At Home With Ashley @quinn_house2home
This week I'm at home with Ashley, the creative home interiors lady behind the beautiful instagram account @quinn_house2home where she shares wonderful images of her lovely home in Essex. Read on to learn more about Ashley, her home, lifestyle, and top tips for home styling.
Tell us about you
Hi! My name is Ashley, I’m forty years and I work in the NHS as an Intensive Care Physiotherapist. I live in Essex, in a 4-bedroom detached house with my husband and my two children. We actually only moved into this house last summer. Our home is built in a new build town, we are very lucky to back on to woodland which is protected by the wildlife trust. So, although we can see houses to the front of us, we can see nothing but trees and greenery to the back, so it feels very rural. From where we are we are an easy commute in and out of London which we love, and we are fortunate to have some lovely shops, pubs, and restaurants on our doorstep. For us this move has been perfect.
Tell us about your home
Our home was built in about 1990, it’s a typical new build, very modern, spacious and plain but ready to put your own stamp on. Its built over three floors, with three bedrooms on the second floor and a master bedroom in the roof. The master bedroom and our daughter’s bedroom both have dressing areas and en-suites, it’s definitely going to be a home that we grow in to.
How would you describe your home?
I think I am finding my own style over the last few years; I think before then I wasn't really sure what my style was. I’m definitely a modern girl and I am quite minimalist, it’s definitely an art to have a minimalist home and still keep it homely, hopefully I've found the balance.
Which is your favourite room in the house?
This is a tough one because I have two. I think it will have to be the little snug room off of our kitchen, it was a really cold space with tiled floors and white walls when we moved in. We added the square panelling to the wall which has made such an impact. We’ve got a little sofa area, and it’s perfect to read and relax without being in the lounge where the television is always on. It also has bifold doors that lead out to the garden, so it is a lovely sun trap in the spring and summer months. I just love to sit in it.
How does your home reflect any passions or interests?
We love to travel, and we have a few pieces of art that reflect some special places to my husband and I. I also love to upcycle furniture and give old things a new lease of life. Our dining room table was my first project and I loved it, since then the house is growing in upcycled projects. I have since revamped our side tables, a few old vases, giving them a more ceramic feel and our fireplace to bring it in keeping with the house.
What are your favourite items in the home?
I absolutely love our bed; it has a really lovely high headboard; it feels really luxurious and is a real feature in our bedroom. It was also our first real splurge as a home purchase, so it has a special place in my heart. I also love my Betty Boo, she stands about 3ft tall, and was a gift to me when my husband and I were dating, she has moved into three different homes with us, and doesn’t really go with anything, but I just can’t part with her, she's a real talking point.
When you moved into your house was it the finished article or was it a project?
The house was fairly plain when we moved in, white with a few painted walls so it was a project in terms of injecting some life and personality into it. We have done a lot in the short space of time that we have been here. It has so much potential, and we have so many plans for it so this project will definitely be ongoing for the next few years.
What renovation and decorating have you done?
We made it a priority to decorate the kids' bedrooms as soon as we moved in, it was nice for them to have more space. We hopped on the panelling trend; I love how much it transforms a room. This has been a skill in itself, especially in the maths to work out your spaces, I’ve learnt a lot about angles and how to use a circular saw. We have used multiple styles throughout the projects we have undertaken but I'm so happy with how they have turned out.
Have you had any DIY or styling disasters?
No DIY disasters as such but I did paint a wall in our first home bright red, I look back at pictures of it and cringe. I thought it looked great at the time, but it really didn’t. It also took a lot of paint coats to cover it.
What is your top home styling tip?
I think my top tip would be to believe in your own style, it’s so easy to get confused with all that social media offers. I always go back to my original idea. I recommend keeping your walls fairly neutral and use accessories and artwork to add colour, texture and warmth to your home. This way as your style changes over the years these things are easily recycled or changed without the need for major redecoration.
Is there anything in your home that you couldn’t live without?
A hand casting of myself and my mum that has pride of place in our home. I lost my mum last year to cancer, she had just turned 60, so it’s very special to me.
They say that every home tells visitors a story about who lives there. What do you think your home says about you?
I think it reflects how organised I am, everything has a place. I think it’s also a very welcoming and calm home, people always say how much they love being here. I hope that’s a reflection of us as a family and the home we are creating.
The Home Edit
Lived-in or showhome?
Show home
If you could only paint your walls one colour, which one would it be?
Slaked lime mid, just love it!
What is your pet hate when it comes to your own or other’s homes?
Pet hair
Favourite front door colour?
Black, I just think it looks really classy
Carpet or Floorboards?
Floorboards
Kitchen table dining or formal dining room?
Both! I Love a kitchen table for homework and being social whilst cooking, everyone always congregates in the kitchen when you have friends over! but I do love a formal dining room to host in
High gloss or rustic?
High gloss
Wallpaper or Brick Walls?
Brick walls
Want More?
If you enjoyed being at home with Ashley, you might like to take a look inside other popular home styling accounts on instagram and find out more about the people behind them. You can view more of these "at home with" articles here
Catch up with Ashley's instagram account here. It's well worth a look