Our Village Bungalow

There’s nothing I love more than a good snoop around other peoples’ homes, so I’m delighted to start a season of house tours, right here on the blog. I’ve hunted down my favourite homes and chatted to their inhabitants about how they live their with their families. It’s a dream for a Nosey Parker like me! 

Kicking off the series I decided to begin with my own home, which we moved to in December of last year…

The hallway and front door. Table, Pash Living. Rug, Wayfair.

First off, who lives in your home and how long have you been there?
I live with my two Children, Elfie and Hux (you might have heard of them ;). We’ve been in our home since last December; moving 9 days before Christmas was literally one of the silliest things I’ve ever done but at least it meant we were all unpacked for the festive period.

We live next door to my parents in a lovely village in Buckinghamshire: our move was mostly driven by school catchment areas (it worked – I found out today we made it into the right middle school for Elfie!) and to be honest, I was happy to move closer towards our main support system.

So far it’s been brilliant. We have the odd cross word – my mum says I’m moodier than she thought I was, but show me a sleep-deprived single parent who isn’t – and the children love being so close to their grandparents.

Our main living space. Pink sofa, DFS. Blue sofa, Habitat. Cushions, M&S, M&S, Made.com, Artwork, by me!

What’s the situation in your house?
We live in what used to be a 60s bungalow (well, it still is a bungalow!) that was completely overhauled to look as lovely as it does today. There are three bedrooms though one is currently being used as storage – there are plans for an extension this year.

At the bottom of the gym is a gym/office used by my parents.

We’re pretty much completely open-plan which is both a blessing and a curse. It’s one of the things I love most about this house because I can be around the kids as much as possible, but being around the kids all the time is one of the most difficult things about the house ;)

Study room and open-plan breakfast (lunch and dinner) area. Bar stools, IKEA. 

Talk us through the rooms of your home…
We have big front doors that lead through to the dining room, where my pride and joy marble tulip table lives (I bought it specifically for this room) with Eames chairs. Underneath this is a bright rug from Wayfair that sets the tone for the whole house – I love it.

All our rooms are on one floor and lead off this entrance hall, starting with the kids’ room which they share. They have a little bathroom off their bedroom which is a godsend but is always covered in toothpaste!

The kids have SO much stuff and it’s tricky to keep tidy though they’re getting better at tidying themselves. They have many boxes and bins for toy storage, and shelves above their bed where they store their ‘special’ treasures.

Their clothes are kept in an open wardrobe from IKEA which looks slightly messy but means it’s easier for them to put them back themselves. In theory.

My bedroom is next to theirs and is always light-filled: it has big glass doors leading out to a little patio (perfect for morning cups of tea when it’s warmer). I’m lucky to have a walk-in wardrobe and a big bathroom so I try to keep a minimum amount of ‘stuff’ in my room… I like it totally clean and clutter free, partly because I have a habit of seeing scary shapes in the middle of the night if I leave things lying around.

My bed rivals my tulip table for being my pride and joy – the base is Habitat and the mattress the Hilary Devey collection at Duvalay (it took months to make a decision on this with so many mattress options around). I’m happy to report I’m at the desired hotel levels of comfort, though.

Bed frame, Habitat. Mattress, Hilary Devey Collection at Duvalay. Bedside tables, Apple Crates. 

Our little office space is off the lounge and is where I store my books, paperwork and electronics such as printer and scanner. I don’t work here, preferring to use the breakfast bar (best view) or desk in my room instead.

The kitchen is not too big and not too small – it’s perfect. I love that I can watch TV while I’m cooking or cleaning up, and I spend a lot of time in here. My dad cleverly re-purposed the kitchen units from their old kitchen, adding a new worktop and breakfast bar. You’d never know – It’s beautiful.

There are more sliding doors out to the garden in this space which are fab: the light in this room is insane (almost too good on bright days) but I’m constantly worrying about my velvet sofa being bleached by the sun!

How would you describe your interiors aesthetic?
Good question! I like Scandi/Mid-century style, but I think my aesthetic is a little warmer than this standard. I love textures, greenery, cushions and blankets, soft rugs… I like meaningful objects and ever single item in my home was carefully chosen or gratefully inherited ;)

What’s your favourite thing about your home?
That it is so easy to relax here. All three of us feel very comfortable in this house, and I feel that’s a product of our soft furnishings, cosy rugs and having our favourite things around us.

And what are you most proud of?
Furnishing it has really been a labour of love. I knew we were moving about 9 months before we actually did, so I started plotting and pinning well in advance. I love absolutely every piece here and, save for a slightly larger work desk and a miracle storage solution for the childrens’ belongings, everything here is perfect.