Home Tour of a Renters Minimalist Home in Kent

Welcome back to another episode of the #howirent home tours! If this is your first time visiting, hello! Let me give you a quick run through . . .  #HowiRent is a monthly home tour series that started as a way to champion renters, who are transforming their homes into abodes of personality and style. Check out  previous home tours here, or apply to be a guest here. 

[All of the beautiful photographs below have been shot by Dave Bullivant  ]

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 INTRODUCING THIS MONTHS GUEST . . .

 

Hannah Bullivant!

 

Hannah is a stylist and a writer (visit her blog here). She helps people to design beautiful homes, events and retail spaces. When asked about her passion/hobbies, she replied, ‘I’m inspired by the seasons in almost all aspects of my life but especially in my styling work. I also love planning and goal setting and I write about that, too!’

Hannah runs styling workshops, in particular wreath workshops at this time of the year. Her most recent course, is an online foraged wreath workshop which you can read more about here.

I really hope you enjoy this tour. Over to Hannah

Where do you live? Who do you live with?

I live in faversham, Kent with my husband Dave, and our two and seven year olds.

Do you have any pets?

No pets. Dave is desperate but nope. not at the moment!

 

What first drew you to this house?

Dave and I work together, me styling and him shooting, and we did a job for our now landlords. We got on well and after the shoot they asked us if we might be interested in living in their house. We weren’t looking at all, and were very happy in our little terrace.

However when we saw this house we fell in love. HARD. Our old house didn’t have any hallway or entrance and the one in this house is huge! It was more rent, but not tons, and it would enable us to have a studio at home and also run workshops.

So we went for it! I still pinch myself every day that we live here. Really.

What type of house do you live in? Do you know when it was built?

We live in a terraced Tardis house that looks much smaller on the street than it does when you step inside! It’ s Victorian with most of it’s original features.

How long have you lived here?

Nearly 2 years now!

What is your relationship like with your landlord/agency?

Very good, we love them!

How would you describe your decorating style?

Warm, natural, creative. I love styling seasonally and I am endlessly inspired by what’s happening outside. So there are lots of plants in my home, as well as shells, leaves, seed heads, branches and stones etc.

I try to shop ethically and mindfully both for myself and my clients. I prefer second hand and vintage pieces because they’re unique and storied and add so much character and texture.

The interiors industry can be quite wasteful and unethical too, and whilst I’m not perfect, I try not to contribute to that where possible. My home is mostly made up of vintage and second hand items with a smattering of high street mixed in.

Rather than focusing interiors trends I ask clients to fill out a questionnaire about who they are and their interests and personalities. This probably says a lot about my flavour of styling!

Any favourite brands? Small Business shout outs?

• eBay!
• Etsy for vintage sellers
• Facebook Marketplace for brilliant second hand pieces.
• Aerende for UK based gorgeous ethically produced home wares
• Dassie Decor for globally sourced interiors with an ethical bent
• Barrows Antiques – a local Faversham antiques shop

Faversham Antiques market- the first Sunday of the month- excellent vintage and antiques market

The makers that Peckham Craft Show pull together are always amazing.

Where do you get inspiration from?

Outside. The constant change and movement, the colours, shadows, light, texture. The beaches and woods near me.
Cities and towns like London and Margate.
I need a bit of both for creative equilibrium.

How do you feel about renting? Do you ever see yourself buying a home one day?

I love renting!
We’re able to live in a beautiful home that we’re unlikely to ever be able to buy. There are elements about renting I don’t like – the uncertainty, and the fear of getting a bad landlord or lady (we’ve had a mixed bag so far!) but generally I’m a happy renter.

We do hope to buy a home one day- somewhere a bit more rural with land. We look forward to that one day, but that one day might be in the far off future, and that’s cool.

Would you decorate differently if you bought a home?

Nope. I reckon you should express your style and personality whether you own or rent. I’d make changes if I owned a house like this- I think the bathroom needs a rollmop bath for instance ; ) .

So whilst I’d make some bigger changes to a house I owned, it would probably still feel the same as this house- it would still feel like ours, similar colours, textures, feeling of calm. It would probably have a lot of the same stuff! I tend to keep things I love for a really long time.

Can you share any renter friendly DIYS you’ve done recently?

The house was in such perfect nick when we moved in that we haven’t had to do much at all, but my renter friendly tips will be familiar to you!
Use command hooks to hang prints and art. Book ledges are great for displaying larger items whilst minimising holes in the wall (like in our study).

We haven’t done much to this house, but In our last rental we sanded floorboards and stripped wallpaper and did loads! My biggest tip would be to insert your personality into your space whether you rent OR own.

I think your home should express your interests, history, experiences and desires. You can do that in non permanent, renter friendly ways very easily- with plants, natural treasures like flowers or beautiful shells, art, soft furnishings etc.

Another renter friendly tip is to declutter fairly ruthlessly. In a house you don’t own, I think it’s even more important that we curate the movable things around us that we Do own more carefully; the things we CAN move and change. This means the things that you love can really stand out.

So make sure that you aren’t surrounded by things that need to be donated, passed on, recycled or thrown away. If you’re starting from scratch, try to take your time building up a home that feels like you. Go for vintage where possible, and second hand.

Think about what you really love and makes you smile, rather than what’s on trend. Sort out your storage areas so they feel organised and appealing. Put objects that you really love, that make you smile, that have lots of happy memories attached to them in really prominent places.

Name one DIY product you cant live without?

Dulux Trade White Emulsion- to cover over marks and refresh.

Sources for Products 
Hall
Hall table- came with the house!
Plants built up over years- some from Bloombox (part of a past collab)
Wreath made by me
Vintage quilt samplers from a junk market in Deptford 15 years ago that I had framed

Lounge
Small grey sofa on left- willow and hall
Medium grey sofa- French Connection at DFS- a gift as part of a previous collab
Dark patterned rug- Barrows antiques in Faversham
Grey patterned rug- Dassie Decor (gift)
Black pennant flag behind sofa- Faversham vintage market
Brass hoop- Workshop Ltd
White stars on mantelpiece – a vintage shop in Faversham that I can’t remember the name of!

Kitchen
White table- Heal’s but from eBay about 5 years ago.
Chairs- eBay
White glass fronted cabinet- came with the house
Low wooden cabinet- Faversham Vintage market
Vintage floral print – Etcetera vintage Margate
Grey Lamp- Urbanara – (old)
Wooden tray on table- H&M Home (old)

Utility Room
Glass Jars- Wares of Knutsford.
Cleaning ingredients from Summer Naturals. My recipes for homemade cleaning supplies here

Study
White Desk- IKEA (old)
Vintage school cupboard and glass fronted cabinet cane with the house (I KNOW!)
Green desk chair of absolute dreams- Flokk . A gift from a previous collab. The best office chair ever!
Wooden hooks behind desk- H&M Home
Filing cabinet- found on street 10 years ago and painted grey
Brass Ring- Workshop Ltd
Dustpan and Brush- Objects of Use
Lamp- Urbanara (old)

Bedroom
We put the ply shelf up. On it are various prints given to us by friends or collected. Palm leaves from The Floral Madam in Macknade, local farm shop.
Fan- Facebook marketplace
The chest of drawers came with the house (I know!)
Wall mounted lights- Curious Egg (gift)
Brown bedlinen- An old white cotton set dyed Brown by me
Bedspread – actually a baby sling from Ali Dover Textiles that I turned into a bedspread when we no longer needed it as a baby carrier.
2 rectangular cushions- Dassie Decor (gifted)

Kids room
Bed- A Facebook Marketplace bargain. It’s a Now and Nani high cabin sleeper with a double mattress on the floor. It works really well for our kids.
Bedlinen on double bed is from Magic Linen (gifted)
Bunting- Magic Linen- (gifted)
Long rectangular pillow- Maud Interiors
Small rectangular blue floral pillow- Zara home (v v old)
Small stripes square pillow- vintage
Canopy- made by me (I really wanted one I’d seen in a few stylish Instagram homes but couldn’t afford it so made one myself.)
Frankies bedding-eBay but originally Asda Home
Knitted Moon- Twistle and Brown
Rug- Facebook Marketplace
Real Branch hooks-eBay
Dressing gowns- H&M home
Chest of Drawers- (came with the house- I knowwwww!)
Lampshade- H&M Home

So what do you think of Hannah’s rented minimalist home? I would love to hear your thoughts. As always your support and shares are always appreciated. You can also share your rented homes on Instagram using #HowIRent. Don’t forget to Leave a comment below!

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