Lockdown meant many things. It will probably take years before historians have fully processed it and understood the repercussions, but most of my happy memories from that time were created in the company of friends and family. What a joy it turned out to be, after solitary family confinement, to meet others. As the various lockdown periods continued, we were desperate to find ways to get together. Walk in the park – a metre apart? Yes, absolutely. BBQ outside in wintertime? Yes please. Footpath chat? I’m in. And then came the small steps back towards entertaining, having people over. And with those incremental steps, I found myself a worthy project at home.
What was originally a boathouse in the garden, which, over the years, had morphed into a playroom, then flipped into a temporary gym, eventually became a storage space (read ‘dumping ground’). It jumped up and down, demanding to be transformed once again.
Some wall insulation was installed and the recycler in me went on the hunt for textured wooden wall cladding. Reclaimed pallets were the perfect solution. We painted the other walls, ceiling and cupboards in Chelsea Green by Paper & Paints whilst the window frames and remaining woodwork got repainted in Screed by Little Greene.
An industrial style mirror and custom-made wall shelf unit from Etsy started off the fun, with two beautiful wicker wall lights and pinoleum blinds for atmosphere. A mirror ball quickly followed and then I had a dip back in time to teenage days making macrame plant hangers with my darling Mum.
Sika furniture was the best option for use indoors and on the patio whilst an early morning trip to Kempton Park for the antiques market proved to be a treasure trove. It’s the best place to find a friendly garden gnome and a couple of vintage soda siphon bottles. The rest was easy – a few sheepskin throws, cushions and then plants for the greenhouse vibe all amounted to a new room that was perfect for semi-lockdown entertaining and beyond.
