Committed dwelling renovators David and Andrew Harrison-Colley (higher identified on Instagram as The Home Boys) are a part of Ideal Home’s new Open House contributors, sharing their ideas on making a house collectively and dwelling by means of the difficult elements. See the remainder of their articles right here.
We had large concepts after we first began renovating our Suffolk cottage.
So we modified tack. Instead of making an attempt to complete the whole home directly or match the shiny perfection of the locations we’d bookmarked on-line, we began to assume in phases. What may we do now that will make the area extra habitable – with out breaking the financial institution?
The mindset shift: not excellent, however private
(Image credit score: The Home Boys)
Our objective isn’t a present dwelling. It’s an area that looks like us. One that’s heat, relaxed, somewhat bit classic, somewhat bit trendy – and crucially, achievable.
Some of that has meant making an attempt to make peace with slower progress (we’re nonetheless engaged on that!). Living with uncovered plaster for some time. Keeping a well-worn couch as a result of it nonetheless does the job.
But a few of it has been extra intentional – good swaps, intelligent compromises, and a variety of DIY.
We’ve discovered ourselves weighing every resolution with the identical query: will this make the area really feel higher now, and nonetheless work for us later?
Sometimes meaning spending the place it counts – on glazing, insulation, plumbing and electrics. Other occasions, it means rolling up our sleeves and doing the onerous graft ourselves. Which brings us to…
The flooring that almost completed us (however was price each penny)
(Image credit score: The Home Boys)
One of our proudest wins? Our terracotta flooring.
We sourced 60 sq. metres of handmade terracotta tiles for beneath £2,900 – a fraction of what we’d have spent on higher-end flooring. They’re full of heat, texture, and character, and we’ve used them throughout a number of rooms to create movement and consistency.
But as a substitute of hiring a tiler, we laid them ourselves.
We received’t lie: it was brutal. Every single tile wanted soaking, hand-placing, cleansing, sealing, and grouting. By the top of it, we weren’t certain we may bend on the waist ever once more, and our knees could by no means get better!
But them now, (particularly when there’s some winter solar streaming in by means of the doorways), we all know it was price it.
We saved 1000’s in labour prices, and the tiles have turn into one of many most-loved options of our renovation – imperfect in all the fitting methods.
Spending the place it issues (and saving the place we will)
(Image credit score: The Home Boys)
One of the largest mindset shifts we’ve needed to make throughout this renovation is accepting that we will’t afford to “do it all” directly – however we will do it nicely, if we’re cautious about the place the price range goes.
We’ve saved cash in some areas by going for off-the-shelf options and customising them ourselves. Our kitchen is a mixture of B&Q carcasses and doorways however making customized filler panels ourselves to create an in-frame cupboard look. It appears fully bespoke, however price a fraction of a standard handmade kitchen – particularly since we fitted it ourselves (with a variety of endurance, a trusty laser-level, and just one or two meltdowns with getting them to slot in the area).
On the flip aspect, we selected to spend money on issues that will be troublesome (or unimaginable) to vary later. Like our structural glazing and the slimline sliding doorways – a giant upfront price, however one which fully reworked how the home feels. They flood the area with pure gentle, join us to the backyard, and have made even the coldest Suffolk mornings really feel brighter.
Another instance? The glass roof that hyperlinks our outdated cottage to the brand new extension. It won’t have been important, nevertheless it brings in a lot gentle that the entire open-plan area feels greater and extra uplifting – even on gray days. And since we did one thing related in our outdated Brixton flat and cherished it, we knew it might be price repeating.
Why classic wins (and what we’ve realized from it)
We’ve at all times leaned in direction of classic and preloved items – not simply because they’re typically extra inexpensive, however as a result of they convey heat and soul that no flat-pack can replicate.
Some of our favorite objects have been sourced from native auctions, charity retailers, and even the odd tip store. There was the time David noticed a rattan rocking chair on the native recycling centre for £10, didn’t get it, regretted it instantly… and went again the subsequent day solely to seek out it gone. We nonetheless discuss that chair. It haunts us.
And then there are the issues we did say sure to – just like the classic barrister’s bookcase we discovered whereas dwelling in London. We knew precisely the place it might go within the new kitchen, despite the fact that the extension hadn’t even been constructed but (or accredited!). It lived within the nook of our small flat for months, ready for its second – and when it lastly slotted into its ceaselessly spot, it made the entire floorplan make sense.
These are the sorts of decisions that stretch a price range, but additionally add character. You’re not simply shopping for storage – you’re shopping for a narrative. And whereas sourcing second-hand can take time, it will probably additionally result in items you’ll treasure ceaselessly.
Embracing the “for now” model
(Image credit score: The Home Boys)
We’ve come to just accept that not each room will probably be completed right away. Some bits will probably be non permanent. Some will probably be placeholder options. And that’s okay.
Because we’re not making an attempt to win awards – we’re making an attempt to construct a house we will develop into. We’re studying to seek out pleasure within the small wins. A cabinet door that lastly closes. A secondhand mirror that bounces gentle across the room. An inexpensive rug that makes a chilly flooring really feel cosy.
None of it’s excellent. But it’s ours.
Final ideas
If you’re renovating and your price range feels stretched, right here’s what we’ve realized: you don’t must do all of it, and also you definitely don’t must do all of it now. A phased, considerate, mix-and-match method can result in a house that’s extra private, extra layered, and extra resilient.
You may even discover it means extra ultimately – as a result of each inch was earned.