At Home with Paula @reloving_my_home

This week we are at home with Paula. The lovely lady behind the truly beautiful  instagram account @reloving_my_home where she shares images of her chocolate box 17th century thatched cottage in Wiltshire. Read on to discover more about Paula, her home and family. Keep an eye open for Georgie and Pickles too.

 

Tell us a bit about you

I live with my husband Steve and 2 dogs Georgie a cavapoo and Pickle a miniature dachshund, in a thatched cottage in a small village in the Vale of Pewsey in Wiltshire. Our cottage is over 300 years old and is thought to have once been a weavers cottage.

 

Tell us about your home

Old cottage charm with lots of second hand finds and upcycled furniture, with a pink and green colour theme throughout.

 

How would you describe your home?

Country chic and anything preloved, with a touch of new. I love picking up a bargain from a charity shop or vintage market and giving it a bit of tlc to fit in with my home. I tend to go with what I like rather than a trend!

 

Which is your favourite room in the house?

It’s got to be the kitchen. For an old cottage, its exceptionally big with lots of original features. The vaulted ceiling, oak beams and mezzanine floor are always a talking point with our guests. It’s the room that drew us to the house.

 

How does your home reflect any passions or interests?

I love upcycling old furniture and this is reflected in the furniture in our cottage. I also love a period drama and old fashioned charm, so I’m definitely more suited to an old house.

 

What are your favourite items in the home?

I love our dining table and chairs and welsh dresser. They are all second hand pieces which I painted in Frenchic Posh Nelly. They came with us from our last house and they fit perfectly here.

 

When you moved into your house was it the finished article or was it a project?

Major work, such as heating, rewiring, and the bathroom and kitchen had been done by the previous owner. Since we bought our cottage 2 years ago we have restored the beams, decorated the rooms and tackled the garden, although there is always more to do with an old property.

 

What renovation and decorating have you done?

I’m learning a lot about old houses. You really need to listen to them and how they change with the seasons. Forget wall insulation, they need to breath. Some of the previous owners have used new decorating techniques which has caused some damp, which we have been slowing rectifying.

 

Have you had any DIY or styling disasters?

Not as such but I am very indecisive so it can take me a while to complete a room.

 

What is your top home styling tip?

Go for a neutral base and add colour with accessories and soft furnishings. It’s much cheaper when you fancy a change.

 

Is there anything in your home that you couldn’t live without?

Definitely the log burner in the living room. Our cottage can get very cold in the winter, so when lit its cosy and toasty warm.

 

They say that every home tells visitors a story about who lives there. What do you think your home says about you?

I would hope it says I have put a lot of care into making it look cosy and welcoming. But our visitors don’t come to see me or my husband, they only come to see the dogs, well at least that’s what the dogs think!

 

 

The Home Edit

 

Llived-in or showhome?

Lived in and tidy.

 

If you could only paint your walls one colour, which one would it be?

Off white.

 

What is your pet hate when it comes to your own or other’s homes?

Messy and overgrown front garden/entrance.

 

Favourite front door colour?

Sage green, closely followed by pink.

 

Carpet or Floorboards?

Floorboards. Although I do prefer carpet upstairs, but our floorboards are too nice to cover, so they remain on show.

 

Kitchen table dining or formal dining room?

Both

 

High gloss or rustic?

Rustic with a bit of sparkle.

 

Wallpaper or Brick Walls?

Brick walls

 

Want More?

If you enjoyed being at home with Paula, 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 view Paula's stunning instagram account here It's well worth a look!