GARDEN ROOM MAKEOVER
‘I turned our summer house into a craft retreat’ Bringing her bright and cosy decorating style outside, Rachel Lovell created a summer house craft space filled with her favourite shades to inspire her creations
R
achel Lovell had been making driedflower accessories for herself for about three years when, in August 2020, she decided to turn her hobby into a business by selling her designs and running workshops. ‘Initially, I was working at the dining table,’ she explains, ‘but it’s quite a messy job, and having to tidy up at the end was a pain.’ Rachel and her husband, Alex, had already considered getting a summer house, so it seemed like an ideal solution that would give Rachel somewhere to work on her business.
BEFORE
THE PROJECT
STEP INSIDE.. WHO LIVES HERE? I’m Rachel Lovell, 48. I’m a Campaign Manager for Aviva and also run my own business making dried-flower creations, @kittiwake.hoops. I live with my husband, Alex, 49; our daughter, Erin, 10; our cat, Roxy; and our cavapoochon, Willow. Our home is a four-bedroom, detached new-build, in Portishead, Somerset, which we bought in April 2019. WHAT WAS UPDATED? We bought a summer house that could double as an office and craft room. WHY THE CHANGE? I’d been working on my designs in the house, but it was messy. And, as for many people, lockdown made us rethink our home office space. HOW LONG DID IT TAKE? The project took a couple of months, as we were just doing it at weekends. TOTAL COST
32
£2,621
yourhomestyle.uk
First, they needed to decide on the right spot in their garden. The garage runs along the side, ‘and there was a scrappy piece of land that we’d never quite got around to making nice,’ recalls Rachel. ‘So, we decided to use it and butt the summer house up against the garage.’ The couple researched different designs and Rachel originally had her heart set on a hexagonal one. ‘But I realised most of the space wasn’t usable, with all the different angles. Then, I spotted the Regency Acapulco
My style tips BRING THE INSIDE OUT I chose the same colours as inside the main house so that the summer house matches my style. Plus, it makes it feel more homely. SHOP SECOND-HAND Crafting tables can be prone to scuffs and wear, so buy second-hand and upcycle – you can always repaint to give it a refresh.
ADD HANGING STORAGE The wooden frame of sheds and summer houses give you lots of places to add hanging storage. I added thick dowel wall hooks to hang my floral hoops.
As wires and scissors can easily scratch surfaces, Rachel didn’t want an expensive desk, so found the chair for £5 and table for £20 on Facebook Marketplace. ‘I like the character that comes with pieces like this, so updated them with chalk paint,’ she explains
