LIV Chats To…DIY Expert Greg About His Renovation Journey
This week, we’re chatting to @manwithahammer about his Amazing renovation. his home is definitely going to inspire you to start your own DIY project!
Hi Greg, first things first, please can you introduce yourself?
Hello! I'm Greg , aka @manwithahammer!
I'm currently renovating a 30 roomed ex-Naval Georgian lump in Devon in my spare time.
Please tell us more about your stunning home and how @manwithahammer came about?
I renovated my last home - the first I'd owned, and towards the end of it, set myself up on Instagram as a way of sharing it, but more importantly to share some camaraderie with other renovators and DIYers. I then sold that and went dormant on Instagram whilst I was looking for the next place and Admirals is what I found! It was (is) in a very sorry state and is a bit of a Herculean task, but slowly and surely, I'll get there - one room at a time.
It is based on what was once the Royal Naval Hospital Stonehouse, built between 1760 and 1804, it was the grandest house on the site and would have been home to the senior officer that ran the site. It's initial occupant was Honourary surgeon to the King, and it's said Admiral Nelson's body was brought into the house after Trafalgar.
Please could you describe your interior style, has it always been the same or has it evolved over time?
It's definitely evolved over time, partly as I take inspiration from the space and age of the house I am in! So it has changed from my last place which was a Victorian house, compared to this one which is a Georgian property.
“My confidence in design is also growing as I learn how to embrace pattern in particular.”
What brands or trends inspire you or your house purchases?
Hm, I try and stay away from trends... broadly speaking because just doing this place once is almost a lifetime of work and I have no intention of starting again once I've done it’s all done haha! I just hope I'm doing it in such a way that isn't going to age or date too badly! I do however, think there's a resurgence starting to happen, in a slightly more traditional feel and for these grand old properties, driven by things like 'The Crown' and 'Bridgerton'. I think this year, with us all spending far more time at home too, has seen people moving towards comfortable spaces with more interest, pattern and texture than they would have previously used - which suits me! I've worked with @warnerhouse_1870 recently on a couple of rooms and they have an incredible history that includes providing fabric to various Royal Coronations and the White House, so they have definitely help me feed into that vibe!
What interior Instagram accounts inspire you, could you name your top 3?
1. @madaboutthehouse is probably the account that actually made me believe I could potentially decorate a room - her tips are just invaluable for anyone starting out and her advice is so easy to follow, and well - it feels like common sense.
2. @benpentreathstudio - I adore pretty well all of Ben Pentreath’s work and this account gives a glimpse into how some of these spaces are pulled together!
3. @ritakonig’s style is absolutely wonderful too!
We love your home and especially the use of different colours! Do you have any tips on how to style colour?
Thank you! I think the biggest and easiest thing to do and taken straight from @madaboutthehouse is not to immediately just paint all your woodwork and trim white!
Be brave and embrace colour on your trim too (I often use the same colour as the walls) and it totally transforms a space and actually makes using colour easier!
The house really is amazing but do you ever feel overwhelmed?
Please could you talk to our followers about the process of renovating your forever home and if you would have done anything differently.
Haha sometimes... the scale is a bit bonkers! 60 wooden windows, 84 internal doors and over 8,000 sqft over 5 floors, but 'How do you eat an elephant? one bite at a time!' I just keep going and eventually I'll get there! There's still so much to do and I long for the day I can have the roof sorted - it's a bit of a surprise cost as I thought it was going to be OK for a while, but it's not and anytime it rains, I wince.
We love the look of every single room, do you have a favourite room or is there just too many to choose from?
Ahh haha well, any room I've just finished usually - but that's only because the 'before' is the freshest in my mind and the transformation is lovely!
It's so easy to forget just how bad it was before I started on it!
What's your favourite home purchase you have made recently and is there anything on your Wishlist?
Blimey, a million things!
I actually moved in with zero furniture, as I sold my last place with literally everything in…so I picked up a 2nd hand sofa the day I moved in so I'd have something to sit on!
Outdoor furniture still consists of folding camp chairs haha! I've recently invested in a couple of really comfortable beds, ready for when the world opens up a bit! As I cannot wait to have friends and family to visit again as now they actually have a couple of (almost) finished bedrooms to stay in!
And finally what does the future hold for @manwithahammer is there anything left up your sleeve?
Haha, well - there's a lot of house left to finish! I still have 20 or so rooms to do! I'd love a crystal ball!
Thanks to the support of everyone on Instagram this year has been so life changing. I would have never predicted 12 months ago that I would be here so - who knows!
If you have enjoyed reading all about Greg and his colourful home, head over to his Instagram page @manwithahammer to keep up to date with his renovation journey.
