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How lockdown impacted our renovation plans and interior style

August 10, 2020 Rebekah Killigrew House of Texture

Pre-lockdown, the renovation plan was pretty simple; the renovation plan was this: live with the in-laws for as long as possible before driving them insane, meanwhile gut the house, knock down a dividing wall, replace all of the windows and add some French doors, upgrade the outbuilding to an air-tight utility room, paint everywhere white, move in, put our feet up.

Our renovation project, a 3 bed mid-century ex-council property

As we all now know, COVID-19 had other plans for us all this year, and due to lockdown here in the UK, every single one of our renovation choices were impacted. However, as a result, there have been many positive changes to our project, and here’s why.

Living in the renovation

We hadn’t planned on living in our house during the renovation, certainly not during the early messy stages of gutting, demolishing, rewiring and re-plastering – we had originally planned to stay with our in-laws but suddenly needed to hunker down as our own unit. Though I’m not about to say that I enjoyed those early stages, the worst of which are now behind us, living in the house has given us a feel for how we want to live in it day-to-day and how we best use the spaces. 

Living through a renovation is all kinds of dusty

In the main living area, we had initially planned to knock down two sections of a dividing wall on either side of the chimney breast, however we ended up deciding that it would work better for us if we only knocked down the side nearest the garden. This resulted in opening up the main living space enough to create an open-plan feel whilst keeping it closed enough that we still have separate zones and a cosier feel in the lounge area – this more suitable layout wouldn’t have happened if we hadn’t lived in the house beforehand.

We demolished part of a dividing wall

Another big decision that we changed after living in the house was related to the windows and doors; we had planned to completely replace all of them but soon realised that all of the windows were actually in good condition and it felt like a waste of money to replace them all. We decided that we would only update the doors and change one window in the kitchen to create a larger view to the garden. We also made the decision to upgrade to bi-fold doors at the back instead of french doors – the bifolds are over twice the price, but when fitted, will create a much bigger impact on the indoor space and how it connects to the garden. Again, had we not been living in our house, we wouldn’t have made this decision.

The window in the dining area will be made bigger to maximise garden views

Other smaller but impactful decisions include planning for the fridge-freezer to be kept in the outbuilding to free up space, adding an extra work-top in the kitchen, and turning the landing cupboard into wardrobe space.

We have an outbuilding/utility space that we want to transform into a more useable utility/wet room/boot room, however we also realised that it’s a much bigger project than we initially thought – it’s been bumped to Phase 4, lowest priority.

The outbuilding will eventually be renovated too

Being on furlough

Another big change that we hadn’t counted on pre-lockdown, was me being on furlough from my job. Four days after we moved into our house, I was placed on furlough by my employer and this is something that I am extremely grateful for. It has meant that I have been able to manage the renovation – make all the phone calls, place the orders, send the emails, make all the annoying and fun decisions – and just generally feel like I have something to focus on whilst I’m not in the office.

Whilst on furlough I have been balancing parenting with renovating

That said, renovating so far has been much more tiring and challenging than my job because of course, as a parent, I also have a toddler to look after at home too. When I stop and think about it, I actually have no idea how I would’ve managed what I’ve achieved so far had I still been at work; of course the renovation would still have happened, but not in the same way. I would have been making phone calls in my lunch break and staying up late at night to email suppliers and pick colours and lighting and furniture – that’s not to say that that still hasn’t happened on occasion – but it would have been far more stressful.

My sidekick is never far

Whilst I have been off work on furlough, my husband Tom has still been working – in fact his hours have gone up – and when he’s not working, he’s labouring on the house. There’s not much relief at the moment but we know it will all be worth it, and we both feel extremely grateful to be able to balance parenting with the renovation.

Nothing phases her any more

Labour Cost Savings

Before we started the renovation Tom and I decided that to keep the project as stress-free as possible we were going to pay for a lot of the “big jobs” to be carried out by labourers/trades. We renovated our last house and so knew how stressful it could get and didn’t want the added pressure now that we had a young child (I was pregnant during our last renovation). However, early lockdown equaled no trades, which forced us into starting a lot of the work ourselves, as we didn’t want to sit around and wait to see how long it would last.

Tom’s DIY skills have provided us with the biggest cost-saving

The thing about DIY is, that when you finally get a quote from a professional, you become shocked at the very fair price and decide that you can just do it yourself for free – atleast, that’s what happened to Tom! When lockdown started to ease, suddenly every quote I got was too expensive for Tom and he would decide to do it himself.

Tom’s Dad is also on furlough and after a couple of months of lockdown chill, he became restless and needed a project, and so before we knew it, Tom’s dad would turn up and help – and he still is!

We have only paid for an electrician and plasterer, and have saved money on plumbing, tiling, building and general labouring as a result of lockdown.

Interior Schemes – let there be colour!

The all-white plan for the interiors of the house is slowly changing too. As the house is smaller than our last, my initial instinct was just to paint the whole house white – except for my daughter’s room – to keep it looking as spacious and fresh as possible, and to bring in colour with furniture and accessories.

My daughter’s room has been painted in Powdered Clay by Crown

However, after a couple of weeks of lockdown living with all-beige walls, I quickly decided that I needed to inject more colour. I have a pretty eclectic taste in interiors and an appreciation for nearly all colours, but over the years I’ve always being drawn to pinks, greens, metallics, and monochrome – and these are the main themes that will run through the house, though now, I have made their presence bolder.

the spare room is getting a tonal green treatment

My daughter’s room was always going to be pink, she signed it off months ago, but I’m bringing in more pops of colour too, more greens and lilacs. Whilst our master bedroom is an off-white, I am adding dramatic mustard-gold curtains and lots of metallic touches and contrasting textures. The spare room/office is being transformed into a tonal green space, which mirrors the shades found in our garden.

Master bedroom textures and tones

Though we may still paint the main living space white – we are yet to decorate it – I have gone for a two-tone kitchen (green and white), and will slowly be selecting statement furniture, secondhand or vintage where possible.

an up-cycle project

Everything about my interior choices now feels a lot more considered. I’ve had more time to really think about our individual personalities and how I can reflect them in the house. More than ever, I want to create a home that is so pleasing to us, that should lockdown become tightened again, we are happiest at home. 

Current view to the garden

Outdoor appreciation

We also had big plans for our garden: a decking running across the back, a new BBQ area, a chill out zone at the bottom, and new vegetation. These ideas have all had to take a backseat, and though our garden is wild and lumpy, we are so grateful for our outdoor space. 

The garden was one of the main reasons why we bought the house

One of the main reasons we selected the house was for the garden and it’s size, as well as our village location. Lockdown has given us a deeper appreciation of where we live, we are so privileged to live in such a green area. All of the choices for our main living space have been geared towards connecting to the outdoors, with the flow of the house always gently ushering you towards our garden.

Garden views

Lockdown has reminded me, and I suspect you, that home and the outdoors are so important and they have a direct link to our wellbeing. With this in mind, I continue to research ways in which I can improve my family’s living space in a positive way. I also have a newfound appreciation for my husband’s DIY skills and my own creativity.

And so, I’d love to know, how has lockdown impacted you and your home projects? Have any positives come out of it? Have you taken up some DIY or rediscovered your creative side?

Of course, if you’ve just sat around in your pants enjoying your home, that’s fine too. In fact, I can’t wait to reach that place, that’s the ultimate goal.

Rebekah x

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Welcome.

Texture & Space is a blog that explores creative spaces and places with a focus on the resources and stories that make them unique.

Hello.

Hi – my name is Rebekah, and I am a writer and editor.

I created this blog to share my love of spaces that ooze texture and to highlight diverse stories of work and home.

The common theme running throughout this blog is the importance of the environments we live in and my belief that any space can be viewed as a beautiful and desirable place to be.

Aside from blogging, I can usually be found editing magazines for my day job, chugging down coffee or getting snacks for my toddler.

Thanks for stopping by.

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rebekahkilligrew

rebekahkilligrew
PJs on at 16:45. Double snow-day exhaustion ❄️ PJs on at 16:45. Double snow-day exhaustion ❄️
2 mins at the park and “Mummy, I’m cold, I wan 2 mins at the park and “Mummy, I’m cold, I want to go home.” My sweet, dreaming of warmer days ☀️
New phone, new phone case, red lipstick - who dis? New phone, new phone case, red lipstick - who dis?

Don’t be fooled by the cute stories of time with my daughter and careful edits of my home, I’ve cried with anxiety and frustration just like you, I’ve sent over-thought essays to my family & friends, and I’ve said irrational things to Tom on the regular - and if you find us post-lunchtime, don’t even bother. 

I don’t have any advice (how annoying is advice right now?😂), but sending love to all 💋❤️
#TransformationTuesday because I don’t have the #TransformationTuesday because I don’t have the energy for anything more meaningful 😅

The kitchen is done. Well, sort of - out of shot the pantry door needs to go back on and the sockets need final fix. I’m also still on the hunt for an aesthetically pleasing kettle and toaster, but don’t hold your breath because it took me four years to find a dining plate that I liked. It’s likely we will be living with our cheap reno-kettle (which I thought died on two occasions) for the foreseeable. But, the kitchen is done 🎉 

#houseoftexture #kitchenmakeover #diykitchens
New Years Day ✨ We had such an amazing time last New Years Day ✨ We had such an amazing time last night; stayed up until midnight to hear the chimes, Tom finished off a bottle of Baileys whilst Lula & I danced the night away in the kitchen blasting our fave tunes....just kidding. Tom & I were in bed before 9pm, and Lula decided to wake up at 4:30am and wouldn’t go back to sleep even when we let her in our bed, and we’ve been doing princess puzzles since 5am. Start as you mean to go on! Come at me 2021 ✌🏾
Mismatched dining situ making me very happy 😆 A Mismatched dining situ making me very happy 😆 All furniture sourced on eBay and Facebook Marketplace 🙌🏾 

#houseoftexture #ebayfinds #facebookmarketplace
can’t let go, won’t let go ❤️ #tuesdays can’t let go, won’t let go ❤️ #tuesdays
Christmas miracles do happen folks. After 4 months Christmas miracles do happen folks. After 4 months of patiently waiting, our new sofa has been unwrapped! Let’s not talk about Lula already smudging ice-cream fingers on it (she was nearly turfed out on Christmas Day) ✨

#houseoftexture #minimalinteriors #neutralhome
So I bought this jumper for Tom but I think we alw So I bought this jumper for Tom but I think we always knew where it was headed, and it’s a rather, err, snug fit on me 🤰🏽 I bought a matching one for Lula and I tried to get her to wear it so we could do a cute Xmas photo but she said she only wears it with Daddy 🤷🏽‍♀️ At the beginning of the year I didn’t see myself right where I am now: wet bun, preggo, exhausted, and shunned by my offspring, but that’s where we are at folks 😂 Wishing you all a Merry Christmas full of good roast potatoes (start managing those expectations now!) 👽
Ladz, some progress 🙌🏾 Swipe to see how we Ladz, some progress 🙌🏾

Swipe to see how we got here 😅 the penultimate photo is a temp makeover I did back in April, and the last photo is how it looked when we first moved in 🤗 

#transformationtuesday #limewashpaint #chimneybreast #houseoftexture
Some of my recent editorial work 🤓 I’ve some Some of my recent editorial work 🤓

I’ve somehow managed to edit 3 magazines AND 3 yearbooks in the last 3 months, all crammed into a 3 day working week. 

My brain has been exploding; I’ve read/proofed/edited a ridiculous amount of emails/articles/releases, but I’m so proud of what I’ve managed to achieve and I’ve put a lot of focus on including more diversity within each publication - and let me tell you, it’s hard work seeking out interior designers and architects from under-represented and minority backgrounds. Help!

2 more working days to go and then I have a few weeks off. Obviously I’ll be complaining about being bored within a week 😅

#editorialwork #interiordesignermagazine #architecturemagazine
A much needed day with my cute lil fam 🥰 We dee A much needed day with my cute lil fam 🥰 We deep cleaned the house and then decided to take Rambo on THE muddiest walk 🤦🏽‍♀️ why tho?
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