How To Renovate

Hello!  And welcome to 2025!  I’m not usually one for New Years’ resolutions, but I do love the feeling of a fresh start that January brings (although I don’t so much love the London weather!)  Maybe this year your goal or resolution is to finally sort your home that may be driving you crazy! But perhaps you feel a bit overwhelmed about where or how to start?  Don’t worry - you’re in the right pla...

Is your compact bathroom in need of a makeover? Discover the secrets to transforming even the tiniest spaces into stylish sanctuaries that prioritize both form and function. This episode sheds light on innovative design strategies perfect for space-constrained environments like London's bustling metropolis. From clever storage solutions such as recessed niches and flush medicine cabinets to t...

This week on the podcast, I’m doing something a little different, usually I’m talking about renovating your home to make it the best, most functional sanctuary for you and your family, but this week’s episode is all about renovating to sell.  If you’re renovating a property, but you know it’s not your forever home, then this is a good one to listen to. It’s filled with tips and advice for when you...

It’s officially the first week of the silly season 😬 An exciting and busy time of year where you’re just trying to create a little magic (right?!) on top of all the extra socialising and chores at home  (mammas, I hear ya!) If your home’s not quite yet ready to welcome guests amidst the December chaos, I’ve compiled my 7 Top Tips to help you be the host with the most, whilst still having time to...

Are you ready for a masterclass in colour?  This week, I was lucky enough to interview Francesca Wezel, the founder of Francesca’s Paints. Francesca’s Paints was started in November 1996 and is one of the first eco-friendly paint companies in the UK. Francesca swapped her musical ambitions for a passion for colors after a serendipitous encounter in Australia, transforming her life and career. Her...

It’s quite a special day for me today - I have been working on creating this online renovation course for over a year. And finally in this episode, I get to tell you ALL about it because RenoVersity is launching for the first time in January, and the waitlist is now OPEN!  GET ON THE WAITLIST HERE: https://www.southplacestudio.com/renoversity   If you’re a busy home owner who’s frustrated and fed-...

 The addiction they don’t talk about - Interior Doom Scrolling! I know, I know, it’s all very nice and ‘inspirational’ to spend hours drooling over other people’s homes on Pinterest and Instagram, trying to imagine what your home renovation could one day become. I’ve been there… you look up your from your phone and an hour and a half has passed…  I mean, who knew drug dealer Jesse Pinkman from Bre...

Cowboy. Builders. 🤠 Two words I hear every time when talking to future renovators about their top worries about starting a project.  So this weeks’ episode is here to help with that, it promises to arm you with the knowledge to identify those sneaky red flags that could save you from costly and frustrating renovation disasters.  Inside I’ll cover 7 Red Flags you should have your eyes wide open to...

Hello and Happy Halloween! This week, as it’s my 31st episode and we are in Halloween week, I’m taking you back to some of my own Renovation Horror Stories!  Join me inside as I recount some of the scariest, hairiest times during my 16 years of renovating. From collapsing foundations to nosy neighbours and surprise pregnancies, it’s all in there - and as always, I treat you to some tips on how to...

Have you ever asked someone’s opinion on something and then regretted it? Me too. It can get awkward. When it comes to something as big (and as expensive) as a home renovation, you’ll want to make sure that you’re asking the right people for their input. Mayyyybeeee NOT Mary* in accounts whose home you’ve never laid an eye on before. I find that when people discover you’re renovating, SO many are...

Renovation projects can take their toll on our time, patience and pocket, and rushing in without proper planning can be a big mistake. In this episode I talk through six design decisions you should make early on in your renovation project to save you time and money (and maybe even your sanity and your relationships too!)  For a smooth running project, tune in to hear why I rate a style board as my...

This episode is a gem!  I interview interior stylist Emma Morton-Turner.  Emma is a fellow podcaster and has been an Interior Stylist and writer for over twenty years. She’s styled home and interiors magazine photo shoots, company brochures, press launches and she also writes features for interiors magazines. And if that’s not enough, Emma is also the founder of InsideStylists, which is a platform...

Decision fatigue is real, and if you’ve renovated before, you’ll know that there are hundreds, if not thousands (depending on the size of your reno) of decisions you have to make.  It’s a common challenge that can halt your progress and completely drain your energy, so in this week’s episode of How To Renovate, I approach the topic and give you 5 ways to avoid decision fatigue during your renovati...

  In this episode we’re talking delays! EEK! Everyone wants to avoid delays onsite once build works have started because they are a major frustration - your builders are twiddling their thumbs while the budget over-runs each day of the delay!  Avoiding delays as much as possible is a win-win - you get to move back into your home on time AND you save money. Join me inside the episode as I’m dishing...

This week on the podcast we’re talking about a big decision when you’re about to renovate, it’s whether you should stay in your property while the building works are taking place, or whether you should move out.  Now, of course this depends on may factors, like your budget, or whether a major home renovation can coexist with your daily life.  Join me inside the episode for 6 things you should cons...

Warning! This episode contains a few instances of swearing! In this, our very first interview episode on the podcast, I sit down with TV’s Laura Jane Clark, Architect, Author and presenter on TV shows like Ugly House to Lovely House, George Clarke's Amazing Spaces, Shed of the Year, and of course – the popular Your Home Made Perfect. I was honoured to have Laura on as my first guest, she is s...

Renovating well is ALL about the planning. In this episode, I chat through just how important planning and  front-loading your renovation is to avoid delays to your project. If you know your taps will take 22 weeks to arrive (crazy, I know!) then at least you can plan for it not to affect your build schedule.  I’ll give you 5 things you can do to avoid supplier delays and long lead times, from ord...

If you choose your flooring well it can handle anything from daily family traffic to spontaneous Friday night discos. This week on the podcast we’re talking flooring.  One of the decisions my clients tend to get most flustered about during the reno process, is making the right choice when it comes to flooring. It just covers so much surface area!  So not only do they want it to look good, but be d...

Home renovations can be a strain. A strain on time, money and relationships, but they can also be exciting. Watching your vision come to life -  from that initial sketch on a napkin that you did when you were out with your partner discussing the possibilities one evening, to seeing every stage being built into reality. It is quite an achievement, so make sure that you take the time to celebrate th...

This week we’re talking about how to deal with neighbours during a renovation project. And if you’ve done a reno before, you’ll know that this can be very tricky! But in this episode I’m giving you all the info and advice to keep that neighbourly love going strong 🖤 ! Whichever you look at it, you will be disturbing your neigbours daily lives during your renovation project, but use these tips and...

If you’re anxious about facing the daunting chaos of a home renovation, then this episode is for you. The construction phase can be a rollercoaster – it starts off all exciting, then moves into a lull of dust and debris for months, with a high of seeing everything starting to come together at the end.  In this episode, I dive into 6 things you can do to reduce stress during the construction phase...

This week we’re talking planning permission Starting a home renovation project can be an exhilarating experience, but the bureaucratic hurdles of the planning permission process can often be off-putting. In this episode, I’ll go over 5 things you can do to help secure that all-important permission that will allow you to start building your dream home.  We’ll cover why it’s important to do your res...

Living onsite during a reno is tough! In this episode I chat through 7 things you can do to prepare for your home reno to start onsite - including the dilemma of whether to stay put or decamp during a renovation? It’s a big decision, because staying could save you money,  but leaving could save your sanity! I’m also sharing stories of living through my own renovations in a home-turned-construction...

Feeling odd? It’s probably the lighting.  Have you ever flipped the switch on in a room only to find it feeling odd, but you’re not quite sure why? It’s probably the lighting – badly planned! Well planned lighting is one of those things that will give your project that considered feel – it’s that intangible element - where the space has a beautiful atmosphere and you just feel automatically relaxe...

This one’s a biggie – are you ready? Getting realistic quotes for your project is make-or-break, but without strong guidance from you, builders quotes can come in vastly differently, and an underestimated quote can lead to tense relationships onsite, stressful budget overruns and unmet expectations. In this episode, I cover three very important things you should do to secure as precise a builder q...