At Home With Louise @reclamationandroses
This week I'm at home with Louise, the lovely lady behind the wonderful home instagram account @reclamationandroses where she shares images of her amazing home in rural Norfolk. Read on to learn more about Louise, her home, lifestyle, and top tips for home styling.
Tell us about you
We little in a small town called Hingham in rural Norfolk. I run an architectural salvage business with my husband Sam stocking a wide range of architectural antiques. We specialize in antique bathrooms. Our home is behind and above our shop, Mongers of Hingham.
Tell us about your home
Our home is a medieval hall house with a Georgian frontage. It would have been built by a merchant in the 15th century and the family would have lived upstairs – much as we do now.
How would you describe your home?
There have been various additions to the house over the years and we have tried to stay true to the period they were built.
We have some bedrooms with Tudor features, some rooms that are more Georgian and a bathroom that was added in the 1930’s that has Art Deco fittings.
Which is your favourite room in the house?
I love our upstairs living room with a vaulted ceiling that overlooks the green space of the Market Place in Hingham. It always has lots of light but it’s warm and cosy in winter and cool in summer.
How does your home reflect any passions or interests?
As architectural salvage dealers, we are passionate about reclaiming, restoring, and re-using.
Most things in our home are reclaimed, but they are fit for purpose. For example, all our radiators are antique ones that have been restored and are more efficient than many modern ones. We also have several antique bathrooms.
What are your favourite items in the home?
I’m a bit obsessed with buying old chairs and then re-upholstering them. It’s nice to be able to bring them back to life again.
When you moved into your house was it the finished article or was it a project?
Most definitely a project. Every wall was covered in wallpaper and the ceilings with artex.
It was a case of taking everything back to the original Tudor frame and restoring it using traditional methods, like wattle and daub and lime plaster.
What renovation and decorating have you done?
Painting with limewash has been a bit of a learning curve. You never quite know what it’s going to look like, as it’s transparent to begin with and then dries to a chalky finish.
Have you had any DIY or styling disasters?
There was one time I insisted we have our cat flap for our tabby Hector. Sam refused to put one in the back door because it would ruin the aesthetics. Instead, we got a piece of bespoke toughened glass made for a panel in the French doors and somehow got the measurements wrong. Expensive to do twice.
What is your top home styling tip?
Keep a sense of continuity, by using some details or elements throughout the house such as door furniture.
Is there anything in your home that you couldn’t live without?
I love our big butler’s sink; it came from a farmhouse that was being demolished and is a major feature in the kitchen.
They say that every home tells visitors a story about who lives there. What do you think your home says about you?
I am just a caretaker, there have been generations before me and there hopefully will be generations after I have gone.
The Home Edit
Lived-in or show home?
Relaxed and lived in.
If you could only paint your walls one colour, which one would it be?
Off white lime wash.
What is your pet hate when it comes to your own or other’s homes?
Using the wrong screws or fixings on period features.
Favourite front door colour?
Gloss black
Carpet or Floorboards?
Floorboards, with lots of rugs
Kitchen table dining or formal dining room?
We mainly eat in our kitchen. The dining room is part of our shop, but it’s fun to use at Christmas or the odd formal dinner party.
High gloss or rustic?
Rustic.
Wallpaper or Brick Walls?
I love wallpaper, but alas we only have one room with straight enough walls for it. The downstairs loo.
Want More?
If you enjoyed being at home with Louise, 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 Louise's instagram account here. It's well worth a look