However keen we are as home improvers, all of us need a little a little inspiration from time to time. Instagram obliges pleasingly, with many squares awash with ideas and practical know-how. There is little so satisfying as following crafty home renovations from start to finish. Here are few to ensure you catch the bug and get started. Power drills at the ready.
Margate Ben
Ben Alden-Falconer began his Instagram account in 2017 to accompany a column he writes for a local paper about his hands-on renovation of an Edwardian house in Margate. Doing all the work himself, he shares the wisdom he’s picked up along the way, as well as the highs, the lows – and the stunning results. Who could not fall for this beautiful window? Follow progress here.
Room For Tuesday
Sarah Gibson is the woman behind Room For Tuesday’s grid, which began life in 2014. Restoration of vintage furniture, design inspiration and, most recently, a renovation of a camper van are all covered on her grid, and as such, there is inspiration aplenty to be had. On that last point, expect to start mysteriously yearning for a life on the road. Follow progress here.
Maison Medoc
Yolanda Edwards and Matt Hranek first fell in love with one another in the Medoc region. Together, they then they fell in love with two houses which, since 2014, they have been busy yoking together into a single, knock-out home. We love their style, which focuses on natural materials to create a warm and rustic minimalist look. We also want to dive into this beautiful image of their outdoor space, tinged as it is with the sweetest memories of summer. Follow progress here.
Artists House Brockley
This two-bedroom flat in Brockley was once a standard Victorian terrace affair. Since Eliza Hopewell and Theodore Vass moved in, all that has changed, thanks to their vision. Both are artists – she works in ceramics, while his medium is chiefly wood – and this is no tick-box identikit woodburner/Butler sink/ Crittall doors affair; instead they have used bold colours and interesting forms to create a home that is one of a kind. Follow progress here.
Crack The Shutters
Manchester-based Jen Rothbury’s Instagram is jam-packed with brilliant tips and can-do attitude. We love the wide-ranging posts, from advice on how to keep your home warm during winter to ambitious projects such as full-scale DIY shiplap panelling. Looking for tips on how to hack IKEA furniture? This is the place to come for doable yet creative ideas on that score. If you’ve ever felt daunted by a big DIY project, this account will help to dispel the fear. Follow progress here.
Renovation By The Channel
For anyone who has ever dreamt of upping sticks and moving to the seaside, Tom and Maria’s renovation project might just prove all the inspiration you need to push you off this side of the fence and into the other. Renovating an 1860s detached house, they have opened up the kitchen and sitting room amongst other projects, breathing new life in to these neglected but beautiful bones. Follow progress here.
H Cottage
Tom and Emma’s transformation of an 18th-century weaver’s cottage in Edinburgh is wholly satisfying, not to mention inspiring, to watch. They have been at it since 2017, doing the vast majority of it all by themselves. And it is an absolute beauty to behold – helped, in no small part, by the fact that they both work within the built environment (he as an architect; she as a town-planner). The pared-back aesthetic is very pleasing and the progress a joy and a marvel to watch – not least considering that both have held down full-time jobs. They say, ‘Our self-build journey has met all the stereotypical hurdles: awful weather, aching muscles, inexperience and tight purse strings; testing our patience, determination, decision making and optimism in our quest to make our dream a reality.’ Despite all that, we’d say they’re doing pretty perfectly. Follow progress here.
By Nancy Alsop
December 2022
