Issue 10: January 2026

January has been a slow down and take a break kind of month for us. We’ve festered, watched movies until we became one with the sofa, and revisited the drawing board to prioritise this year’s list of jobs (including redoing some old jobs, because English winters are not kind to 250-year-old houses, apparently.)

Well, 2026 has started with a bit of bad luck for us. I was admitted to hospital on New Year’s Day with appendicitis, our windscreen smashed the other day, and I was finally off the year-long waiting list for my mysterious allergy… only to find out there was a clerical error and I missed my appointment. Hopefully, that’s all of the annoyances out of the way for the rest of the year, and not an omen for a bad 12 months! Sometimes these things are sent to test us, but I can fight. Kind of.

Progress Peek:

If you remember last month’s issue, I explained how we’d been working towards finishing the family bathroom before Christmas. We didn’t manage it, unfortunately, and we’ve taken a much-needed break this month. At the risk of sounding like a miserable Myrtle, we felt a bit burnt out by renovation works, and just needed a month to decompress and get our mojo back. I have been recovering from my surgery, so it made sense that John would take this month to stop DIY, look after me (what a guy), and we could sit and work on our house plans instead.

The poor bathroom then, has been neglected this past month. It’s gathered dust and cobwebs, the tools haven’t touched a material other than the floor for weeks, and we’re still living with only one (semi-) working shower, which is actually an overhead bathtub attachment that drips slowly, forcing me to shower like Gollum all hunched over and cretinous. There is another shower, but for some reason, the dial is stuck, so it comes out freezing cold. Not what you want when it’s -8c outside.

In The Details:

The majority of the time, we absolutely love renovating this house. But I don’t want to sit here and pretend it’s rainbows and sunshine all the time, because that’s not true and I think it’s important to show every aspect of it, even the negative or ugly bits! Money stress, living with damp, and a list of jobs that sometimes feels like it might send me crying into a corner are all things that need managing. And sometimes, part of that management is having a month off to reset and just live and exist in the house. Sometimes something as simple as that can actually really help us re-prioritise and give us our inspiration back, and this month, it really has! We walked around the downstairs the other day just talking about fun design ideas, nodding, and finding inspo pictures on Pinterest. We officially have our groove back.

Something we’ve learned doing this renovation, is that maintenance is just as important as transformation. We spent the first spring and summer we lived here beautifying the garden, planting plenty and painting masonry. After two winters, it now looks like we spent that time throwing rocks at the garden; it’s battered. The exterior is the first impression you get of the house, and I’m sad to say it’s not looking its best at the moment. High on the list of jobs are either replacing or restoring the windows, as they are dire. Most of them are rotten, with broken sash mechanisms and mouldy glass, so we’re looking into a restoration company to fix them and bring them back to life.

After that, the driveway needs to lose its building site-chic label, and then we’ll be building the outdoor kitchen. Think one of those American ones you see on TV: huge, impressive, and functional. Sexy, basically. It’ll be another DIY job, so it may take us every sun-filled hour into the evening, but it’ll be so so worth it once it’s done. You’ll catch me at the bar with a glass of Aperol Spritz. See you there.

Farmhouse Finds:

This month’s Palette Pick is Blue Ribbon by Deluxe Heritage. It’s a gorgeous pale blue, but with warmth and a bit of old-fashioned decadence to it. I can imagine it in our living room, but I think it would go really well in any light-filled room.

A brand I’m loving: Freddie’s Flowers. Years ago, my friend began getting a regular delivery of flowers for herself, and I remember thinking how rich and posh she must be! She said it made her feel like she was ‘put together’ and I totally get it now. I’ve been getting regular deliveries of beautiful fresh bouquets from Freddie’s Flowers, and something about it really cheers me up and makes the house feel more homey. I do have a discount code (SHANICE) if you want to treat yourself to your own 50% off bouquet and beckon springtime from wherever it’s hiding.

Photo of the Month:

Some first glimpses of the sun reminding us how beautiful it is, despite what feels like a rather long hiatus.

Around The Farmhouse Table:

Controversial home opinions: John thinks the heating doesn’t need to be above 17c (he’s wrong), and I think that shoes should always come off as soon as you walk through the door (I’m right.)

Here’s what you guys said:

• “You have to tell me you’re going to visit… so I can panic clean!”
• “People who chill at home in jeans are psychopaths.”
• “Everything has to be symmetrical.”

Looking Ahead:

February will be productive, no doubt. I’m almost fully recovered after my surgery, and we’re both raring to get stuck back in and make a real difference before the spring and summer hit.

We need to prioritise, but whichever way round we do it, we know we want the bathroom completed, either the living room or garden room transformed, and the garden and exterior looking beautiful in time for outdoor hosting. We’ve got to start somewhere, because I’m sure those warmer evenings will be here before we know it.

Until next month you beautiful bunch,

Shanice 🤍