does sometimes piss a few people off, but I’m okay with not being liked by everyone.

I will never be the person (again) who says something, or films something, just to look good or to be liked. I spent a lot of my younger years feeling like I wasn’t good enough, or I had to act a certain way to please people, but that couldn’t be further from who I am now.

What is your favourite place in your home and garden and why?

I think my favourite room will always be the kitchen. I love being in there cooking, drinking wine and watching my favourite podcast or a reality TV programme on my Echo Show.

DIY or get the trades in?

You’re probably expecting me to say DIY, but honestly, it depends what it is. We’ve just had the front of our house repointed and rendered. I did have a little go while the professionals were doing it, but it’s not something I’d consider doing properly myself.

Where do you get inspiration from?

Hotels when we’re on holiday, Instagram and Pinterest.

What does your ideal, no-plans-at-all Sunday afternoon look like?

Sundays are probably my favourite day. I love a roast dinner and a glass of wine. We have a Sunday Roast Club with our friends where we go to different local pubs every couple of months. We take it in turns to book the next place, then we usually head back to one of our houses, drink wine and crank up the old-school R&B.

Lamps or the big light?

Only psychos use the big light. I covered the big light switch in our old lounge with a tall dresser, and the little twats still managed to get their fingers behind it and turn it on.

If your home was on a 1-10 scale of “neat freak” to “total disaster,” where would it be and why?

At the moment, probably a 9. We’re living in a complete renovation, nothing has a place, and we don’t have a lot of furniture because we left most of it at our old house. It feels like a bit of a total disaster, which I’m not used to. When the house is finished — in about five years, knowing us — it’ll be more of a 2 or 3.

Tell us an interiors or gardening hack or handy tip you swear by.

If you’d asked me this last year, I would have said having a “putting away” basket for each bedroom for the washing. But now we’re redesigning our home, we’re planning a laundry room upstairs, and I’m hoping that will take the whole system to another level. Not having to take dirty washing downstairs just to wash it and bring it all back upstairs again feels like the dream.

Do you have an ultimate career goal or dream? Tell us something you haven’t achieved yet, but want to?

I would really like to reach one million followers on IG - purely for my Mum and the party, I’d love to give our friends a really good night to remember. So can I do a shameless plug here and ask people to give me a follow over on instagram @the_house_acc 😂

What is your go-to comfort meal to cook at home?

If it’s not a roast dinner, then it’s a slow-cooked lasagne with garlic bread and a good salad — beetroot, coleslaw, tomatoes, cucumber, spring onions, the full works — with a good drizzle of Sainsbury’s balsamic glaze.

New, vintage or both?

It’s got to be both. I love a good charity shop rummage as much as I love a Zara Home haul.

Cosy night in, or an evening out with friends?

It depends what mood I’m in. If I’m out with friends, I’m always the last one at the party not wanting to leave. But I definitely don’t do it as much as I used to, and a cosy night in with a hangover-free morning is just as nice these days.

Biggest ever interiors/garden splurge?

The garden room at our old house, or our suspended log burner. I miss them both so much!

Most avoided home or garden chore?

Hanging the washing out. I hate it.

What is the one room you will never show to anyone and why?

There’s nothing inside I don’t show. I’m a pretty open book. I do draw the line at showing my street name.

Proudest moment?

Probably graduating from university after a four-year degree. I was working full time, studying part time and renovating our first home all at once. They were tough times, and I very nearly dropped out in my final year. I’m so glad I stuck it out, because I graduated from UAL with a 2:1 in Fashion Business.

Oh, and I also got to go to the BAFTAS this year with P&O, which was pretty epic and very surreal.

What is your favourite part of the day?

Bedtime. I’d sleep for 12 hours a night if I could. I love sleep.

Do you have a secret guilty pleasure?

A nice cold glass of wine most nights. Although it’s not really a secret.

What’s your husband’s worst habit?

I honestly don’t know! Nothing really… he’s a pretty good egg. It used to be not answering his phone when he was out. We’ve been together nearly 20 years, so we’ve grown up together, but he’s nothing like he used to be. He’s a proper responsible adult now.

Biggest home or garden design disaster?

Nothing major to date — although putting our laundry room upstairs in the new house could end up being one. I suppose we’ll soon find out.

You’ve created a hugely successful career on social media. What advice would you give to anyone starting out these days?

Oh my god…….. the most important thing is BE YOURSELF!!!! You’re never going to please everyone so there’s no point in trying. You’ll end up coming across as someone you’re not. Be ok with not being liked by everyone, it’s impossible and genuinely I’m ok with it. I don’t feel the need to be liked by everyone, I’d rather stay true to myself.

Share the things you love and that make you happy because at the end of the day if this does become a full time job you’re going to be doing it every day and life is all about being happy.

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If you could add a secret passage to your home, where would you want it to lead?

To the grape fields of New Zealand

If you could have a private tour of one person’s home who’s would it be?

Khloe Kardashian! - make it happen JP.

Design pet peeve?

Glossed white skirting boards. And yes, I’ve done it. We’ve all been there.

What’s the secret to a happy home?

Family and friends always around, parties, big Christmases, good wine, a good skincare routine and everything away in its place.

That’s my idea of the dream home.

I told you you’d love her! Isn’t she just a breath of fresh air? A huge thank you to Robyn for allowing us into her home and for sharing more of her life with us.

Join Robyn’s Instagram page here.

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If you missed my first five guest interviews then you can find them all under the At Home With… tab at the top of my homepage. There are six more guest interviews lined up in the current series. Each new interview will be completely FREE to read.

Friday Get-together

This Friday will be the last weekly get together on our private chat before we all take a summer break. Be sure to join us at 5.30pm to have a little celebration. Don’t be shy, everyone is very friendly. We each share a photo of something that has made us happy this week, it could be a new room you’ve painted, a rose that’s blooming, or where you’ve been on holiday. We generally have a good old natter and a giggle. It’s lots of fun.

Our weekly get-togethers will resume for the autumn season on Friday 4th September. But, the chat is still available 24/7 to paid members to just say hi, or ask me or any of us here to solve your interior/gardening/travel dilemmas. There’s always someone around to help.

There’ll be another post from me on Sunday all about my latest vintage finds and how I’m going to use them in the barn. Plus, there’s a big barn renovation update straight after that. Have the best day everyone.

Just wanted to say a big thank you for all the heart ♥️ taps, comments and restacks (that’s the recycle symbol below). It’s the only way this little newsletter gets noticed by new lovely people just like you. Plus, it lets me know your thoughts and whether you enjoyed what you read. Xx

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This isn’t a guide for anyone wanting to see a tick list of the top attractions Florence has to offer. No, this is a manifesto for luxuriating in the Tuscan sun, devouring Parmigiana di Melanzane, supping on Chianti and soaking up the fertile richness and beauty of its surrounding countryside. It’s a guide for losing yourself to the romance of the architecture, allowing your worries to melt away and truly feel at one with a landscape you’ll never forget. Tuscany is a place to fall in love with life again, to re-energise your soul with beauty, art and wholesome food.

I’ve just returned from one of the most relaxing, life-affirming breaks I’ve ever had. In Part One I told you where that famous Room with a View actually is, showed you where we stayed high up in the hills of Fiesole, gave you the low down on my favourite sights, and whispered many places to take in the views and dine like the locals.

Today I’m going to be revealing a whole list of great restaurants, bars and terraces with views, showing you the sights of Siena and San Gimignano, my favourite places to shop, and even a recipe for the most delicious Cacio e Pepe pasta. So spritz that Acqua Di Parma, put on your best Sofia Loren sunglasses and loosen your belt, because it’s all heavenly food, scrumptious wine and breathtaking views from now on. Let me transport you to my kind of Tuscany.

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Do you dream of sipping chilled wine and twiddling Cacio e Pepe whilst gazing at the Ponte Vecchio, strolling along the Arno river in cool linen and comfy Birks, or meeting for a sunset Aperol Spritz high up on the rolling hills outside the city?

If you’ve always wanted to pretend you were in a Merchant Ivory movie and stay at the hotel where it was filmed, preferring chic eateries, romantic panoramic views and rooftop terraces with chilled Tuscan vibes to a hectic, touristy list-ticking schedule, then I’ve got you covered.

I finished writing this just before the England game on Saturday night (yes, I’m finally giving in and watching it, the FOMO is real), so I hope there’s some very happy Brits this morning. But, I realised it was actually a very long post as there was just so much to tell you, so I’ve split it in two, and the next part will be on Thursday 16th.

I’ve never been one for rushing about on holiday, particularly if the barometre is heading towards 100 degrees. I’m a firm believer in bucking the British trend of ignoring the dangers of extreme heat. As Noel Coward once wrote: “only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.” You’ll find me under dappled shade, the smell of Cypress trees in the air, sipping vino rosato and reading a good book.

Beach holidays are much easier to just relax and unwind without the need to see everything the place has to offer. But city breaks tend to demand jam-packed days of museums, churches, markets and galleries with chilling the heck out being very much an afterthought. I want to immerse myself in the culture and I definitely want to see some of the sights, but interspersed with people watching, having coffee in the square, or mooching for Italian clothes and fine fragrance.

I’ve just returned from one of the most relaxing, beautiful breaks I’ve ever had. Ten days in total, neither too short nor too long. We were traveling with two of our best friends, so it was important that everyone felt like they got the holiday they wanted, which always means compromise. But somehow it worked out perfectly and that was down to a little advance planning. So put on your coolest, softest linen, dig out that Fedora, kick back and relax. Let me transport you to my kind of Tuscany.

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I’ve been so looking forward to the first ever RHS show at the Badminton Estate in The Cotswolds. It’s usually time for the Hampton Court Flower Show and hence the Hampton Hack, which I’ll be doing to a lot on my perennials as soon as I get home. But, this year they’ve mixed it up and decided that Badminton will showcase the finest things in horticulture this country has to offer in July. There definitely was a buzz in the air, even with the 33 degree heat.

The media team at RHS really threw a curveball for the likes of me reporting on the show though. Usually, Monday is reserved for the press so we can photograph and film all the gardens without thousands of people around. It’s a huge privilege and one I’m truly grateful for, but I do think it’s necessary to be able to do the gardens justice without accidentally filming Janice from Milton Keynes having an egg and cress sandwich next to the Verbena Bonariensis.

This year press day was reduced to a few hours before all and sundry descended upon the gardens. Now, if everything goes according to plan, then I think it’s maybe just about possible to zoom around and get it all filmed if you’re there for the 7am start. Unfortunately, I was not.

Because the general public were able to enter from 10am I thought it was the perfect opportunity for my husband, Mr. C to come with me, let me do my three hours filming and then join me for the rest of the day. What could go wrong?

It all started the day before as we were about to leave home. I asked him to get all the luggage and bags that were on the bed and put them in the car, whilst I grabbed Missy our dog, let her have a final wee, pop and see the builders to make sure they knew the procedure for locking up after themselves, and then gradually lock up all the other doors to the annexe and the garage and place the hound in the car.

It all looked good. We dropped Missy off at her carer and had a leisurely drive to Malmesbury, where we would be staying. As we were signing in I had a sudden rush of blood to the head, realising that I hadn’t seen my man bag in the car, the one that held my battery packs for my phone, the one that held my wallet and my I.D to get into the show ground.

“Did you put my over the shoulder bag in the car?”

“No, I left that for you.”

“But, I asked if you could put all the bags in the car!”

A delightful conversation ensued involving numerous profanities, resulting in a trip to the local village to try and source a battery pack and some kind of receptacle to carry everything in. Didn’t do half bad actually. Boots had a battery and I found a rather decent leather bag for a fiver that could pass off (just about) as a male carrying device. Mr. C would give me one of his credit cards and some cash, I found a photo of my ID on my phone, so all our problems would be solved.

But, then we were taken to our room, which was very pretty, but only had one electrical socket and none next to the bed. Mr. C uses a CPAP machine to breathe at night. It needs a socket next to the bed. I also needed to plug in a hairdryer, charger and my laptop to be able to write for you today. I also needed a fridge for my mounjaro. No joy. After some toing and froing we managed to change rooms and bagged a gorgeous little loft room with views and both a fridge and sockets a plenty. Second issue solved.

On the morning of the show at around 5.30am, Mr. C declares he can’t find his phone. Not a huge issue normally, as it’s a regular occurrence, but the night before I had moved his ticket and the £16 parking permit to his device. Guess who wasn’t coming to the show? We tore the room apart trying to find that damn phone. Nada. All of this resulted in me not being ready till nearly 8am. As we’re walking to the car with one rather forlorn-looking husband, who’s now just a taxi driver, my phone pings saying that his phone is 17 metres away. Yep, it was in the courtyard where we had drinks the night before. Hoorah! Long story short, I ended up with an hour and twenty minutes to whizz around and shoot everything. So, this is a postcard from Badminton, rather than the post I had intended to write. Forgive me. There’s a moral to this story, but I’ll leave that for you to decipher.

Where we stayed

It’s the oldest hotel in England. The Old Bell Hotel has been welcoming guests since 1220. Today it’s a joyous eclectic mix of old world charm, with very high end interior design, antiques and treasures from around the world. I would definitely stay here again, but perhaps ask for a room with sockets. There are two restaurants and a really cool bar, lots of outside dining in pretty courtyards, views to the countryside and the local church and the most wonderful warm ambience created by the friendly staff.

If you’re looking at visiting the area, or indeed Badminton in 2028, then I would stay here. Get the best room you can afford. The food was excellent bar the crispy aromatic duck salad, which was neither crispy nor had aroma. The wine list was exceptional and the cocktails made by the lovely bar tender were out of this world. Overall, outstanding.

The Show Ground Parking

Ok, what I’m about to write is contentious, but it’s my newsletter, so I’m going to write it anyway. If the RHS are going to put on a show in the middle of nowhere with zero phone signal and no other parking even remotely close, then I do find it a tad opportunistic to charge the best part of £16 to be anywhere near the show ground for supposed ‘premium parking’. I later found out I didn’t need to pay at all as there was a press car park, but hey, that doesn’t help you guys! I also found out from a subscriber that she had to queue for two hours just to get to said parking. Not good enough. I get that there are teething problems, but that must be sorted before 2028 when it arrives in Badminton again.

I also am quite astonished just how many disabled people there are in this country, as that car park was enormous, right at the front and free. But seeing that you can get a badge even for ADHD now, no wonder. There, I’ve said it, any trolls out there will have a field day with that one.

My favourite gardens

The Julia Rausing Garden

This is the largest ever show garden in RHS history and was designed by Tom Stuart-Smith. It celebrates the life of Julia Rausing, a British philanthropist whose work supported a wide range of charitable causes across the UK, raising over £400 million for a multitude of projects.

This absolutely stunning garden is placed at the head of the lake, with views back towards Badminton House. It’s a wildlife meadow dotted with Tilia × europaea (common lime), which then surrounds a more intimate drought-tolerant perennial garden, full of just about every flower and a colour palette I adore of blues, mauves and whites, with the most peaceful of seating areas at its epicenter. Included amongst these blooms is the largest low-lying domes of Taxus Baccata I’ve ever seen, some 8 or 9 feet across.

Everyone was allowed to walk in and around this garden. The garden invites visitors to enjoy the beauty of the landscape and consider its message about supporting others. It truly was one of the most beautiful things I have ever witnessed at an RHS show.

The Archers 75th Anniversary Garden

I’ve grown to realise that any garden that has the name of attached to it is going to be absolutely perfect. Not in a formal, rigid sense, far from it, everything she creates is thought about in minute detail, the sign of a true master at work, but the result is something relaxed, romantic, and infinitely enjoyable. She is brilliant at tricking the visitor into thinking that everything is just serendipitous, a happy accident. Something self-seeded there, ooh look the geraniums have got away with themselves over there. But, in reality it is all carefully planned by her and her brilliant team of stylists and planters to look like the garden has been there for decades instead of three weeks. One day I would love to offer up my help as a volunteer just to learn from her brilliance, plus she’s a hoot.

I knew nothing about The Archers before I saw this garden, I’m a heathen! I purposefully stopped myself from any research, or listening to a single episode because I wanted her garden to tell the story for me. If you are visiting Badminton then you will be in awe my friends, and you can walk around this garden too. From the village noticeboard to a toy tractor originally given to the late John Archer, a charachter in the show, the attention to detail is second to none.

‘The garden responds to a recent storyline in which a sewage spill flooded Bridge Farm, highlighting the environmental challenges facing modern farming communities while offering a hopeful vision of recovery and stewardship of the land.’

Jo and her team have created working areas within the garden celebrating traditional farm life skills such as vegetable growing, cheese-making, and small-scale food production surrounded by ornamental planting. It’s the most naturalistic of spaces and even included two goats chomping away at the grass. You will be utterly enthralled. Here’s a little video to bring it to life. Apologies for the sunlight. It should have been shot early afternoon, but with the time constraints it is what it is:

Macmillan Cancer Support: The Nascent Shade Garden

Supporting any cancer charity is very close to my heart, but the work that Macmillan does is quite extraordinary, often providing the only real support for patients and their families here in the U.K.

‘This ornamental woodland garden features a small group of birch trees, interspersed with lime and stone sculptures and brass details. At first, these elements are intentionally spaced unevenly, reflecting the gaps and inequalities people experience in cancer care today. As visitors move through the garden, the spaces gradually close and the layout becomes more even. This transition symbolises Macmillan’s mission to close the gap between the best and worst cancer experiences, so everyone can get the care they need, wherever they live.’

I walked this garden and physically felt those gaps closing and the hope building as I reached the bench, central pool and resting place. I chatted with the designer Elle Arnett, who brought the story to life, telling me about the reason for the Silver birch: it’s shedding of brownish bark, gradually becoming brighter and whiter as the years go by, a metaphor for renewal and rebirth.

‘Inspired by the idea that society thrives when we plant trees for future generations, the garden highlights the lasting impact of gifts in wills. Visitors are invited to place a seed token into the water feature as a quiet moment of reflection and hope. Just as a tree provides shade for years to come, gifts in wills help Macmillan do whatever it takes to support everyone living with cancer today and transform cancer care for those diagnosed in the future.’

The Cricket Pavilion Garden

I knew I was going to love this garden and I knew it would win gold. It’s a take on a traditional cricket pavilion in a beautifully tended lawn, surrounded by cottage garden planting. It’s quintessentially English and based on the cricket ground of Old Heathfield, a picturesque village in East Sussex where the designer Stephen Moody lives.

The plants along the lawn have been sown or propagated from cuttings taken during gardening sessions at the local cricket pavilion. Nearby, two willow sculptures represent a batsman and a woman with a child on a bench.

Finding Hope

I know we’re supposed to think deeply about these gardens, but sometimes I actually don’t want to know in advance what they represent. I just want to decide whether I like them or not, and whether they speak to me at all.

This one really did. I purposefully made sure I didn’t read the blurb, just: did I like it? Did I want to jump over the rope and explore it? Yes!

After soaking it up I read the story behind it: ‘The garden is structured around 16 squares, representing the daily number of lives lost to suicide. Intended as a public space for people to find peace, space and company, this contemplative sanctuary in pastel shades champions simplicity and order, giving visitors a sense of the charity CALM’s work.’

Did it do that for me? I’m not sure. Did I love the planting, the geometric shapes and the over-arching sense of calm and peace? Most definitely, so I suppose they hit the mark.

Artisan Gardens - Honing Heritage

The character and heritage materials found across the Cotswolds lend this space a timeless feel. Beautifully constructed dry-stone walls, reclaimed stone and an iron gazebo highlight the importance of crafted features in historic gardens, reinterpreted through a contemporary lens. The naturalistic planting echoes Gertrude Jekyll’s style.

Young designer gardens

All three of these designers are women, which is great to see. But, this one really caught my eye.

A Space for Her

Designed by Sophie Sturgeon, the garden explores the ‘quiet journey of building confidence’ in a world where many girls and young women face pressure from social media and unrealistic expectations.

Through soft planting, trees and carefully guided sightlines, the garden encourages people to slow down, reconnect with themselves and discover how moments in nature can nurture confidence, resilience and a sense of belonging. I found it very beautiful and contemplative.

The Pocket Gardens

I really love the idea of these small spaces encouraging new designers to give it a go, you never know what it could lead to and everyone has to start somewhere. Many of these were superb, but one really melted my butter:

The Silverhand Estate: The Butterfly Garden designed by Emma Atkinson is areal triumph and highlights the plight of declining the butterfly population scrips the UK.

This garden delivers a clear message: the future of these fragile species doesn’t require drastic action, but can be achieved through small, thoughtful everyday choices. Every element in this border is chosen to give butterflies what they need to thrive: nectar-rich plants for adult specimens, host plants for caterpillars and sheltered spaces that offer protection from predators and harsh weather.

Ok, that’s it from me. It’s 11.35pm and I’m knackered, although that’s a very early finish compared to Chelsea. Overall I think the RHS pulled off a blinder with Badminton, a really great show and one they should be proud of. There were a few issues, like the parking, and I actually found the Floral Pavillion a little underwhelming, but perhaps that’s because of how awe-inspiring Chelsea was this year. If you’re going then you’ll love it. If you haven’t booked yet, then what are you waiting for?

Thank you all so much for all your support. I’m honoured to have you as paid members. Do leave a heart 🩷, a restack 🔄 and a comment 💬 if you have a moment.

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The live was free for all to watch in the moment, but this full 52 minute recording is for paid members, although free members can see the fir…

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Buongiorno! I’m back from my trip to Italy where it was Sahara hot with not a whisper of breeze. If I could have gotten away with walking around Florence in budgie smugglers I would have. Alas, we visited quite a few museums and churches, so thought better of it, opting for a paper fan, which made me look camper than the late John Inman, particularly as I was wafting around in a linen two-piece and a Michael Kors man bag. I asked my friend Kate whether I looked too gay, and she replied: “Honey, you aren’t fooling anyone, you’ve got platform Birks on.” Fair play.

I’m writing a mini travel guide to Florence and Fiesole in the hills outside the city. It’s nothing definitive, just what we really enjoyed. We stayed at a delightful hotel, ate at some amazing restaurants, and found some real gems for views and living La Dolce Vita, so I’ll be sure to get that to your inbox very soon.

Live event postponed to tomorrow (Monday 6th July at 4pm BST)

I’m so sorry for having to postpone the live on Friday, there was a lot going on at the barn. But, I will be pressing the go live button tomorrow at 4pm UK time. Apologies if you thought you were going mad when nothing happened.

I think you’re all going to be quite shocked as the internal space is now at its worst with half the walls missing. It looks a mess, but it’s all necessary to create a better flow and maximise the light. I’ll actually be able to show you what the new layout is going to be, which is so exciting, so be sure to put it in your diary for tomorrow. It’ll be free to watch live, but the recording will be for paid members.

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RHS Badminton flower show

The Hampton Court Palace Flower Show is not on this year, it’s at RHS Badminton instead. I’ll be there on the press morning this Wednesday, and I’ll have a little review of my favourite gardens for you either Thursday or Friday.

I was quite worried about my plants back home, as of course, it was scorchio in Inghilterra (two minutes in the land of pasta and I think I’m Italian) too. My very lovely carpenters Steve and Jaimey offered to water all the pots for me and anything in the borders that looked like it was dying of thirst. There was one border that I wasn’t concerned about at all though and that’s the sunniest flower bed in my garden. It was planted last summer in baking heat, and other than watering regularly for the first few months until it was established, I haven’t really bothered since.

What’s coming up in today’s post?

Today I want to revisit this border, give you the full planting list, and tell you what worked well and what I wouldn’t do again. The vast majority on the list cope really well in a drought.

As I said in the first part of this series, all of us are still learning however many years of gardening experience we have, so it’s good to share the highs and lows. Let me start by giving you the full planting list:

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The thought process of two completely insane gay men who’ve just paid off their mortgage:

“I have a great idea! Instead of having a happy quiet life, taking lots of holidays and living the dream, why don’t we buy a run down 500 year old ex-grain store and pigsty, rip it to pieces to unearth as many structural nightmares as is humanly possible, knowing all the while that our budget won’t be enough to finish the project. And let’s choose to do it when half the world goes to war making the price of everything skyrocket so that we lay awake at 3am wondering if we’ll ever be able to retire. Sound good? Let’s do this!”

See those gaping holes in our house? The money is literally flying out of the window, well it would be if we actually had any windows. Don’t suppose there’s much point in closing the back door? Everything is costing an absolute fortune and there’s diddly squat we can do about it.

The last two weeks of renovation life have been really tough, mentally, physically and financially. Today I’m going to tell you all the latest news from the barn renovation, with one particular week from hell that will go down in history as the week a certain writer and content creator nearly lost the plot and murdered a conservation officer. But, there’s huge progress making sense of the two-storey master bedroom suite, steaming ahead with the roof, and I’ll be telling you what happened when we cut through one of the biggest structural beams in the barn. All good stuff, you’re gonna love it….

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It’s such an honour and a pleasure to chat with such amazing designers, writers, experts and creatives and share it all with you here on HOME & HORT. There are seven more guest interviews lined up in the current series. Each new interview will be completely FREE to read.

I am giddy with delight to tell you that today’s guest is the utterly fabulous, the one and only . Co-author of The Art of Home, Interior Design Masters alumni, and the face behind one of the most loved maximalist Instagram accounts: Hardcastle Towers, with over 280,000 followers. She also now writes here on Substack. Her weekly posts about the life of a content creator are very funny, so do take a look at her page.

54-year-old mother of three, Joanne now champions older women, teaching them how to inhabit the space they take up in this world and own it, proving that life only gets better and bolder after 50.

Joanne is one of my best friends in this world and we met on Instagram back in the good old days of photos. We both ran interior design hashtag accounts, where anyone and everyone was encouraged to join in and share their home. She’s very funny, honest as the day is long, a true Yorkshire lass, and a powerhouse of a woman. I’m honoured she said yes to this interview, so without further ado, grab yourselves a cuppa, cut another slice of cake and make yourself comfy, we’re going in!

How long have you lived in your current home? Tell us about its history and did you love it the moment you set eyes upon it?

We’ve lived here for 26 years! It’s was a HMO when we moved in a week before our baby’s first birthday. It was GRIM, like really grim, with graffiti on the walls, mould, broken windows and just a condemned gas oven in the kitchen.

I fell in love with the Etched glass windows in the downstairs doors and knew it would be a perfect family home for us.

Is your real home life in any way different from the life we get to see?

No it’s just as you see it, it’s a house to be enjoyed and lived in. I have lots of things and because of that everything needs to be kept in its place or it’s chaos.

Describe your design style in one sentence.

Bold and colourful with nostalgic vintage vibes and a touch of whimsy thrown in.

How much of the way you feel about home is influenced by your home life as a child?  

Not at all! I lived in a seventies semi with lots of formica, smoked glass and anaglypta. I had a friend at school, who’s still my best friend to this day. When I first went to her Victorian house after school I knew I’d found my style.

Tell us a bit about Interior Design Masters. What was it really like behind the scenes. Any secrets?

I never really meant to be on it, I just thought I’d apply and see how far I’d get when the casting producer slid into my DMs.

I had had a really hard time in lockdown and had a breakdown. I had three girls at home, one doing her dissertation, one her A-levels, and one who I was homeschooling, and I was writing a book. I was also in perimenopause, but nobody talked about that then. It all got too much and I ended up in therapy. The therapist told me I had to stop doing everything for everyone and to let go.

That’s how I ended up on the telly. It was great, I realised that life carried on at home without me and I could live life for myself. The best thing about it was the wonderful friends that I’ve made, I’m still so close to them all, in fact they’re all coming up to stay in a couple of weeks.

I was so proud that I made it through to week three, I was so out of my comfort zone and up against some incredibly talented designers. People always ask what Alan Carr and Michelle Ogundehin are like. Well, Alan is absolutely lovely, exactly how you see him on the TV. Michelle keeps her distance, and the designers don’t always agree with what she has to say.

Tell us about your garden, or outside space and how important is it to you?

It’s TINY, but I need to be outdoors as much as possible, I crave the sunshine on my skin. I’ve built a green oasis in what was essentially a back passage and I love it.

What is your favourite place in your home and garden and why?

My dinning room is the heart of the house where we all gather, to eat and talk. I work at the table. It’s where everyone ends up when we have guests.

DIY or get the trades in?

Poor Tim, my husband does it. He had to learn because we were so poor! He won’t let me help because I’m slap dash.

Feelings on Pantone’s colour of the year?

It’s shite, not even a colour.

Where do you get inspiration from?

Everywhere! Something as simple as a charity shop plate can give me a colour scheme. I design a space in my imagination then have to find things to make it come to life.

Other than family and pets obvs, if you could only save one item in your home in a fire, what would it be?

A picture my eldest daughter painted for her GCSE, it hangs in my dining room.

Tell us about your family life a little and being a foster parent.

Family life is a lot less hectic than it used to be, there are only four of us living at Home at the moment. I was told that I’d never be able to have children, and I lost six babies. When my girls were born it made me the happiest Mum on Earth, I’ve never been happier than when they were little girls. Being a Mum totally and utterly completed me. We had so much fun, we were always building dens under the dining table and marble runs out of junk all the way from the attic down to the basement.

Shortly after my youngest birth daughter was born my nephew died at four weeks old and it made us realise how lucky we were to have two girls, we didn’t want to push our luck and risk my health to have any more, but we still had so much love to give and ended up fostering our youngest daughter when she was eight years old. The first year it was horrific, we nearly gave up so many times, she was such a damaged little thing, but with stability and boundaries and lots of love she has blossom into a beautiful young lady who is still with us at 20 years old.

Ours was always the house where everybody was welcome, we were often woken hearing our eldest daughter bringing all the party revellers back to our house to sleep, we were once woken at 2 am when a stranger came into our bedroom and turned on the light looking for the bathroom! Another time I found a young man asleep in the bath, and one New Year’s Day we woke up to find two young ladies in party frocks asleep in the Playhouse in the garden. I miss those days so much and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

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What does your ideal, no-plans-at-all Sunday afternoon look like?

I’ve been for a long walk, and settle down in the garden to read and snooze while Tim cooks a roast.

Lamps or the big light?

Lamps and plenty of candles

If your home was on a 1-10 scale of “neat freak” to “total disaster,” where would it be and why?

I profile dependent on who’s asking. I think it’s very neat, but I know some people would find the amount of stuff I have overwhelming.

Tell us an interiors or gardening hack or handy tip you swear by.

If everything is put away at least once every week then you will keep on top of things. I always go to bed with a tidy house, dishes away, cushions plumped.

What is your go-to comfort meal to cook at home?

I’m a very good cook but after years of cooking for the family I HATE it. Tim cooks a great roast, the girls always want that when they come home.

New, vintage or both?

Vintage has my heart, always has, was obsessed with Doris Day and Marylin Monroe as a teen.

Cosy night in, or an evening out with friends?

I love both, there’s nothing like a take away and then snuggling down to watch telly, but equally if there’s a party I’m there!

You’ve made a name for yourself championing women in their fifties. Tell us more about that and why it’s important to you.

I suppose I’ve sort of become known as a spokeswoman for the older lady. I’ve always been a feminist, having gone to an all girls school in the 1980s and being taught by some of the most left-wing socialist teachers I’ve ever known. They instilled such values in us and told us that we could be anything that we wanted to be. Problem was, I wanted to study art but they told me that was a soft subject and made me do physics chemistry and biology! I was a member of Greenpeace, Amnesty International and a vegetarian in the days when the only vegetarian option was an omelet. I lived with my husband for seven years and told him that I’d never get married or change my name, the problem was he refused to have a baby until we were married! In the end, I just said okay then let’s do it, he never even proposed (I don’t suppose I gave him chance).

I think my miscarriages and motherhood wore me down and I lost who I actually was, I struggled with my weight for years and it took me a long time to learn to accept and love myself. Once I did, I wanted to shout it from the rooftops and tell everybody else that life was fun and to be enjoyed.

If you could renovate and design a home or garden anywhere in the world where would it be?

I’d love to live in Brittany, I’m a francophile. I love the food, the language, the way of life. Most of my vintage is French.

Biggest ever interiors/garden splurge?

Renovating our basement, We had run out of space but by the time we got it over the line two of the girls had left home!

Most avoided home or garden chore?

I never do the bins.

What is the one room you will never show to anyone and why?

Iris’s bedroom. It’s like a crack den.

Proudest moment?

Apart from my girls graduations it’s got to be when I was on interior Design Masters.

What is your favourite part of the day?

I’ve done my skincare, taken of my bra and I’m in my PJs, the house is tidy and I’m settling down to watch TV with the family.

Do you have a secret guilty pleasure?

Tomato ketchup sandwiches, standing up in the kitchen.

Biggest home or garden design disaster?

I don’t think I’ve had any, I’ve always loved what I’ve done and learnt from it.

What three things can’t you live without in your home and garden?

 Cats, colour and beautiful things to look at.

What is the first thing you do when you get home after a long trip?

Unpack! And then open the post.

If you could add a secret passage to your home, where would you want it to lead? 

To London so I could see my daughter more.

If you could have a private tour of one person’s home who’s would it be?

I’d like to go back to Hampton court in Tudor times or Versailles just before the revolution.

Design pet peeve?

Matchy matchy, crap art bought to match decor, anything silver, those highland cow footrests.

What’s the secret to a happy home?

 Love.

How fabulous was that? A huge thank you to Joanne for allowing us into her home and garden and for sharing more of her life with us, isn’t she the best!

Join Joanne’s Substack here.

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Friday Get-together

I won’t be joining tomorrow’s weekly get together on the chat at 5.30pm because we’re away and it’s my husband’s birthday, but do still have a meet up and feel free to chat as you usually do.

There’ll be a barn renovation update post this Sunday 28th June. It’s nearly July for goodness sake, flying by!

Just wanted to say a big thank you for all the heart ♥️ taps, comments and restacks (that’s the recycle symbol below). It’s the only way this little newsletter gets noticed by new lovely people just like you. Plus, it lets me know your thoughts and whether you enjoyed what you read. Xx

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Apologies for only one newsletter this week. It’s been a tad hectic and very stressful with the build, wretched conservation officers, and annoying brand partnerships, resulting in me having to miss the Substack Summer Fěte in London and running out of time for Thursday’s post. There will be a full update on the renovation gossip next Sunday, I’ve got so much to tell you. Plus, there’s another guest interview next week too. But, today I’m making up for my tardiness with a bumper guide to one of my favourite coastal towns in the world and a mecca for interior and garden lovers, foodies, winos and nature lovers: Rye.

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My family history is deep-seated in the medieval town of Rye in East Sussex, with its cobbled streets clustered around a sandstone hillside overlooking the River Rother and Romney Marsh. Many hundreds of years ago Rye was a famous port and haven for smugglers. It was surrounded by water and formed part of the Cinque Ports, using the town’s hilltop vantage point to build Ypres Tower to ward off invaders and defend the town.

I’m currently researching my family tree and have discovered that my ancestors were not only responsible for building local landmarks, but many were fisherman and had direct connections with two prominent local families, one is famous for its independent supermarkets (Jempsons) and the other for arguably the most talked about man in Rye, a murderer! I’m writing a whole post about that, so won’t go into all the details now.

I’ve always loved the town and felt very much at home there. With so many historic buildings lining its charming streets, it has to be one of the most well-preserved examples of England’s architecture from wonky medieval relics, the cutest of picture postcard cottages, to stunning Georgian townhouses. Today it’s a thriving, trendy hub, which attracts an eclectic, bohemian mix of artists, interior designers, and some of the best restauranteurs. The smell of the sea fills the air as seagulls circle overhead. Its maritime roots can be seen everywhere from Mermaid Street to the 19th century quayside buildings of The Strand. It’s a place you’ll want to visit time and time again.

The surrounding area offers the peace and tranquility of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, famous vineyards and historic gardens. I’ve just come back from the most wonderful long weekend away there, visiting Great Dixter with other Home & Hort readers. Here’s my recommendations for where to stay and eat, along with the best interior and lifestyle shops, vineyards, and gardens. Enjoy!

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Can you believe it’s not even a year since I created what is the barn garden so far? We were in the middle of the most ridiculous heatwave. It was the worst time possible to be planting, I could feel the gardening glitterati rolling their eyes as I submerged another precious English rose into soil drier than a rice cracker baked in the midday sun.

But, all the stars of the show had already been bought you see, they were waiting in the wings. What was I to do? That’s climate change for you. Weeks earlier it had been bucketing down to a point I thought we might need to build an ark.

Plus, when I know deep down in my soul I have the eyes of many a gardening expert curling their lip and tutting bitchily at my supposed horticultural mediocrity, I can’t help but want to stand proud and say: “fuck you! They’ll be amazing next year!” Life and nature aren’t perfect. Sometimes you have to plant when you really know you shouldn’t.

In late July last year I wrote about how I designed the largest border in our walled garden, I told you about my rather free-hand style of placing plants, and I gave you the full planting list, which was full of hope and promise. But, there was a fair degree of uncertainty, and a massive degree of imposter syndrome, even after 30 years of gardening.

Some of the choices were new to me, I had no idea how they would perform, particularly in a garden I was only just beginning to get to grips with. Why the hell was I writing about it if I didn’t already know, in true expert fashion, what was going to unfold? Well, I’m not an expert for a start, but also isn’t that the best part? Doing things totally relying on hope, a little knowledge, and a deep-seated yearning for things to live and thrive?

So, as we’re all constantly learning, even the best of us, I thought it might be a good idea to revisit each border, its planting list and go through it, telling you what worked and what bombed. Of course, what did well in my garden might not work in yours, depending on soil type and sun direction. But, over the coming weeks I’ll be sharing the four main borders and showing you how they’ve evolved. You can then take from that what you will.

There is also another third of garden left to design, which is closest to the barn. There was just no point in planting anything with builders around. Once the main structure is up and the scaffold has come down, I can start thinking about what I’m going to do there. I know there will be a raised dining area, I’d love there to be a small splash pool (please let that happen), but more than anything, more plants!

A wonderful day was had by all on our first real life get together at Great Dixter on Friday. People came from far and wide, even from overseas. It was so good to put faces to names, cementing friendships made here on H&H through the comments and in our chat. It was also really special to share it with ’s The Gardening Mind readers, widening everyone’s circle of friends. Sorry quite a few of you missed the photo, we did it right at the start, but we will definitely do another meet up next year.

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Overall, I’m really happy with the way things have gone in my largest border. We’ve had Tulips in March, April and into May, and then in late spring the herbaceous perennials, shrubs and roses took over. But, there are many summer blooms that are yet to shine and should see us through June, July, August and into September. As long as I keep dead-heading, the roses and many other plants will hopefully still be giving us colour in autumn.

But, there are quite a few things that I did that were beyond rubbish. It’s important that you know what they were.

I’ve learned a lot over the last year, and there’s no point gleaning knowledge if you don’t share it. So, without further ado, here’s how year two is shaping up.

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Our real life garden meet up is about to happen! It’s not too late to decide to join us at Great Dixter. All the details of where to meet and at what time are below.

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I only realised on Tuesday that I had a very short window to write this week’s newsletters, so today I’ve removed the paywall from one of my most-read posts for you: 19 Things That Actually Increase the Value of Your Home - plus the % increases for each job.

There’s a lot more of you reading Home & Hort than back in April last year, so I think many of you won’t have seen it, but even if you have, it’s a good one to remind yourself of. It’s all coming up for you below.

Early start this morning to welcome my carpenters back and get them up to speed, and then I’m on guesthouse duty, scrubbing, ironing, bed-making, that kind of nonsense. Later this afternoon I’m heading off to Kent ready for our real life garden visit tomorrow, more details of that below for paid members.

I’ll be leaving my lovely carpenters in charge on Friday. The rest of the weekend I’m seeing my family, which leaves very little time for writing, so just one big new post this week, which will be with you on Sunday morning. I’m re-visiting each flower bed in my garden one year on, giving you the plant lists and telling you what worked, what didn’t and what I’ve changed.

I know a lot of you have been wondering whether the Welsh slate saga has been resolved. I can very happily confirm that the right size grey slates did indeed arrive on Monday morning. Phew! Dodgy Darren from Wales has been forgiven.

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19 Things That Actually Increase the Value of Your Home

Whether you are thinking of selling your home or not, we all like to know that the hard-earned money we spend on it has made a difference. Those late nights painting the living room ceiling, the long extra hours you worked to pay for that extension, the risks you took, all somehow need to mean something.

It could be that the wonderful times you’ve shared in your home have been enough to make it all worthwhile, and that’s enough, it really is, but if you’re anything like me, then you’ve also got a close eye on its monetary value and whether it’s more saleable because of your endeavors.

Of course, a home is not just a financial asset, it’s the place we feel safe and make memories, it’s where our children are born, where birthday parties happen and where disagreements get resolved at the kitchen table. It’s the place where you had that brilliant drunken night with friends and stayed up till 2am knowing you had work the next day and where you discovered a love of gardening by planting that cherry tree that’s now over ten feet tall.

But one day you will sell it, or at least your beneficiaries will. So why not, whilst you’re living life to the full and loving your home, also make sure that you spend your money wisely on it, safe in the knowledge that you’ve done the right thing?

Today I’m going to tell you all the things that you can do that will actually make a difference to how much your home is worth.

I’m going to use our last home as an example as even though we put a lot of love, care and attention in it, the sole purpose of buying it was to get back on the housing ladder and make a profit as quickly as possible in order to find our forever home. We both came from very simple beginnings, both born into social housing and have gradually worked our way up, tooth and nail, to a place that feels right, where we feel like we belong. I make absolutely no apologies for that.

We bought the Victorian home as a wreck in June 2021 and sold it in March 2024 for a quarter of a million pounds more than we bought it for. Here’s what we did and what you can do to increase the value of your home. By the way, this isn’t about accumulating wealth. This is about giving yourself the freedom to choose through bloody hard work. None of this is easy.

Things that will add value

1. Increase the square footage via an extension or conversion.

2. Knocking through walls to create open-plan living/reconfiguring layouts.

3. Adding an en suite.

4. Adding a downstairs loo.

5. Restoring period features.

6. Insulating your home.

7. Adding double glazing (be careful with this one. I’ll explain more.)

8. Adding solar panels (another one to be cautious of).

9. Adding off-road parking.

10. Landscaping and planting a garden.

11. Adding an outdoor room.

12. Adding a conservatory (this depends on quality and year-round use.)

13. Updating a kitchen or bathroom.

14. Decorate your home and keep up with repairs (it’s possible to go wrong here, but that’s for part 2!)

15. Get planning permission.

16. Buy land.

17. Increase kerb appeal.

18. Adding an efficient boiler.

19. Fitting central heating.

Increasing the square footage - Adds between 20-30%

It’s obvious really, if you add livable space to a home then you will undoubtedly increase the value of it. It’s the number one way and a sure-fire bet. It’s still extremely important though to keep an eye on the finances and make sure you come in on budget. It’s also key to not over-develop your home. Make sure you do your research and check out the rest of the properties in your area. Investigate the sold prices of similar homes in recent years by popping onto Rightmove, Zoopla, or something similar. It is possible to sell over the ceiling price for homes on your street, we have done it a few times, but it’s in no way easy, so it’s best to ensure you stay nicely under it. I’ll be writing more about the ceiling price of a home in a future post.

It’s imperative that you have fully costed an extension or conversion and weighed up the pros and cons of changing a spaces use. Make sure you include planning, architectural and building control costs, mortgage interest if you are borrowing the money, as well as your contractor fees and supplies/fittings.

Converting a loft space is one of the least expensive options, depending on your roof structure. The space already exists and there aren’t any costly concrete foundations to dig. Be certain to get full planning permission for a full use legal bedroom though, otherwise you run the risk of it not being included in the square footage, floor plans or valuation.

A basement conversion, if you already have some form of one, can be another way to increase value without too much expense. Digging out from scratch however, will cost you a fortune. In central London, where space is at a premium, the outlay can be worth it, if you have a tight rein on your budget. Basements have a way of running away with themselves though, so be very careful.

If you’re lucky enough to have outside space that you can spare, then a full extension can work wonders. If it’s at all possible, always try to go for a double storey. You’ve got to dig out the foundations anyway and they are extremely expensive, so you may as well add another storey to maximise your profit.

Be careful of garage conversions. If you don’t have other off-road parking areas or storage spaces, then you could actually decrease the value of your home, particularly in a city.

Knocking through walls and reconfiguring layouts

It’s hard to calculate the possible percentage gains for this, but for our last home it was at least 20%. This is where it gets interesting in my book. It’s one of the least expensive options and can make you a shed load of money. It’s also the option that most people don’t think of. You see it all the time on Kirsty and Phil’s ‘Love it, or List it’ program. All the owners want to do is extend, or move, but often there is already enough space, it’s just that it’s configured badly with rooms that have no use.

Our Victorian home is a prime example. At over 2600 sqft it really didn’t need any more space. The rooms just had to be repurposed, creating a better flow and adding much needed comforts. The flow from the entrance hall to the kitchen, living room and garden beyond was dreadful. There was an appalling under-the-stairs loo next to the electricity meter, a practically derelict conservatory, the most disgusting kitchen possible, which was in the wrong room and so much more besides.

We changed the entrance to the living room to be much more inviting. We moved the downstairs toilet to where one end of the kitchen used to be and placed a utility room next to it. The rest of the old kitchen became a day room/play room/tv space.

The existing dining room and what effectively was a room next to it with no purpose, other than a disused Aga cooker, became the new expanded open-plan kitchen and dining room, leading to a replaced conservatory.

Upstairs we knocked a doorway through from the smallest bedroom to the master to create what could be an en suite, or dressing room. On the third floor we turned two loft spaces into bedrooms and another into a home office. All of this required no planning permission and didn’t add a single square foot of space.

Yet, it made the home work. It flowed seamlessly and each space had a purpose and function as well as being ten times more enjoyable to live in. That’s not enough though. You also need to use colour and design to make the space flow and create a ‘lifestyle’ that people can buy into. You’ve created the spaces a new family wants. Now you need to sell it with your styling and staging. Never underestimate this.

So take a good look at your home’s layout. Do you really need that extension? Or, can you just reconfigure your home and then style it up?

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Adding an en suite/downstairs loo - adds at least 5%

Everyone wants their own bathroom these days. We have ‘couple’ friends that won’t even share with each other! You’ll maximise your profit if you can eke out another bathroom without having to build an extension, so again, study your floor plans. Be certain of providing enough distance from the bed as well as privacy and a means of ventilation. No one wants to hear or smell bathroom activity.

I think a downstairs loo is one of the most important things in a home. It doesn’t need a lot of space, but provides much needed convenience for all the family. Under the stairs can work, but just not next to the electrical supply.

Restoring period features - adds a possible whopping 30%

Who knew? Character is something money just can’t buy. If you live in a period home then I believe it’s your duty to restore any original features to their former glory and why wouldn’t you if it increases your home’s value by that much? People pay extra for this kind of thing guys, so don’t overlook it.

We had many beautiful fireplaces, ceiling roses, cornices and floors in the Victorian house, but a lot of them were looking worse for wear. In some rooms they had been removed entirely and so I saw it as my job to put them back.

A word of warning though. The work you do will only add value if it’s done to a high standard. YouTube is your best friend and plenty of practice. If you really think it’s beyond you then get the experts in, but that could eat up your profit, so do your homework.

Sometimes it is prudent to know when something is beyond you. The cornices and ceiling roses from our master bedroom and the dining room had all been removed and replaced with polystyrene. Luckily, we had examples of what would have been there in other rooms, so I employed a genius of a man to take mouldings and do all the hard work. It’s a real skill. He also had a full library of period mouldings he could utilise. His name was Phil and you can find him at Traditional Plaster Mouldings.

Insulation, new boiler, central heating, double glazing and solar panels - a possible 20%

These are the really boring ones I’m afraid, but they can make a substantial difference to your home’s worth and make it much more efficient, cheaper to run and more comfortable for you to live in.

But never ever replace beautiful existing single-glazed period windows that are in good order with uPVC. Either refurbish the originals, or replace with quality wooden double-glazed frames. Solar panels apparently increase value, but the returns are not half as good as they were and I personally hate the look of them. We have them on the roof of our deckhouse, but it’s flat, so I don’t have to lay eyes on them.

Adding off-road parking and increasing kerb appeal - adds up to 15%

So many homes have more than one car now. With children living at home longer and all of them learning to drive, that can increase to three or even four cars. Parking has become a huge issue in the last 15 years or so, particularly in built up areas. Adding even just one parking space to your front garden can add between £13,000 and £50,000 to your home. It’s a no-brainer.

However, kerb appeal is also very important, so you need to try and get the balance right between parking and planting. First impressions are everything. Plus, thousands of front gardens are being removed in the UK alone on a weekly basis, causing all sorts of issues for the environment, the natural world and the air we breathe. If you are considering a driveway, then it needs to be permeable and please don’t forget the planting, the bees and the birds.

Landscaping/planting the garden, adding an outdoor room or conservatory - adds up to 10% for the garden and a possible 10% for the outdoor room.

I’m going to be writing a whole post about the importance of the garden when home renovating, but it’s clear to see that it shouldn’t be an afterthought. Creating an outdoor space that flows seamlessly from inside to out, that welcomes you and invites you to stay, is so important. Make sure to create zones for entertaining, play and relaxing as well as providing much needed beauty and joy through planting.

The Victorian house we owned had a large walled garden, which was in a terrible state. It certainly wasn’t in any way inviting. I started work on it before a lot of the internal works. I believe in starting early to allow the plants to mature as quickly as possible. Plus, the immense happiness it brings me enables me to find the strength to carry on with all the DIY as well as giving me a space to relax afterwards.

We replaced the dilapidated conservatory with a hard wood, double-glazed one. In all honesty, we did get it at a reduced rate due to my work on social media though. The glass panels were designed to reflect the sun’s rays so that it didn’t get too hot in the summer months. We added central heating to keep it warm in winter. It’s essential that you make sure a new conservatory can be used all year round and that it has a clear purpose, otherwise it becomes a dumping ground.

Updating a kitchen - adds up to 10%

If there is one room in the house that matters the most it’s the kitchen. Most people prefer an open plan kitchen/diner these days, so do consider knocking a wall down. You don’t have to spend a fortune on a new kitchen. The one I installed in our last home was flat pack and I fitted myself. My husband did all the plumbing.

You may have a pretty decent kitchen already, but it just needs updating. Don’t underestimate the value of paint, new door furniture and hard graft. Perhaps replace the worktop, the appliances, or the sink and taps? If you’re thinking of selling then your profit margin is everything. Don’t spend what you don’t need to.

I’ve written a whole course on creating a kitchen. You can find that here.

Buying Land

In 2013 we bought a detached home with a steep garden. At the top of that garden was a relatively flat field with views to die for. It was my mission to buy it. We had to borrow the money from my father-in-law and that took us a few years to pay off. For us, that £45,000 was an enormous amount of money, but it was garden land and to me worth every penny. We were told it added as much as £150,000 to the home’s value, or 10%.

If you are garden space challenged, perhaps look at your neighbours. Do they have space you could buy? You’ll have to pay all of the legal costs for both parties, but it could be worth it.

Get planning permission - adds up to 10%

This is the one that could cost you the least, but make you the most money if you don’t actually do the extension/building work yourself and sell the home on for someone else to have the bother.

Although we have always used an architect for planning, other than for outbuildings, it isn’t actually essential to employ one. Simple to scale sketches are all that’s needed and it is possible to do it all yourself. Building regulations are different and you will require a structural engineer for that, but if you’re intending to sell with permission, then they won’t be required. Effectively, with some practice, a little homework on the internet for how best to draw up plans yourself and around £400 for the planning fees, you could add many many thousands to the value of your home.

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