At home with Dinah @town_to_terrasse
This week we are at home with Dinah. The lovely lady who loves a project as you will discover on her beautiful instagram account @town_to_terrasse where she shares images of her wonderful homes. Whether it's her stunning townhouse in the Cotswolds or the beautiful village house in France you will love this account. Read on to discover more about Dinah, her home and family and get some top tips on home decor.
Tell us a bit about you
Hi I’m Dinah from @TowntoTerrasse. I’m based in a Cotswold market town with my husband, but for as much of the year as we are allowed we go to our little house in the central South of France.
Tell us about your home
Our home in the Cotswolds is a period townhouse approximately 140 years old. It is very near the centre of town and we love that everything we could need is on our doorstop.
Our French home is another character property set in the middle of a sleepy fairytale medieval village (a beautifully quiet contrast to the hubbub of town life) - the original part of this house (the kitchen) was built in the 1700s.
How would you describe your homes?
Both properties exude character and have thick stone walls. I would describe both homes as having a traditional, country style.
Which is your favourite room in the house?
We both fell in love with the bathroom in our townhouse – it’s lovely and spacious with old beams and an awful lot of character. However, this summer we extended and now the new kitchen/extension is probably my favourite (although not finished yet) because it really makes the pretty courtyard garden feel like another room of the house now.
The kitchen is the piece de resistance in our French home – we knew as soon as we saw the magnificent huge fireplace that this was the one for us. It’s a lovely big, square room with very high ceilings and is a wonderfully welcoming entrance to our home.
The bedrooms in France are also a favourite as they have the most delightful views.
How does your home reflect any passions or interests?
I think our homes reflect our passion for taking on a challenge! We’ve put an enormous amount of love and energy into both. They also reflect the amount of travelling we have both been lucky enough to have done in our lives as our homes are filled with treasures brought back from various countries around the world.
What are your favourite items in the home?
I love mirrors and chairs, especially old French ones. I bought an incredible forged metal Chandelier from Ebay in France and I think it really makes the kitchen extra special – like it was always meant to be there.
My favourite item in our Cotswold home is our Welsh Dresser which is HUGE and fits the space perfectly – bought from Facebook Marketplace. I searched long and hard for these items but the hunt really paid off I think.
When you moved into your house was it the finished article or was it a project?
Both houses were definitely projects – but the French one was a MAJOR project, as it didn’t have any modern facilities whatsoever, it was like going back in time!
What renovation have you done?
We have done an awful lot of renovation and decorating and have learnt many new skills.
Exposing and pointing stonework, stripping floors, building a bathroom, knocking through walls, building a kitchen, dry stone walling, shed-building, the list goes on and on…!
Have you had any DIY or styling disasters?
We’ve been incredibly lucky that we haven’t had any major DIY disasters. However the wonky floor in our French home was a huge challenge when building the kitchen as there is a 20cm difference in the floor height from one side of the room to the other!
What is your top home styling tip?
My top home styling tip is to take your time – don’t rush decisions. Also, most of my favourite items have been second hand from Facebook marketplace and I can’t recommend this enough, especially if you have a character home.
It means you can have high quality classic items at a fraction of the price, and it also means you feel less guilty about it if you change your mind!
Is there anything in your home that you couldn’t live without?
I couldn’t live without The Shed in the UK and the Man Cave in France. Both very useful places for keeping Mr E happy!
They say that every home tells visitors a story about who lives there. What do you think your home says about you?
I think our homes tell people we love having projects on the go – whether its DIY, terracing the garden, upholstery, wine-making, upcycling, dry stone walling, writing (I have just had a children’s book published called ‘At the Bottom of Dudley’s Garden’)
We believe our homes send out Good Vibes, have a delightful flow, and are friendly and homely, showing a love of cooking and drinking, and an appreciation of the past.
The Home Edit
Lived-in look or showhome?
Lived-in!
If you could only paint your walls one colour, which one would it be?
White – the accessories and woodwork can bring the colour in.
What is your pet hate when it comes to your own or other’s homes?
People leaving the toilet seat up!
Favourite front door colour?
I’ve always admired glossy black front doors, but in France our front door is Farrow and Ball Charleston Gray with Elephants Breath shutters and I really love it.
Carpet or Floorboards?
Floorboards, (but they have to have rugs on!)
Kitchen table dining or formal dining room?
Kitchen table – I just LOVE a sociable kitchen
High gloss or rustic?
Rustic – but I also adore anything elegant
Wallpaper or Brick Walls?
Stone walls! We have spent many hours in each house exposing as much stone wall as we can!
Want More?
If you enjoyed being at home with Dinah, 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 see more of these "at home with" articles here
You can catch up with Dinah's stunning instagram account here It's well worth a look!