So the good news is that the building phase is officially complete! Can I get a ‘hell yeah’?! Of course, this doesn’t mean it’s done done. Oh, not by a long shot – we have so much to get on with ourselves but essentially, all the things we hired contractors to do is pretty much finished and the shell is ready now for us to complete – HURRAH! Of course, I’ll be talking through more of what is going to be happening inside the house but for this post, I wanted to talk about the outside.

The thing is we’ve ended up taking on a project that we’d not really anticipated when we started off this building journey but I need to start off from the beginning to explain.

Ya see, we knew there’d be an impact on the area just outside of the extension. Some large plants, as well as a bay tree, had to be removed in the course of the building work.

back garden of Victorian house with cherry tree

However, our very mature garden probably has no less than around 100 different trees, plants, shrubs and flowers within its fences and so losing a few was sad, yes, but certainly not detrimental to the overall look and feel of our outside space. You can see what it looked like last summer in the picture above and that’s just one corner of the garden!

We’d always knew, in fact, that over the next few years, we wanted to extend the small patio area that’s just outside the current kitchen (seen above) across the whole back of the house to where the new kitchen will be located, creating a lovely courtyard effect between the party wall (essentially our neighbour’s outside wall) all the way to what would have been the old outhouse (now just used for storage which you can see above with the ladder leaning against it). We’d planned on ripping out the old paving slabs and tiling across the entirety, creating a really lovely entertaining area just outside the back door.

Now, this courtyard patio was most certainly a future plan. Something we knew we’d eventually do but with other priorities on the inside of the house, that was just going to have to wait until we had both the time and the money to do the project properly. As I said, this wasn’t something we were anticipating doing now.

However, once the builders had finally left (actually we realised this before they did), what was left on the other side of the patio was basically a barren wasteland where not even a single strand of grass remained. Removing the top layers of soil, grass and plants in this area had essentially already been done as a result of the building work and now we were left with a big open space which would be right outside the kitchen window. Looking out onto a mud patch wasn’t exactly the vision I’d had for my new kitchen.

And so, we had to come up with a plan of action that first, didn’t take up too much of our time (we have a lot to get on with on the inside before the kitchen is installed) and something that didn’t cost the earth either (pun entirely intended but the truth is, our savings have all but been depleted with every penny going into the building work). It had to be fairly economical and easy to DIY and so a new slightly temporary plan was born.

I say temporary because I’d still love to do the tiling work and we will in time. But for now, our plans are using what we have available to us and cutting costs in other ways.

At this moment, there are two seating areas in the garden – the one closest to the house as I’ve been talking about as well as another area of paving slabs around halfway down the garden – looking slightly knackered and worse for wear after the winter season above. This area is a wonderful little suntrap and the surrounding trees mean it’s entirely private too and so it’s something we knew we wanted to keep. The seating area is comprised of the very same paving slabs that are used closest to the house and so we decided that we’d actually have enough slabs to do the entire ‘courtyard’ area if we just lifted and relocated these slabs. So, they aren’t pretty fancy tiles but they’ll do for now as we’re saving a tonne of money.

Of course, once we removed these slabs from this area, we’d then need something to replace the slabs we’d removed so we can keep that seating area where it is. We decided the most economical option was to buy a deck kit with essentially the same footprint as the old patio.

So with these plans in mind, we began work a couple of weekends ago, digging a few inches out where the new/old paving slabs would be laid, creating a huge pile of removed earth in the process which will later be used in some raised planters.

The groundwork completed, we paused while the builders finished everything on the snag list and awaited deliveries of what we needed to complete the job.

On Saturday morning, we began work, lifting and removing each of the slabs (all 58 of them – it was very tiring work!) from the patio that sits in the middle of the garden.

Once this was done, we covered the area with a weed protector and slightly adapted the frame of new deck to fit the exact footprint left behind by the original patio.

We got the deck kit from Edecks who have a whole section on their site of what they call ‘rejects’ – essentially these are decking materials that aren’t quite as high quality as their normal range and so are cheaper in price. Figuring we’ll save around £200 on the price of a similar kit from their normal range, we took the plunge on a 3.6M x 3.6M kit. (And nope, this isn’t sponsored, we paid for these ourselves just in case you were wondering).

Quito on the new deck

Having built decks in the past, there is a slight difference in quality but overall, once the deck was built, it was difficult to tell the difference. The kit came with everything we needed to create a frame and attach the decking boards to it.

oiling a deck

Once the deck was built (it took us a couple of hours to build), I put a coat of oil on it to protect it but I didn’t buy enough to do a second coat (the wood just sucked it right up!) so I’ll need to do a second coat once I get more oil.

While I was oiling the deck, Wayne was busy with the courtyard area, moving nearly a tonne of aggregate and spreading it across the area where the slabs will be laid. We still need to compact the aggregate to create a solid base for the slabs but by then, it was 4pm and we’d been working flat out for 7 hours so we figured we’d call it a day! Plus, we had a new deck to enjoy.

Decked seating area

So this is really just a progress report – the deck still needs a second coat of oil and of course, I’m looking forward to properly styling it as we just put our existing furniture back in this spot! We also need to complete the courtyard patio as well as painting the entire lower back of the house – not a small job by any means but we need to blend the extension with the rest of the property! So, there’s plenty more to come out here! Have you been doing any gardening work this summer? Let me know in the comments!


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Swoon Worthy
back garden of Victorian house with cherry tree
Quito on the new deck
oiling a deck
Decked seating area
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My little neglected makeup/dressing room has had a glow up 🥰

#swoonworthy #beforeandafter #dressingroom #makeupvanity #closetgoals
My new rug can't compete with that belly.

Rug is from @laredoute_uk (not an ad) not that anyone cares 😅

#kitchendesign
I've really loved making these pretty reusable Christmas crackers! I'm still in the process of finding cute bits for filling them but they'll definitely be a centrepiece for my table this year!🎄💕

Suggestions for what to fill them with coming soon!

(By the way, I'm not a skilled seamstress so I'm sure my techniques can be improved but just sharing what worked for me 🤗😅)

Let me know if this is something you'd try? ❤️

#swoonworthy #christmasdecor #christmascraft #diychristmas #diycrafts #easysewingproject
On 22 October 2022, I married my best friend! I can't believe it's been a whole year (and one day) I've been calling @2nilup my husband 🥰 We've been together for 15 years now and I simply can't and wouldn't want to imagine my life without him ❤️ 

#youandmeagainsttheworld #2222 

Photography: @violajayphotography 
Flowers: @primroseavenuefloral 
Dress: @camillawithlove
DIY REFILLABLE CHRISTMAS CRACKERS 🎄🎉

I've been thinking about making refillable crackers for so many years now - I just hate the waste the disposal ones create! So I'm so excited I've finally gotten around to starting this project!

I will be sharing more details on how to make them as well as ideas for what to fill them with too so stay tuned for more but in the meantime, what do you think? 

#swoonworthy #diychristmas #christmasdecor #christmascraft #easysewingproject #sustainableliving #ecofriendlyliving
Just wanted to introduce my latest plant baby in my dining room 🪴

It's from @botanique_shrewsbury and it's a Peparomia (I am probably pronouncing it wrong, I keep wanting to say
GUEST BEDROOM REVEAL 🌟

I decided on a whim, 2 weeks before we were expecting visiting family, that our guest bedroom was in desperate need of a refresh.

Well there's nothing like an impending deadline to light a 🔥 under my 🍑 and I managed to clear out the clutter, repaint the woodwork, ceilings and walls and hang wallpaper as well as restyle the room in one week 😅 (Meisha was zero help 😼)

I'm calling it Boho Vintage Victorian Grandma 😆

This wasn't sponsored in any way but the wallpaper and bedding is from @lauraashleyuk and the paint is @earthbornpaints Peach Baby - everything else I already had!

What do you think of the new look? ❤️

#bedroombeforeandafter #guestroom
#bedroommakeover
#beforeandafter
#bedroomdecor #cottagecore #vintagestyle #victorianhouse #ihavethisthingwithpink #bengalsofinstagram
🔥JOIN US ROUND THE FIRE PIT! 🔥

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No more standing around waiting for things to light properly or billowing smoke from wet wood, everything burns beautifully! ☺️ We literally sat around this for hours as the logs last so long, long after the sun set, just chatting and enjoying ourselves! 🥰🍻🔥

Do you love a good firepit in the summer?

#homefire #readytoburn #smokelessbyhomefire #heartofyourhome #logsbyhomefire #summerideas #firepit #gardenideas
San Sebastian photo dump - just a tiny selection 😄

We have had such a fabulous holiday to Basque Country - our first 4 days spent in the beautiful city of San Sebastian, land of pintxos, stunning architecture and some damn good wine.

#sansebastian #travelgram #photodump
A little kitchen reshuffle today so I thought I'd share 🥰

It's been 4 years since we created this space and it's still one of my favourites ♥️

#kitchendesign #kitchendecor #kitcheninspiration #kitchenideas #openshelvingkitchen #kitchenstyling
Ad 🩷 Before and after Deck makeover! 🩷

This little decked patio was looking worse for wear after a wet winter but @frenchicpaint came to the rescue with their beautiful Dusty Blush Alfresco Paint, perfect for all your outdoor projects!

The deck has been a few colours over the past few years but this is definitely the most fun and gives the whole space such a tropical vibe - even in Shrewsbury! 🏝️ 🦩🍹😄

The paint has incredible coverage and was so nice to use - I loved the tools they provided too, especially the oval brush which got into all the nooks and crannies easily!

Let me know what you think of the new colour! 

#frenchicpaint #beforeandafter #deckmakeover #gardeninspiration #gardeninspo #outdoorproject
So on a whim I decided to paint the bedroom pink yesterday 😅🩷

This room has been neglected for so long as I've wanted to fully redecorate for about 3 years now but there are always other bigger priorities or a lack of time/energy/money so I keep putting it off 🙃🙃🙃 (tell me I'm not the only one) but happily this didn't cost a penny as I used what I already had although it did take me the best part of a day!

I went through my paint stash and found that I had extra @coatpaints Percy from when I did the living room early last year -- well I'm not one to let something this good go to waste (honestly this paint is absolutely wonderful to work with and has amazing coverage) and my goodness it's just so pretty in here 🥰 I also moved my pink curtains from my office into here and the whole room just glows!

I might actually be able to live with the mural a little longer until the room gets the attention it deserves! Let me know if you like the change ♥️

*For those who are wondering, it used to be white walls and I had grey curtains! 😅

#swoonworthy #bedroomdecor #bedroommakeover #bedroomdesign #pinkpinkpink #pinkinteriors
A little photo dump from my recent living room shoot because I still love to dig into the details of a still photo 😄💕

#swoonworthy #swoonworthyscents #livingroominspo #livingroomdesign #photodump
ad How to De-stress at Home in 6 Simple Steps 😊

April has been #stressawarenessmonth and so I've teamed up with the wonderful @frenchbedroom to share a few simple tips in creating a cosy sanctuary at home!

One of my favourite ways to add a feeling of comfort and relaxation is with glorious touchable textures and the stunning Mulberry Silk ruffled cushion from French Bedroom not only looks spectacular but feels incredible too! Pairing this with other feel-good fabrics will add depth to your design and will beg you to sink in and unwind 😍

French Bedroom are also now stocking my own home fragrance brand @swoonworthyscents candles, adding another element of calm with scent to your home. I chose No 02 Sunday Morning for my living room with rejuvenating Jasmine and refreshing pine and lemon notes 🥰

Check out my latest blog post for more tips on creating a relaxing sanctuary in your home via the link in my bio!

#swoonworthy #swoonworthyscents #frenchbedroom #livingroominspo #livingroomdesign #calming #aesthetic #cottagecoreaesthetic
Who needs pancakes when you can have Lemon Drizzle Cake with Lemoncello glaze?! 😉🍋

I've had such a craving for this cake for a while so figured I'd make it today! This is a recipe from @bbcgoodfood and it's rather gorgeous 🥰

#baking #lemondrizzle #lemoncake #bakewithlove #shrovetuesday
Are you lucky enough to be owned by a cat? 🐈🐾

#bengallove #bengalsofinstagram #bengalcat #bengal #catsofinstagram #catlife
Finally managed to get the gallery wall completed in our hallway!

I couldn't have been happier with @violajayphotography capturing our little intimate wedding in October and knew as soon as I saw the photos I had to print them for our home! I admit, I've never been one to hang photos but it's probably because all we ever had after 14 years together was selfies 😂🤷🏽‍♀️ I'm so pleased we finally have some lovely shots of us together 🥰

Do you have photos of you/your partner/your family up around your home?? 🤔

#gallerywall #autumnwedding #hallwaydesign #hallwayinspo
✨These little vintage copper pans needed some TLC! ✨

After searching for a while for vintage copper pans, I found these on eBay - they looked quite grim on the ad but I knew they could be shined up nicely! A little @barkeepersfriend later (not an ad!) and I'm loving how they look in my kitchen 🥰

Let me know if you like the new addition ❤️

#kitcheninspo #kitchendesign #vintagestyle #kitchenstyling
Oh hey living room, nice to have you back ☺️

I always feel very ready to remove the excess of Christmas decor pretty much as soon as the 26th arrives but I've been later than usual this Twixmas as we've both been unwell the last couple weeks 🤦🏽‍♀️ Nevertheless, I've managed to get things packed away and I styled this little faux arrangement today for my coffee table so ya know, small victories 😄🙌🏽

#livingroom #livingroominspo #fauxflowers #coffeetabledecor