ABOUT GROWING SPACES
Interiors is my passion, and I started Growing Spaces back in 2011 when I moved from south London out to Berkshire with my husband and our twins. It started out as a way to share how we were turning a dated 1970s house into a creative family home, but has expanded to include anything that piques my interest, from decorating tips, to family-friendly travel ideas, to days out with the kids, to craft and DIY tutorials. What I love about Growing Spaces is that it’s my place to be creative – I hope that my readers feel inspired by my posts, whether it’s by a great styling tip or a clever craft project.
I try to make sure that the projects I share are realistic – I’m time- and cash-poor – so my decorating ideas involve a big dose of DIY and my long-suffering husband usually has to rein my ideas in. When it comes to our home, everything is subjected to the Twins Test – there’s no point splashing out on a blow-the-budget piece of furniture if I know it won’t stand up to the rigours of two energetic six-year-olds. While I don’t advocate letting them trash the place, I do firmly believe that the kids should be allowed to express themselves at home – our house is a family home not an everything-is-perfect showhome.
MY BACKGROUND
I’m an interiors journalist who’s been working for some of the UK’s leading interiors magazines for nearly 14 years, both in-house and as a freelancer. I’ve written features on everything from project-managing a successful bathroom project, to choosing the right oven, to trend reports and styling advice. As well as contributing to mags, I’ve also been an editor and commissioning editor. When it comes to interiors planning, advice and styling, I know my stuff.
Goodness knows how many homes shoots I’ve been on – definitely in the hundreds – both on location and in the studio. As well as being hands-on either styling or art-directing, I’ve also had extensive experience commissioning freelance photographers and stylists.
The last year has seen me moving into video content – I’ve presented craft videos for housetohome.co.uk and recently we worked together on a YouTube channel called Heather At Home. I also have my own YouTube channel, Heather’s Space. This is a weekly series where I tackle all the unfinished jobs and DIY projects around my house, as well as zoning in on others areas of my life that could do with a bit more time and energy. I have also presented a series of six videos as part of Dunelm’s #HiberNation campaign.
[copy writing and shoot styling] Ideal Home magazine, Ideal Home’s Complete Guide to Christmas, Style At Home, Beautiful Kitchens, Country Homes & Interiors, Essentials, Mollie Makes, Dulux, Tesco
[presenting] Housetohome, Dunelm Mill
[blog collaborations] B&Q, Laura Ashley, Wayfair, Liberty, West Elm, Notonthehighstreet, Etsy, Utopia Bathrooms, Carpetright, Dulux, Valspar and many more
[travel collaborations] Just So Festival, The Good Life Experience, Canopy & Stars
[public speaking] Blogtacular