Homes actually look better when you have to work within your means and come up with creative solutions – rather than simply throwing money at the walls.
From the pictures I’ve seen of your house, the decoration is amazing, so it’s fascinating to learn what you didn’t do! I always felt that the previous owners of my flat tried to cover up all its quirks and make it into something it’s not - although I’m forever grateful they covered over the 1970s orange and brown tiles! Absolutely agree that not having the budget to do everything at once makes for a more thoughtful outcome, honouring the house itself.
Such a great post Kate, and so lovely to see more of you beautiful home. You are absolutely right about budget, and while I am in the middle of my own reno (downsizing to a little Victorian terrace after divorce), all my extravagant plans have had to be downsized too. But it has been part of the adventure to find solutions within my very tight budget, and realise that the house will be all the better for it. May I add to your already mentioned resources: reclamation yards are great sources of all sorts of goodies that can be cleaned up and reused. And I've scored some great fabric and wallpaper from the Haines Collection too!
I love this Kate! Such a fab read. Feels especially poignant as we are house hunting at the moment and I'm constantly thinking how we can embrace the Italian features!
Such an interesting read and very wise advice. I have learned to love my new house as I’ve done things over the last year. I don’t have the funds to redo or move the kitchen but it now reflects my style a bit more. Thanks for the inspiration xx
Wonderful, helpful, inspiring post. I made big mistakes when we moved in to our current house (grey fitted carpets - what was I thinking) and we can’t afford to change them. But this post has given me some hope and also, actually, excitement about what I do next. So thank you!
Yes! The funny thing about having the money to do everything perfectly at once is that the end result ends up looking less expensive than one where there’s a mix of just-right and not-quite-right! I recently wrote a post related to this that fans of this piece might enjoy! ☺️
This is such good advice!! Our little house here in Venice is narrow & quirky. We bought it from a gondoliers wife! We repainted over a neon green room with Inchrya blue & pulled up the faux wood floors that covered a mishmash of terrazzo upstairs. I’m still waiting for the marble backsplash for the kitchen but we found a falegname who transformed our old oak dining table from Zimbabwe into the kitchen counter.
I totally agree with everything you have said. Slow cooked homes that tell the story of their owners’ lives through the art and things they’ve gathered over the years are always so much more interesting, stylish and personal than anything where everything is newly bought (even if that includes antiques). We’ve just bought a house which needs loads of work. There is a fitted “wall unit” in the sitting room that was a bespoke piece put in in the 80s. I love it and have no intention of getting rid of it. It will house all my mid century “junk” I’ve bought in flea markets over the years!
From the pictures I’ve seen of your house, the decoration is amazing, so it’s fascinating to learn what you didn’t do! I always felt that the previous owners of my flat tried to cover up all its quirks and make it into something it’s not - although I’m forever grateful they covered over the 1970s orange and brown tiles! Absolutely agree that not having the budget to do everything at once makes for a more thoughtful outcome, honouring the house itself.
I think with houses (and people too) we often have to learn to love their quirks and being able to remake it all it once means we lose something.
Such a great post Kate, and so lovely to see more of you beautiful home. You are absolutely right about budget, and while I am in the middle of my own reno (downsizing to a little Victorian terrace after divorce), all my extravagant plans have had to be downsized too. But it has been part of the adventure to find solutions within my very tight budget, and realise that the house will be all the better for it. May I add to your already mentioned resources: reclamation yards are great sources of all sorts of goodies that can be cleaned up and reused. And I've scored some great fabric and wallpaper from the Haines Collection too!
Love Jules at Haines. And yes it’s very satisfying to find creative solutions isn’t it.
I love this Kate! Such a fab read. Feels especially poignant as we are house hunting at the moment and I'm constantly thinking how we can embrace the Italian features!
Ooh where are you looking? Will we be neighbours. Piemonte apparently the best investment at the moment. Still affordable.
Oh, I wish! We're looking around Milan near where we currently live, as Dario works a lot in and around the city, but prices are soaring.
I absolutely adore this post! Not least because I am a budgeter to my bones & business, but because we’re also renovating our French house!
Superb read I thoroughly enjoyed & agree with everything you said.
My impatience is my Achilles heel, I want it done yesterday but also love the revealing. Bit by bit. And, with a sharp eye on the budget!
Lucy
Well yes mine too. That’s why I try and get the basics done so it’s liveable and then colour it in for years to come.
The best bit!
Such an interesting read and very wise advice. I have learned to love my new house as I’ve done things over the last year. I don’t have the funds to redo or move the kitchen but it now reflects my style a bit more. Thanks for the inspiration xx
Wonderful, helpful, inspiring post. I made big mistakes when we moved in to our current house (grey fitted carpets - what was I thinking) and we can’t afford to change them. But this post has given me some hope and also, actually, excitement about what I do next. So thank you!
What a great read and a fabulous house
Yes! The funny thing about having the money to do everything perfectly at once is that the end result ends up looking less expensive than one where there’s a mix of just-right and not-quite-right! I recently wrote a post related to this that fans of this piece might enjoy! ☺️
https://open.substack.com/pub/hannahberrymakes/p/the-english-elegance-of-letting-things?r=76nnu&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
This is such good advice!! Our little house here in Venice is narrow & quirky. We bought it from a gondoliers wife! We repainted over a neon green room with Inchrya blue & pulled up the faux wood floors that covered a mishmash of terrazzo upstairs. I’m still waiting for the marble backsplash for the kitchen but we found a falegname who transformed our old oak dining table from Zimbabwe into the kitchen counter.
This sounds wonderful. We must do a full house tour piece of you would like?
I would LOVE that!
I shall DM you x
I can decorate with my ability to use vibrant coloration from @nicpro and @montanacolors
I totally agree with everything you have said. Slow cooked homes that tell the story of their owners’ lives through the art and things they’ve gathered over the years are always so much more interesting, stylish and personal than anything where everything is newly bought (even if that includes antiques). We’ve just bought a house which needs loads of work. There is a fitted “wall unit” in the sitting room that was a bespoke piece put in in the 80s. I love it and have no intention of getting rid of it. It will house all my mid century “junk” I’ve bought in flea markets over the years!