Moving down to the other ‘end’ of the room is my console table (in colour ‘Truffle’) with statement feather prints which you can find on Etsy here. They are in Ikea ‘Ribba’ white 40x50cm frames. The table has two lamps which were from The Range originally, these gorgeous little artificial hedge urns from Hudson Home. Below is the large Somerton basket from Neptune with my favourite pom pom chunky knit throw from M&S in it then two silver easel frames here. Elsa & Rory are so EXCITED to go away in it. I can’t wait to share with you all what we get up to & spontaneous breaks to explore the beautiful country we live in. this is what it looks like now! I’ve painted the double doors white to freshen them up, but will eventually change those along with the other internal doors throughout the house. Within hours of getting the caravan home, I was on the case & basically started ripping it apart. I waved goodbye to the yellow curtains, pulled up the stained carpeting & scrubbed everything with sugar soap to remove any grease/dust to prep for painting. It was a complete blank canvas & already looked so much brighter & lighter. You can see stories highlighted on my feed to give you an idea!

Now, 6 months later I sit here typing this being the most content & happy I’ve ever been. Of course, it hasn’t been easy especially doing a renovation pretty much single handedly & our budget disappearing at a great rate of knots due to rising material prices. I’ve had the occasional ‘what have I done’ when the dust is everywhere & I’m missing my friends, but all in all, it’s been the best thing we’ve ever done.

We had lots of prosecco & some delicious canapés but the best part was definitely the most incredible cake made by Cakes By Sadie Smith& topped off with my logo & signature bee by Alices Accessories. Josh Olson was the only student in his second grade class to see The House That Dripped Blood. Many years later, he wrote and directed the no-budget horror film, INFESTED, a brutal assault on The Big Chill, with zombies. He went on to write the screenplay for A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE and was nominated for the WGA, BAFTA and Academy Awards for Best Screenplay. He kept losing to Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, but that’s okay. Thought number 1 was to put a log burner where the TV is. After consulting with some fitters I was told that I’d need to bring the wall out a substantial amount which would then mean that it would make the room an even odder shape & we’d quite literally have to squeeze past the arms of the sofa to go & sit down. I also got told about the maintenance & safety issues surrounding log burners & children which I have to admit did put me off. Don’t starve yourself – I’m not 100% sure how it makes sense, but the weeks where I am so busy I forget to eat enough or that I’m desperate to reach a number on the scales so restrict myself, I don’t end up losing as much. It’s the weeks when I feel like I’m constantly eating (the right things…) that I get the best results. Eases transition into own room/cot – baby is already familiar with the Sleepyhead when he/she is eventually transitioned into a large spacious cot (which many babies find daunting compared to co-sleeping or a moses basket).

This whole room was actually inspired by two ‘hero’ pieces above, which I bought because I saw them when sourcing for clients & they were too much of a bargain to pass up, although I had no idea where actually they’d go. These were the two massive ribbed lamps & the 4 large framed leaf/plant prints. I designed the space around these as my starting point.I’ve decided, a year (& a month) on, to take on the challenge again but this time with a slight twist. This will give Mr THTMM (who’s doing it too) & I a bit of a boost just before Christmas. I painted the windows white, something that again runs through the house & instantly makes such a difference. I used Zinsser B-I-N followed by 2 coats of Dulux Diamond in eggshell. He started by building the stud wall to house the stove. This was literally a frame of wooden beams with plasterboard attached. Obviously if you install a real log burner you have to follow fire safety guidelines like having special heat boards. After Joe finally woke up, I was so excited to show him my find but was met with ‘yeah it’s okay I suppose but I don’t know why you’re so obsessed with it, it’s nothing special’. My parents also weren’t sold on it but I eventually managed to persuade them to view it as well as another couple of other options up this way. Throughout it all, I was adamant that this would be the one we were going to move to. I have a video of the day we drove up to view, coming up the lane & I say ‘are you ready guys, because we’re going to live here one day’ to which they all laughed. In the end they left that viewing loving it as much as I did. Versatile – can be used when baby is sleeping OR awake for tummy time, a play or even changing mat.

Paint colour is Dulux ‘Almond White’ which we have running through the entire open plan living/kitchen/dining rooms. A gorgeous off white which makes it look very bright but also has a warm tone. Lighting wise, this house doesn’t actually have ceiling lights & at first I was going to get an electrician in to put them in, but then I thought about it & actually we never used our main lighting, instead preferring soft mood lighting from lamps in the evening. I replaced the wall lighting with these antique brass Millhouse from John Lewis& love the soft glow. I’m undecided about putting some art work below them but at the moment want to keep this space feeling fairly fresh & bright. I also got this antique brass lever arm floor lamp, currently in the sale from Dunelm. Be kind to yourself– remember that you are not defined by the number on those scales. You are a beautiful person & so very loved, so whether you start now or in a year, it really doesn’t matter. Don’t let anyone tell you any different! More than anything, make sure you’re doing it for yourself first & foremost. The pale green cushions were from Etsy& are a beautiful sage colour, the perfect tone to soften the look as I was conscious of my neutral routes & didn’t want to go too dark. They are handmade & brilliant quality!You then lead down the hallway to the 3 bedrooms; two doubles (one with ensuite) & a twin bedroom, just perfect for a family.