Through our house proud series we're speaking to lots of people to find out what 'house proud' means to them. As the founder of nookary, I wanted to take the opportunity to share what it means to me. I really believe in feeling proud about the things in your home, so here's what house proud means to me and what makes my house a home ...
What makes you proud of your home?
When I bought the house I’m in now I had visions of a really open plan space, big windows and high ceilings. My house is actually very different, it has much more of a cottage-y feel, not the house I was looking for at all! But from the first visit we fell in love with it. It’s got a lovely garden with all the rooms downstairs leading out on to it, and in the summer with all the doors open the house does have a lovely open plan feel, but it’s also so cosy on a cold evening. I often feel proud and very lucky to have a space that I love so much.
What one home essential could you not live without?
I’m not sure whether most people will count it as an essential, but it would have to be my food processor / blender. I love a smoothie for breakfast, and making nut butters, houmous, pesto, curry paste, falafel (the list goes on and on!). Price per use, it must be the best value thing I’ve ever bought. It's about 10 years old now, and hope I don’t have to replace it for at least another 10!
What item are you most proud of in your home and why?
My wine rack. It’s actually an old post sorter that I found in one of my favourite shops in Redhill, which has all upcycled furniture, most of it done by the owner and her daughter. I’m not sure what it says about me, that the first thing I thought when seeing a post sorter was “wine rack”, but it works perfectly – practical and beautiful ;)
Are there parts of your home you see differently now that you're spending more time there?
Definitely. The way I spend time at home has changed so much over the past year or so. I’ve always had jobs and a social life where I’m out of the house 12 hours a day 5 days a week, and my home was somewhere I came back to, to relax. With moving out of London, lockdown, starting my own business and getting a dog, my home is so much more multi-faceted. I was never good at working from home, but I’ve had to get used to it. I created an office in our spare room upstairs, but never actually use as I feel too tucked away. Instead, I’ve turned my dining room table into a substitute desk. And the mess has definitely increased with the dog!
Have you come across any great eco-friendly home products that you'd recommend?
Lots! One of my favourites is the laundry ecoegg. It’s great! You buy one ball (or “egg”) and refill it with pellets every month or two, and you don’t need laundry conditioner. It saves on so much packaging waste, it’s great for sensitive skin and the minimal packaging it does use is all recyclable. It honestly works just as well as traditional detergents, and still leaves your clothes smelling fresh. I also love Ku.tis deodorants, they're plastic free, natural, and work better than most traditional deodorants.
What makes a house a home to you?
I’m a massive home-body and always have been. For me, a home is somewhere you feel comfortable and can relax. It’s somewhere where you look forward to curling up on the sofa with a glass of wine or hot chocolate in the evening.
Here's my 'wine rack' in the background, the top couple of rows have some weird and wonderful spirits we've collected over the years. You can also see my dining room table / desk - another buy from the shop in Redhill! It' very rarely this tidy, and the room now usually has a dog bed in one of the corners.
Let me know what makes your house a home in the comments below!
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