Chasing Perfection? It Doesn't Exist, Say These Interiors Experts
Some of biggest interiors bloggers on Houzz reveal things about their homes that'll make you feel better about yours
Kate Burt
17 May 2017
Houzz UK. I'm a journalist and editor, previously for the Independent, Guardian and various magazines. I'm now excited to part of the editorial team at Houzz UK & Ireland, bringing the best of British and Irish design, interiors and architecture to Houzz.com.
Houzz UK. I'm a journalist and editor, previously for the Independent, Guardian and... More
Do you covet some of the homes you see on Houzz and on your favourite design blogs? Feeling like you’ll never manage that level of style perfection in your own place? Well, here’s a treat for you all: some of Houzz’s most popular design bloggers and interiors experts, many of whose homes also star in our Houzz Tours, have been kind enough to reassure us that while their homes may look perfect to us in photos, they grapple with the same problems that lots of us have at home, too.
“The ceiling started to crack and then the whole thing fell down!”
Charlotte Duckworth, based in Surrey, is a journalist and blogs about stylish interiors for children.
Gotoyourroom.net
“Here’s what you can’t see in the picture… The ceiling in this room is covered in textured paint from the 1980s, and it’s covered in hairline cracks. When I first moved in, I had the ceiling replastered to cover up the cracks, bumpy paintwork and to give it a smooth finish. I was knackered at the time doing up my flat before I moved in as I only had a week to do everything. My dad, eager to help me out, secretly went round when I was having an afternoon off from a week of back-breaking work and painted the new ceiling for me. Unfortunately, the plaster wasn’t completely dry so the ceiling started to crack and then the whole thing fell down. It took us till 1am to bag up all the plaster rubble and clean the room again. But worst of all, the plaster had fallen onto my newly painted floorboards and scratched them to bits. Lesson learned: don’t paint new plaster until it is bone dry! And I had no time to replaster the ceiling, so I just painted it. The bumps and cracks remain!”
Houzz Tour: At Home With… Charlotte Duckworth
Charlotte Duckworth, based in Surrey, is a journalist and blogs about stylish interiors for children.
Gotoyourroom.net
“Here’s what you can’t see in the picture… The ceiling in this room is covered in textured paint from the 1980s, and it’s covered in hairline cracks. When I first moved in, I had the ceiling replastered to cover up the cracks, bumpy paintwork and to give it a smooth finish. I was knackered at the time doing up my flat before I moved in as I only had a week to do everything. My dad, eager to help me out, secretly went round when I was having an afternoon off from a week of back-breaking work and painted the new ceiling for me. Unfortunately, the plaster wasn’t completely dry so the ceiling started to crack and then the whole thing fell down. It took us till 1am to bag up all the plaster rubble and clean the room again. But worst of all, the plaster had fallen onto my newly painted floorboards and scratched them to bits. Lesson learned: don’t paint new plaster until it is bone dry! And I had no time to replaster the ceiling, so I just painted it. The bumps and cracks remain!”
Houzz Tour: At Home With… Charlotte Duckworth
“We have lived here for seven years but only had about six baths”
Kate Watson-Smyth, interior style consultant/personal shopper, award-winning blogger and journalist based in London.
Madaboutyourhouse.com
“So this is the gorgeous freestanding tub in front of the fireplace that totally plays into the myth of the perfect luxurious bathroom. When we moved in to this house my husband decided that he would spend Saturday afternoons lying in the bath, gazing out of the window at the trees behind while listening to Radio 4 and drinking wine.
“However, what you probably can’t quite tell from this picture is that it is a short bath – 150cm as opposed to 170cm. This is because there wasn’t quite enough room for a freestanding bath as well as a loo and separate shower. That is the first thing.
“The second thing is that we were easily persuaded that a pop-up waste would be a good idea. This means the reality is that because the bath is short and the pop-up plug is in the middle – and not at one end – as soon as you try and slide from sitting to almost lying (it’s too short to fully lie) you sit on the pop-up waste and all the water starts running out.
“There are two morals to this story: either buy a full-length bath or make sure the plug is at one end (the foot) and never buy one with a pop-up waste.
“We have lived here for seven years. We have had about six baths between us. Don’t believe everything you see in the pictures.”
Houzz Tour: At Home With… Kate Watson-Smyth
Kate Watson-Smyth, interior style consultant/personal shopper, award-winning blogger and journalist based in London.
Madaboutyourhouse.com
“So this is the gorgeous freestanding tub in front of the fireplace that totally plays into the myth of the perfect luxurious bathroom. When we moved in to this house my husband decided that he would spend Saturday afternoons lying in the bath, gazing out of the window at the trees behind while listening to Radio 4 and drinking wine.
“However, what you probably can’t quite tell from this picture is that it is a short bath – 150cm as opposed to 170cm. This is because there wasn’t quite enough room for a freestanding bath as well as a loo and separate shower. That is the first thing.
“The second thing is that we were easily persuaded that a pop-up waste would be a good idea. This means the reality is that because the bath is short and the pop-up plug is in the middle – and not at one end – as soon as you try and slide from sitting to almost lying (it’s too short to fully lie) you sit on the pop-up waste and all the water starts running out.
“There are two morals to this story: either buy a full-length bath or make sure the plug is at one end (the foot) and never buy one with a pop-up waste.
“We have lived here for seven years. We have had about six baths between us. Don’t believe everything you see in the pictures.”
Houzz Tour: At Home With… Kate Watson-Smyth
“My teenage daughters create lots of mess”
Jessica Zoob, Sussex-based artist, winner of an Elle Decoration British Design Award and blogger.
Jessicazoob.com
“This house is designed like a ship, with places to hide everything. For example, I have pull-down double beds in cupboards and pull-out beds that look like sofas, as well as what you can see in these two rooms (including storage under the benches at the end). And I have included lots of huge cupboards for a reason. I have two teenage daughters and they create lots of mess! I also designed the house so it could sleep 14 kids as the girls love to host sleepovers. Not always sure how clever that was,
especially the morning after a big party…
“It’s a happy house, but it is always great to have lots of places to hide girlie clutter – especially just before a photo shoot!”
My Houzz: An Artist’s Victorian Home in Sussex That Breathes Serenity
Jessica Zoob, Sussex-based artist, winner of an Elle Decoration British Design Award and blogger.
Jessicazoob.com
“This house is designed like a ship, with places to hide everything. For example, I have pull-down double beds in cupboards and pull-out beds that look like sofas, as well as what you can see in these two rooms (including storage under the benches at the end). And I have included lots of huge cupboards for a reason. I have two teenage daughters and they create lots of mess! I also designed the house so it could sleep 14 kids as the girls love to host sleepovers. Not always sure how clever that was,
especially the morning after a big party…
“It’s a happy house, but it is always great to have lots of places to hide girlie clutter – especially just before a photo shoot!”
My Houzz: An Artist’s Victorian Home in Sussex That Breathes Serenity
“I can’t keep any plants alive”
Teri Muncey, designer, illustrator, stylist, crafter and blogger living in London.
Thelovelydrawer.com
“People comment on how many plants we have in our new living room and how lovely and healthy they look, but what you can’t tell from this photo is that they’re all artificial because I literally can’t keep any plants alive.
“I’ve tried and failed on numerous occasions and had to accept that it was a recurring cycle that could only be broken by changing my tactics and embracing an easier life!
“The only real plant in this shot is the tallest one, tucked away in the corner of the room and currently well hidden by the luscious artificial one in front. So many of the leaves are brown and we’ve been told it’s rotting from the inside out! When in doubt, fake it.”
Check out Teri Muncey’s previous home in this Houzz Tour
Teri Muncey, designer, illustrator, stylist, crafter and blogger living in London.
Thelovelydrawer.com
“People comment on how many plants we have in our new living room and how lovely and healthy they look, but what you can’t tell from this photo is that they’re all artificial because I literally can’t keep any plants alive.
“I’ve tried and failed on numerous occasions and had to accept that it was a recurring cycle that could only be broken by changing my tactics and embracing an easier life!
“The only real plant in this shot is the tallest one, tucked away in the corner of the room and currently well hidden by the luscious artificial one in front. So many of the leaves are brown and we’ve been told it’s rotting from the inside out! When in doubt, fake it.”
Check out Teri Muncey’s previous home in this Houzz Tour
“Doesn’t everyone have a tile disaster?”
Egon Walesch, award-winning interior designer and blogger with bases in southeast London and Ireland.
Egondesign.co.uk
“This is about a tile disaster (doesn’t everyone have a tile disaster?). Maybe not a disaster, but it is a little-known secret. When designing our garden room extension, we decided to put in some rather lovely encaustic tiles in shades of grey on the floor as it leads out to the garden. We spent quite a while working out the right way to lay the tiles, which we ordered from Spain, so that you got the best view of the pattern from within the room.
“Unfortunately, the builders made some mistakes in the preparation of the floor and after a few months the tiles started to crack. The builders admitted their blunder and undertook to replace them so the tiles, as well as underfloor heating and screed, had to come out so they could replace it all. Having already lived through the whole building project, we couldn’t face being there while they did all this again so we booked a holiday and handed over the keys to the builders. This time, they did it properly and we haven’t had any problems… The only thing is, they didn’t lay the tiles in the same way as before and we weren’t there to tell them about optimising the pattern. Now, the best view of the pattern is from the garden outside! We didn’t have the heart to tell the builders. And even I couldn’t contemplate doing it a third time.”
See all of Walesch’s home in this Houzz Tour
Egon Walesch, award-winning interior designer and blogger with bases in southeast London and Ireland.
Egondesign.co.uk
“This is about a tile disaster (doesn’t everyone have a tile disaster?). Maybe not a disaster, but it is a little-known secret. When designing our garden room extension, we decided to put in some rather lovely encaustic tiles in shades of grey on the floor as it leads out to the garden. We spent quite a while working out the right way to lay the tiles, which we ordered from Spain, so that you got the best view of the pattern from within the room.
“Unfortunately, the builders made some mistakes in the preparation of the floor and after a few months the tiles started to crack. The builders admitted their blunder and undertook to replace them so the tiles, as well as underfloor heating and screed, had to come out so they could replace it all. Having already lived through the whole building project, we couldn’t face being there while they did all this again so we booked a holiday and handed over the keys to the builders. This time, they did it properly and we haven’t had any problems… The only thing is, they didn’t lay the tiles in the same way as before and we weren’t there to tell them about optimising the pattern. Now, the best view of the pattern is from the garden outside! We didn’t have the heart to tell the builders. And even I couldn’t contemplate doing it a third time.”
See all of Walesch’s home in this Houzz Tour
“Styling this room was very stressful – we nearly broke up”
David White and Mark Russell are award-winning design bloggers based in London.
Forwardfeatures.net
David White: “This shot was taken with a huge pile of clothes behind us kicked out of sight. It was a styled shoot we did in our new flat in Peckham and involved us taking a lot of our previous furniture and accessories away and replacing them with new pieces. For the shoot we also moved a coat rail out with lots of heavy coats – and the whole rail collapsed… hence the pile of clothes not in shot. We nearly broke up and it was very stressful.”
Houzz Tour: At Home With… David and Mark of Forward Features
David White and Mark Russell are award-winning design bloggers based in London.
Forwardfeatures.net
David White: “This shot was taken with a huge pile of clothes behind us kicked out of sight. It was a styled shoot we did in our new flat in Peckham and involved us taking a lot of our previous furniture and accessories away and replacing them with new pieces. For the shoot we also moved a coat rail out with lots of heavy coats – and the whole rail collapsed… hence the pile of clothes not in shot. We nearly broke up and it was very stressful.”
Houzz Tour: At Home With… David and Mark of Forward Features
“This is a room of two halves. This side is very serene, but the other…”
Surrey-based blogger Caroline Rowland is also an editor, writer and picture editor, as well as the founder of 91 Magazine.
Patchworkharmony.co.uk
“When we moved in six months ago, this room had a dark blue carpet and dark pink walls. We quickly painted the walls white and put down some new flooring. It’s transformed the room, but it is far from finished. It very much feels like a room of two halves –look towards the bed and it appears calm and serene, look the other way and it still has unpacked boxes and old furniture that needs to go to the charity shop as it totally doesn’t suit the room. We will get round to making the other half just as serene soon I hope”
Check out Rowland’s previous home in this Houzz Tour
Surrey-based blogger Caroline Rowland is also an editor, writer and picture editor, as well as the founder of 91 Magazine.
Patchworkharmony.co.uk
“When we moved in six months ago, this room had a dark blue carpet and dark pink walls. We quickly painted the walls white and put down some new flooring. It’s transformed the room, but it is far from finished. It very much feels like a room of two halves –look towards the bed and it appears calm and serene, look the other way and it still has unpacked boxes and old furniture that needs to go to the charity shop as it totally doesn’t suit the room. We will get round to making the other half just as serene soon I hope”
Check out Rowland’s previous home in this Houzz Tour
“We’re still saving up to finish the floor”
Leeds-based Karen Knox is an interiors blogger and provides design services specialising in ideas for smaller budgets.
Making-spaces.net
“This space was reconfigured and redesigned as part of our loft extension. We removed a wall and now what was the box room is now this open-plan office. But there are still traces of the old layout visible, as this room has one carpet and the landing has a different carpet. We also have a split where the old door threshold was and a bit where the old floorboards stick out. You can just see in the photo (bottom right) where we really need to have the entire landing space recarpeted. We’re saving up to have it recarpeted…”
Houzz Tour: At Home With… Karen Knox
Leeds-based Karen Knox is an interiors blogger and provides design services specialising in ideas for smaller budgets.
Making-spaces.net
“This space was reconfigured and redesigned as part of our loft extension. We removed a wall and now what was the box room is now this open-plan office. But there are still traces of the old layout visible, as this room has one carpet and the landing has a different carpet. We also have a split where the old door threshold was and a bit where the old floorboards stick out. You can just see in the photo (bottom right) where we really need to have the entire landing space recarpeted. We’re saving up to have it recarpeted…”
Houzz Tour: At Home With… Karen Knox
“This picture makes our house look finished and grown-up. It’s a different story the other side of the door”
Sally Smith, from London, is an interiors writer, stylist and blogger.
Smithhomestyle.uk
“My house is a constant work in progress and nothing is really quite done. This is my hallway. I’ve always loved the floor tiles and traditional Edwardian front door and I guess it does look finished and quite grown-up. However, it’s a completely different story from the outside!
“We sadly have a very scruffy front door that we haven’t touched since we moved in – 13 years ago! – with paint peeling off and cracked glazing panels. The front garden, if you could call it that, is a mess of concrete, gravel and weeds. We have an even tattier wooden front gate that we can’t shut and a path that floods every time it rains. Not to mention the leaking guttering that overflows and drips through the night if we get heavy rain. I could go on…”
Dream Houzz: Interiors Blogger Sally Smith Designs Her Fantasy Home
If you took a photo of your home’s best room or corner, what wouldn’t that perfect photo tell us? Share your secrets in the Comments below!
Sally Smith, from London, is an interiors writer, stylist and blogger.
Smithhomestyle.uk
“My house is a constant work in progress and nothing is really quite done. This is my hallway. I’ve always loved the floor tiles and traditional Edwardian front door and I guess it does look finished and quite grown-up. However, it’s a completely different story from the outside!
“We sadly have a very scruffy front door that we haven’t touched since we moved in – 13 years ago! – with paint peeling off and cracked glazing panels. The front garden, if you could call it that, is a mess of concrete, gravel and weeds. We have an even tattier wooden front gate that we can’t shut and a path that floods every time it rains. Not to mention the leaking guttering that overflows and drips through the night if we get heavy rain. I could go on…”
Dream Houzz: Interiors Blogger Sally Smith Designs Her Fantasy Home
If you took a photo of your home’s best room or corner, what wouldn’t that perfect photo tell us? Share your secrets in the Comments below!
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My lovely den...what can't been seen are the frayed fabric spots of the 25 year old furniture (thank goodness the spots are inconspicuous), the basket overflowing with magazines that I either haven't read or put in the recycle bin. What is visible are the cords from the TV to the cable outlet and the electrical outlet (one day I will get a tube from Home Depot to put on the wall...
This must be one of the most responded to articles on Houzz. That in itself says something. I have two points to add. We downsized and moved into our little 1970's square, characterless, box 2.5 years ago. The first thing we did was rip off all the pelmets over the windows and installed shutters. Great, except we still haven't re wallpapered over/painted where the ripped off pelmets were. Secondly, in our last house, we installed a lovely bath on feet. (I've forgotten the proper name). What I didn't realise then was what an absolute pain it was to clean under the bath. Because the bath was on short feet, it's practically impossible to get a mop under the bath, yet all the dust collects there. So every week I'd have to get down on my stomach (yes, not knees) with a hand cloth and wipe under the bath. The lesson here is to install baths which sit on the floor with no gaps underneath. They may not look as nice, but unless you have a cleaner, they are a lot easier to work with. Love Houzz btw.
I also have the lovely-to-look at but relatively unused big beautiful bath. Have used it twice in two years - mainly because a bad back makes it difficult to get in, and almost impossible to get out. And, the twice I have used it, I discovered the pitfall of a central pop-up waste! Very annoying to realise your bathful of lovely hot water is gurgling down the drain before you've even relaxed into it. The bath is a very expensive drip tray for the laundry drying rack currently standing in it!