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Life with Holly

Blog about Period Interiors and Gardens

House, Ramblings

The Art of the Slow Renovation

17 November 2020 Comments : 8

Instagram is choc full of renovation accounts. It’s such an amazing place for gaining inspiration and following along with renovation journeys. Recently though I’ve found myself becoming less and less into other people’s renovations and quick transformations (I know, who even am I?!). Now I’m way more interested in the art of the slow renovation.

Slow Living - Pampas Grass and Foxed Mirror by Life with Holly The Art of the Slow Renovation

 

I noticed recently I was following a lot of accounts who went for a lot of quick reveals. Instant makeovers. A bit like Changing Rooms (do you remember that?!?). If I’m honest, it made me feel a bit shit seeing other people’s amazing lockdown makeovers when I was struggling with just homeschooling and running a business (I say just, I’ve since stopped giving myself a hard time and realised that, actually, this was amazing!).

Rustic Grey Pantry Cupboard by Life with Holly - The Art of the Slow Renovation

I work in the wedding industry which has been decimated by the coronavirus situation. A combination of trying to survive on less than 20% of my income, having my child at home 24/7, home school, dealing with postponed weddings and my husband working at home left me feeling drained. More drained than I’ve felt for a long time. Seeing Barbara’s new kitchen or amazing garden transformation made me feel like I should have been doing more. More painting things, more makeovers. I mean, I haven’t even got any decking or a pergola, and I certainly don’t have a garden bar!

Grey Chesterfield Chair in Victorian home by Life with Holly - Slow Reno

When you think about it though, you don’t need to. Great homes take time, as they say. Your home should evolve naturally. I didn’t want to find myself in a situation where I was painting things in my house to see what strangers on the internet would say about it. I stopped following the accounts who seemed to just be doing makeovers to gain likes and followers. Good luck to them, but it isn’t for me. I’m fully embracing the art of the slow renovation.

Rustic Oka Mug on Bed with White Company Bedding by Life with Holly - The Art of the Slow Renovation

A quick search on Instagram will reveal loads more people who are creating their homes over time. One of my favourite hashtags is #greathomestaketime, which focuses on people who are renovating their homes but they’re doing them slowly, in a considered fashion, rather than just sticking the latest trend in their home and hoping the followers will like it. Trends come and go, but by carefully curating your home over time you’re creating a home that is authentic to you.

Vintage Wardrobe in Period Bedroom by Life with Holly The Art of Slow Renovation

What do you think? Do great homes take time after all? Do you prefer a slow, considered renovation?

 

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Previous:
Weekend Wander to Digley, Holmfirth
Next:
Planting Bulbs for Spring

Comments

  1. Lydia says

    18 November 2020 at 11:19 am

    Absolutely love this blog post Jo!! Resonates so much with me x

    Reply
    • lifewithholly says

      25 November 2020 at 11:33 am

      Thank you so much! I had to write it to get it into my own brain I think!!

      Reply
  2. Tracey Harris says

    18 November 2020 at 10:57 pm

    I absolutely loved this post and really appreciated what you said as it is so easy to get drawn in and begin to feel unworthy of being on Instagram. If anything this year should of taught us to be grateful for what we have……so thank you xx πŸ’•

    Reply
    • lifewithholly says

      25 November 2020 at 11:34 am

      You are so welcome, and so right. We should definitely appreciate what we have rather than chasing the unachievable show homes that Insta can sometimes throw at us xx

      Reply
  3. Debbie says

    19 November 2020 at 8:47 am

    My dear girl you have hit so many nails on the head with your thoughts. Insta can become a place that leaves you feeling very dissatisfied with your own home. I started to feel very down with my lot, this just isn’t me . I’ve always tried to be glad about where I am. Your slow evolve theory is so true to life… a far better approach. My plan of action… I have stopped following so many people. I always like it when people show the “perfect” but then also show the crap that’s behind them in order to get the “perfect” picture. One of my favourites reveals her beautiful “black” bannister that has taken time to do…looks glorious but she then shows you chips and scratches where her gorgeous dog has caught it over time….real life… superb. It is far nicer to have lovely things that are true to you rather than a house full, of “magazine latest trends” that will be gone in no time for the next “things”. Oh boy , sorry but I could go on and on. I really think there are going to be too many unhappy people if we don’t take a common real to life approach. Well done you for sticking your head above the parapet.

    Reply
    • lifewithholly says

      25 November 2020 at 11:36 am

      That’s exactly my point! These are our real homes, not interior design projects or rooms on episodes of Changing Rooms. I hate all the pressure it puts on you and the way it can make you feel inadequate because you don’t have something to do with the latest trend or the newest cushion cover, for example.

      PS – I’m like your favourite – I’ve shown pictures with empty wine bottles on the floor before that I’ve not moved out of the way! xx

      Reply
  4. Cathy says

    23 November 2020 at 7:45 pm

    Oh I completely agree! In fact I’ve dedicated my blog to it! We simply don’t have the time or funds to keep doing super quick makeovers only to have to redo or change things later. My motto is β€œdo it right so you only have to do it once!” I also find all these β€œquick buys” for home updates really wasteful. What happens when you’re done with them and do that room properly?

    Reply
    • lifewithholly says

      25 November 2020 at 11:37 am

      This is so true! I read someone’s post the other day about how they had rushed their reno but were now having to redo lots of it because the paint was cracking and looked awful. It’s easy to get swept along but I’m determined now to do my own thing. I’ll check out your blog, it sounds right up my street! x

      Reply

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About Me

Hi! I'm Jo, and welcome to my blog about my life with my daughter Holly. Here you'll find posts on interiors and DIY, our home and garden, our travel and other day to day goings on. Thanks for stopping by!

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Coming at you this Easter Sunday with the view of Coming at you this Easter Sunday with the view of the other side of the kitchen with the decorative twig having been salvaged from the garden. I found this on a walk we did in December, intending to use it for a decorative Christmas twig, but I felt so meh over Christmas I just dumped it in the garden (after driving home with it wedged in the car πŸ˜‚). It's now become the Easter twig/birthday twig of dreams as two thirds of our house have our birthdays soon.

Our egg hunt is done, chocolate has been consumed and Easter is well under way. Hope you have a lovely day!

Flooring gifted as part of previous PR collaboration. 

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Fun fact - just before I took this picture I spilt Fun fact - just before I took this picture I spilt soil everywhere. Such fun cleaning it all up 😬

Hope you're having a lovely Easter weekend x

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Best time to fall asleep? About 47 minutes before Best time to fall asleep? About 47 minutes before the alarm goes off - am I right? 😴 Pass me the coffee...

Totally unrelated pic of the living room as it was pretty much tidy yesterday.

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Hello! No, I'm not dead πŸ˜‚ It's just been a long Hello! No, I'm not dead πŸ˜‚ It's just been a long old week of YET MORE home school πŸ™„. We got an email on Mothers Day to say that someone at Holly's school had tested positive and her bubble had to isolate. We've spent the last week tucked up at home, dealing with decimals and fractions AGAIN, but tomorrow it's the last day! πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰

After having no enthusiasm for house stuff recently, I mustered up the energy for a clear out in the spare room today. It's a proper shit tip usually as we dump things that have no home in there! I put an ad on Facebook Freecycle for all the bits to give away and it was chaos! People fighting over things, people wanting everything - I don't know if I can cope doing that again!

How are things with you?

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With kids back at school, you'd think I'd actually With kids back at school, you'd think I'd actually have some time to take new photos. I seem to have even less time now than I did when Hols was off, wtf is that all about?!

Sharing this for @storyofmyhome - "thrifty business" as it's got my lovely big Shit Cupboard, bought on Facebook marketplace, as were the chairs.

Hope you're doing OK x

LVT flooring part of previous PR collaboration with @harveymaria 

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Ever buy something without checking the size? No, Ever buy something without checking the size? No, me either. I definitely did not do that with this clock. This tiny little baby clock. Oops.😳

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Looking forward to yet another walk today! I haven Looking forward to yet another walk today! I haven't left the house all week so I'm due a walk out. Hope you're all OK?

Home schoolers - one more week! We can do this πŸ’ͺ

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Monday again... Eugh πŸ˜” And it's back to home sc Monday again... Eugh πŸ˜” And it's back to home schooling, so I'll look forward to making my child to learn maths again. She hates maths although I tricked her by buying some Star Wars puzzle books that are actually maths books and she loves them! She has been doing those voluntarily all half term!

Have a great day!

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Lazy like Sunday mornings... And I actually have b Lazy like Sunday mornings... And I actually have been this morning! Usually I'm up at 6am to have a cuppa in peace before everyone else gets up but this morning I switched off the alarm (or rather I asked Mr R to, as I have no idea how to work his 1980s alarm clock) and we slept in. I don't feel any better for it though as we had some wine last night 😬

Today's plans include a walk out for some lunch (again) and to a mysterious tower. Mr R is very excited by it, but I think it's just an old mill chimney and will be very underwhelming πŸ˜‚ Hope your day is good x

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Bit of a dark and moody bit of baking (and insta r Bit of a dark and moody bit of baking (and insta reality with the tin foil tray in the background 🀦). I've been baking more and more as the weeks have gone on, and eating more and more baked items! In order to counteract the effects of the baked yumminess I'm going to run up a big hill today. That's all I've got to tell you πŸ˜‚

Have a fab Saturday! Have you got anything exciting planned?

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