HOME RENOVATION REGRETS/ HOME IDEAS WE WISH WE HAD DONE DIFFERENTLY

Today's video is all about home renovation regrets and things that we have done while renovating our home that we wish we had done a little differently.
Last week I did a video on the 10 best home renovation updates we have done which is here if you would like to give it a watch... • 10 BEST HOME RENOVATIO...
SOME PREVIOUS INTERIOR VIDEOS YOU MIGHT LIKE-
KITCHEN RENOVATION TOUR- • KITCHEN TOUR | BEFORE ...
GARDEN RENOVATION TOUR- • GARDEN RENOVATION AND ...
2 YEAR RENOVATION HOUSE TOUR- • HOUSE TOUR (UPDATED 2 ...
1 YEAR RENOVATION HOUSE TOUR- • HOUSE TOUR (MID WAY TH...
Thanks always for subscribing to my channel and supporting me and my videos, I love chatting to you all. x
FIND ME
INSTAGRAM : / katie_ellison
BLOG : www.katieellison.co.uk
HOME INSTAGRAM: / katie_ellison_home
TRAVEL INSTAGRAM:
/ the_ellisons_travel
TWITTER : / katie_ellison_
#homerenovation #homemakeover #channelmumtalent

[@adrienneloo2029]

What a refreshing video!! I always think I'm the only one who regrets home design decisions! :)

[@katie_ellison]

No definitely no just you. I think it's only natural to have a few regrets or things that haven't quite worked out the way you wanted them too.

[@DottieandSqueak]

Ellison9p0lll9

[@pridemalate6041]

I am so glad im not the only one with renovation regrets 😒😒😂😂 i enjoyed this

[@NB-Philly]

Listening to your retrospective is great. It makes me want to be sure to fully think through all my future projects throughly. I currently gutting my bathrooms, completed one and starting the second. I already learned from minor mistakes and other time saving tricks for the second bathroom. Love you channel and love your beautiful home!

[@katie_ellison]

Thank you so much :)

[@sarahnaylorfitness]

Great video. We have the French connection sofas and we love them. We find them super comfy. We had them for 4 years and sold them and bought them again in grey! The new ones have changed slighting in the design with extra foam and padding. We have never had any issues but I rotate the cushions at least every week and I don’t have young children.

[@aimeebelle]

It’s a refreshing video to discuss snagging and regrets it gives people a insight into things that could not work in their houses, however most of these are easily remedied. Grout, bannisters, doors are all fairly simple DIY jobs and with a little time and relatively low money can be sorted

[@katie_ellison]

Thank you yes we are lucky we didn’t have any serious regrets! We will change and fix most of them over time I hope- bar things like the bath etc. Thank you for watching :)

[@panipoori8961]

I love to listen to you.. I have always loved your accent and the way you keep things simple while explaining things to us ..

[@MyJewishMommyLife]

Love this video!! We just sold our home so I think I’ll film a video just like this one! Thanks for the inspiration!

[@katie_ellison]

Ooh that’s a great idea! Good luck with your house move if you haven’t done it already! :)

[@lindacade3975]

Thank you for sharing your renovation journey. For the stairs, there are items called Dust Corners that are small triangles of metal you would install (it's just one nail) where the tread, riser and skirt board join to prevent a build-up of dust. They were common in older houses but I think they would work quite nicely in your lovely home.

[@Jopacob]

Yes that’s what I was going to suggest too

[@susan945]

Hi Katie, I totally understand your Renovation regrets. All in all, you did a fantastic job, I think everyone feels there are things they wish they had done a bit differently, that's just the nature of renovations, so, your video will help alot of others, it's hard when most videos are of million dollar homes, so it's nice to see a more normal budget renovation. I loved your bathroom especially, where did you get that lovely tile, it's really beautiful, I'd love to know. I love that you have splashes of pink throughout your house, it always compliments grey. Thanks for sharing. :)

[@mariannetuite7411]

Love these renovation videos, they’re so inspiring. Your style is very similar to my own. The house and garden look great. Have a great week x

[@katie_ellison]

Thank you so much Marianne! Have a good week too x

[@TheTattooedCrafter]

Privacy is always an issue on a new build development. That’s the one thing we’ve struggled with in our current home and are so happy to be moving to an older property without this issue. We added laurel trees to the back of our garden to make a hedge allowing us to enjoy our garden without the annoyance of the house it backs onto. Definitely look into pleached trees. They are like a climbing tree which you can attach to a frame, our friends created this at the back of their garden to help with privacy. These grow super quickly and can be adapted to any size or shape frame. X

[@katie_ellison]

Ooh thanks so much for the advice I will definitely look into pleached trees. I haven’t heard of those before x

[@KadilakHomes]

Love how the family bathroom came out!

[@becj7659]

I’m so glad I found this video! Subscribed and memorising all info! Our grout did exactly the same. We bought a steam cleaner, scrubbed it and sealed it and it’s been perfect ever since. We do have to steam mop the floor. We went for a gloss tile. I have regretted it every day since it was down 🙈

[@katie_ellison]

Thanks so much for subscribing Bec! I might have to try with a steam cleaner, I think my mum has one I could borrow. Then I must get it sealed.

[@julieparker9581]

Love this. I think no matter if you are renovating a whole house or one room, there are always regrets! If you couple budget with the plethora of options out there, it can become overwhelming. I can’t even decide on a lamp for a side table and a I’ve been looking for about a year!

[@katie_ellison]

Absolutely there is just so much choice isn't there? And you can't keep doing up rooms, well some do, but for us once we have done a room that is pretty much it done for a while. Especially furniture wise. x

[@jenniferdrennan2782]

We also painted our banister, looked exactly the same as yours. We used Farrow and Ball Estate Eggshell in Wevet. I just re-do the handrail and the bottom main posts every six months or so and this keeps it looking new.

[@katie_ellison]

That’s a good idea! I think I need to do that a bit more, I naively just thought it would stand the test of time! X

[@MT-tp4mv]

Thanks for you honest retrospective, I’m about to start a renovation and I think it’s important to prioritise comfort, function and practicality over fashion and style. Style will come and go but at least you’ll still have function. Also making slow considered decision and understanding how a space works before renovation.

[@katie_ellison]

Thank you for watching :)

[@deborahsmith2583]

Interesting video Katie! I imagine everyone has some regret about things they've done or bought for their home, I definitely have! Your hair is absolutely gorgeous BTW! Xx

[@katie_ellison]

Thanks so much Debbie! And yes I would say so, unless you are an expert house renovation there are bound to be some trial and errors along the way! x

[@silverflipflop4622]

I definitely invested more in the sofas (buy cheap, buy twice!) & it was worth it. Great video again Kate & loving that you’ve gone back to blond x

[@katie_ellison]

Thanks so much lovely! And yes I wish we had done a little more research- while I like ours I am not sure they will be ones we keep forever and ever. x

[@allisongryski8452]

Garden plants are like paint colours, sometimes the best move is to admit you chose the wrong one and replace it. I suggest you do that tree research you wish you'd done before and choose a new tree. You can also add privacy by putting a trellis and climber or potted shrub near where you actually sit rather than at the fence line and then a smaller one can provide more privacy quickly.

[@katie_ellison]

Thanks so much for the advice Allison! I think you are right.

[@sagittariusmoon1043]

This is a good one ,, thanks for this xx honesty really helps others 👀 . House is beautiful

[@debloui]

You can have someone out to professionally clean and seal your grout. And they can replace it in any areas it has worn - they just need to carefully remove it so it doesn’t damage the tiles.

[@darni78]

Thank you for sharing . it helps me alot. thank you so much!

[@carolb9208]

Oh gosh we have those DFS French connection sofas, forever sorting the sagging cushions and whenever u get up the cushion moves forward because its not attached to the back cushion, i love the legs on them tho and general style, glad im not the only one!❤️

[@katie_ellison]

Hahaha yes ours does that as well! But I still do like them, I love the way they look! x

[@user-ij9og8cy8u]

love the idea of this and the other video!! this was great xx

[@katie_ellison]

Thanks so much. x

[@oliviasloan2333]

I’m thinking of painting my banister white, it’s currently a light wood but the kids hand prints put me of, your hair is so lovely xx

[@katie_ellison]

Thanks lovely! I think I will paint ours white again cause I do like the way it looks, from what others have said i think I just need to maintain it more and repaint it often x

[@loripenzato9219]

I painted just the spindles white and left the handrails and the newel post (?) black. I had to put primer on the black parts because it was originally stained!

[@stacey839]

We’re overlooked like your self it’s too 8 years to get some height we’ve got two apple trees and other trees it looks beautiful now I love it xxxxx

[@katie_ellison]

That sounds gorgeous! Apple trees sound lovely. x

[@candicewaller403]

This was cool to see. Every renovation has stuff like this. For mine, it was all fairly minor stuff that only I'd notice, like slightly off-center island pendants. For the stairs, carpet is definitely nice for walking on (especially for kids), but consider redoing it with patterned carpet that has some darker bits in it. Ours is tiny squares in grey, brown, and black which definitely hides the dirt. As far as your painted railing goes, two years is a pretty good run for so-so paint and having kids touching it all the time. A higher quality of paint might get you a few more years at a time, but all-in all, you'll always need to repaint something that gets touched all the time.

[@katie_ellison]

I definitely think everyone has minor things that they would change if they could, or they would have done slightly differently. Yes I think from doing this video and people saying, that actually two years isn't bad for the paint, I think I am just going to repaint it and start again. I do like the white it feels really fresh.

[@jodeha2002]

When choosing paint the next go round, choose a gloss. Choosing a white colour is beautiful; simply choose a sheen with more ability to stand up to day to day life. A wet rag with cleaning solution (even a simple soap and water from the sink) will do wonders. My partner and I moved into a house where the previous owners seem to have chosen Anything Else In Life rather than cleaning. A good couple of scrubby swipes with a hot soapy cloth brought our gloss trim back to gorgeous! Good luck, and you have a new subscriber from the US!!!

[@amberamber100]

For the stairs, i have the exact same problem. I’m going for a warmer tone next time. I have a greyish blue and all you can see are those brownish marks in the middles from the traffic. I think next time ill choose a nice beigey brown.

[@laviathanmua5464]

Hi, love the video! I was hoping I could help you with the kitchen grout situation. 1. A steamer really helps clean the grout lines in the high traffic areas. 2. You can remove and redo the grout with a grout removal tool. It looks like a screw driver with a triangle shaped tip. Once it's redon, make sure to use a really high quality sealer, they can be pretty expensive, but it's well worth the price. 3. You can also use a grout stain after a thorough clean. Whenever I do tiling in kitchens or high traffic areas, I like to incorporate a darker color. Unfortunately no matter how much you seal the grout, it will eventually discolor. A darker color helps to hide the discoloration, and having a stain makes it easier to touch up down the road. There are probably a thousand other things you can do, but these have worked great for me. I wish you the best, and hopefully one of these help you 😚

[@jennyford3793]

We have recently painted our bannister black as we had the same issue as yourself(frenchic paint) best thing we have done. Looks so much better. X

[@katie_ellison]

Ah fab thanks Jenny I wonder whether I should be adventurous and try a different colour! x

[@kyleemundy9286]

Katie, thank you so much for this video. I am so glad I came across this video. I have just bought my first home and you have covered exactly what I am looking at doing. Do you happen to have a video on how you did the staircase spindles? You said it took a long time to replace them but I am wondering how you attached them. I just can't figure it out haha. We have old spindles that are far too spaced apart especially with a little one about to be moving around so I was hoping to rip out the old ones and place in new ones while keeping the handrail and main frame. Thank you again so much you have really helped me decide what to do in my home.

[@paigeeleanorhome]

Really great to reflect on your renovations after you’ve done them. I’m currently researching like crazy for a new bed for our master bedroom. I’m so worried about making a mistake because it’s so much money! Fingers crossed I have no regrets on this one!

[@SunShine-iy4ik]

I’m looking a bed too! Do you have any recommendations so far? Many thanks

[@paigeeleanorhome]

Sun Shine We’re looking for something quite specific and upholstery rather than wood, but so far we’re liking the swatches from Sueno and Loaf the most!

[@reshmaakhtargv3639]

Lovely informative video. I have the same issue with my bathroom tiles, we are looking at having it re done and sealed. My stair bannister I painted white but I varnished the hand rail in a natural oak. I thought contact /touch areas varnish so that we don't have the issue that you have had. Hope this helps.

[@katie_ellison]

Thanks so much! I really appreciate the advice.

[@cgurl]

I think you should paint your stairs black, it will help to modernize it. And the black will tie in with your kitchen :)

[@jelliedbiscuit]

I was thinking this too.

[@moriahpulowski3673]

Black woodwork is hard always looks dusty in high traffic areas. Would be a nightmare to be constantly dustingeach rail.

[@cgurl]

Moriah Pulowski I disagree lolol

[@victoriahorne7528]

Great video!!! Loved this. You could add a striped carpet to your stairs and landing? We have one and it’s lovely, so hard wearing, looks fresh and modern, doesn’t show dust. Maybe add a darker colour paint eg grey to your main spindle and the hand rails on your stairs, but keep the rest white? For your garden privacy, I would add some closely planted bamboo plants (in long containers as the roots can go crazy) in between your trees. You can buy bamboo plants that are already very tall and would be higher than your fence and they’re pretty cheap. Instant privacy & greenery 👍 and they look beautiful too, especially with some fairy lights dotted through. We are going to do this once our kitchen extension on built to screen off our nextdoor neighbours xx

[@katie_ellison]

Hi Victoria thanks so much for the advice. So would you actually plant the bamboo in the planters we already have or just keep them in pots? x

[@victoriahorne7528]

Katie Ellison you’re welcome! I’m no gardening expert (I’ve just been reading a lot lately about screening plants ahead of our extension project), but I believe as long as the bamboo is planted in any sort of container, rather than straight in the ground near your house, then the roots will stay controlled. We will be planting ours out of the pots directly into rectangular raised planters. Your kitchen is lovely by the way! Can’t wait to have ours started & finished 😊 Xx

[@mrskfk6492]

Love your house, Katie. You have beautiful taste! But it was interesting to hear about some of the issues you’ve had. Also, my husband’s a tiler, so I’ll ask him about the grout in your kitchen! 👍🏻 x

[@katie_ellison]

Thank you lovely! Yes I’d love to hear what he says about the kitchen tiles, I’m so confused by it! X

[@paulafuller4234]

Have to agree with you over the French connection sofas. I had to finally sell mine as the cushion pads kept moving forward and my back suffered a lot. Apparently they have improved this with newer models. Also I have the same issue on my stair carpet and we are replacing it by putting the kardean flooring as on the ground floor on just the riser part of the stairs and just carpeting the treds, just an idea for you. Love your styling.

[@katie_ellison]

Thanks so much! It’s a shame about the sofas. We can’t afford or justify to replace ours yet but I wish I’d researched them a bit more. They aren’t the comfiest either.

[@ritakdomokos8519]

Watched the extension as I may be doing the same thing in a house. The dark edges to a carpet are simply dust that has settled for ages and not been vacuumed up. You should vac every corner/edge with the crevice tool from day one. ;)

[@lsmith3881]

Thanks for the tips - super-useful! Everyone has regrets with their home improvements - it's normal. For what it's worth, we wish we had a smaller bath. We opted for the bigger-than-standard size bath and it takes sooo much water to fill it, and we're on a water meter 😣

[@katie_ellison]

That’s one good thing isn’t it that it doesn’t take as much water to fill it! I always find it interesting what people have done to their homes! X

[@midlife_minimalist]

I never use my tub because it’s too big (6’)- takes way too much water and then cools off faster too. Wish I selected a standard size.

[@kerrimosich6217]

No regret but one of the ‘must haves’ on a house was mature trees. I like a private backyard and I don’t want to see my neighbors or feel exposed. I can’t change the landscaping of a house quickly, easily or even very affordably so that was a must.

[@katie_ellison]

I definitely think you are right! I wish we had gone for more mature trees now.

[@kristivice5537]

Here is one of my regrets. I purchased beautiful wood Venetian blinds for every window in our huge three story house. They were as expensive as a new car. It was only later that I realized how much the blinds stopped light from coming in, even when completely open. I will always choose light over window treatments in the future.

[@clairelouisegibson5060]

We are getting the doors this weekend so will bare in mind to treat them tfs x

[@katie_ellison]

Ah yay hope it all goes well :) x

[@amieelizabeth3690]

What a beautiful home you have and I love your hair!

[@katie_ellison]

Thank you so much! :) x

[@Steph-Elsanna]

I'm in the process of painting our stairs too. Use diamond hard garage floor paint on the newel posts and main contact areas. It stands up to the wear and tear, and the garage floor paint withstands the grease from hands (that's what it's causing the paint to break down on the newel post) better than most other paints. It also is more resistant to chipping.

[@katie_ellison]

ooh thank you Steph I will definitely try Diamond paint. I want to keep it white but just need something a bit more hard wearing on the posts I think. It's been fine everywhere else. x

[@kiahatch8723]

I added trees and shrubs for screening and shade. when I told the landscaper to buy the biggest ones he could, he said well you know they cost more money. And my answer to him was how long do you think I'm going to live? I want shade and privacy during my lifetime. I'm so happy that I spent a little bit more money because after 2 years everything has settled in has given us the beauty and the privacy and the shade that we wanted. It's an important learning.

[@katie_ellison]

you are so right Kia, I wish now we had spent the extra money. Perhaps we will look into changing them one day. x

[@chloewalsh2937]

We have always had white gloss banisters growing up as kids and they’ve never really marked. I know gloss isn’t everyone’s taste but it’s always stayed looking good and easy to wipe x

[@katie_ellison]

I wonder if I went too matt with ours! x

[@zachstoys4002]

If you have a shark hoover get the car detailing attachment works wonders on the stairs or indeed any little spaces

[@katie_ellison]

I haven’t! Do you like the sharks? We will need to get a new hoover eventually but I’ve always had Dyson x

[@cm-nj]

We spent an entire winter planning our home before building it...you'd think we'd have no regrets but now living in the house I would have done one or two things differently. Wider front porch (maybe...we spend all our time on our screened in back porch) and once in a while I think a split design where the other bedrooms are on opposite side of house from the master bedroom might have been a smarter choice.

[@katie_ellison]

That’s the thing isn’t it, there are little things that would make a bit of a difference but for the most part we are thrilled with it. I bet it’s lovely to have a porch x

[@izzyplayzz9]

The little window squidgy is great for getting the dust from carpets. You can get them for like £1 in IKEA xx

[@katie_ellison]

Ooh what a great tip! I actually have one of those at home anyway from when I tried to clean one of our rugs! Thank you x

[@silverflipflop4622]

Yes that’s my suggestion too ! Works a treat x

[@la3136]

I liked the video for future references love the look of your whole house

[@katie_ellison]

Thank you :)

[@sophiem6907]

i love your home 😍 and your hair really suits you i love it! x

[@katie_ellison]

Thanks so much Sophie! ❤️

[@sallymay5272]

Paint a polyurethane varnish over the white paint on the staircase to make it more hardwearing.

[@hannahgraceoutdoors]

Very helpful!!

[@marjiaungkhin5785]

Paint the top rail black. Make sure you sand it well and use a tight gripping primmer made for cabinetry. I would use a matte or satin black.

[@katie_ellison]

That’s a good idea! I think a black or dark grey might look really nice x

[@marjiaungkhin5785]

@@katie_ellison glad you like it. I have some other ideas for you if you want to pm me.

[@user-jg2bm1dl9m]

We have the same sofas. I find by flipping the seat cushions over once a week ish this helps with the baggy bit of the cover if makes sense

[@katie_ellison]

Ah fab thank you! I find as well that sort of stretching out the material a bit makes them look a bit nicer so they don't look baggy when you aren't on them if that makes sense? I do still like the sofas, but I must admit to being a little disappointed by the way they look after a couple of years. x

[@gailbader8149]

For the stair railings I would take the black off & down to the natural wood.

[@katie_ellison]

Thank you yes I think that's a good idea!

[@Jo4167]

Oh we have the same issue in our house with houses right behind us. We need to add a couple more trees as at night especially with our interior lights on I feel they can see right in! So we need another 1/2trees. My hubby planted a plum tree a couple of years ago and that’s grown loads! It’s prob 2 meters taller than our shed now and it’s quite bushy xxx

[@katie_ellison]

I will have a look into plum trees- thank you !

[@EmmaRosenBooks]

Pink stuff does wonders on grout. Honestly, just done mine and my white grout had gone brown. I did gently use a toothbrush and then left it to dry. Mopped after.

[@katie_ellison]

Ah perfect thank you!x

[@natashadavies9569]

I don't have kids but a slice of damp looah with a little washing up liquid is pretty good for nooks and crannies in carpet

[@susanneflora3133]

A sun sail shade could be great for creating more privacy ☺️ Or other forms of sun shading.

[@katie_ellison]

That's a great idea, I will look into that - thank you :)

[@MsJessyNola]

Love this tfs.

[@katie_ellison]

Thank you :)

[@emilym8968]

Glass squeegy for the carpet corners it pulls everything you can't even see out!

[@katie_ellison]

Ah fab perfect thank you!

[@danaonlineable]

You can fix your living room sofas by taking off the cushion covers and adding some polyester fiberfill on the top only to take up the slack and then put the covers back on. Also, I'd take big hand stitches with a heavy weight thread around the edges to help keep the fiberfill from shifting over time. If your stitches are too small they will rip out on the cushion edges ... so not too tight and not too loose.

[@katie_ellison]

Ah thanks so much for the advice!

[@mrsirenebaxter]

Your back garden is so lovely 😍

[@katie_ellison]

Thank you! 😊

[@clairem1208]

Use a squeegee on your stairs/carpets to get into the corners and edges. It’s great. Not something to do all the time as I think it can lift some pile but it’s great for every now and then.

[@katie_ellison]

Thank you! I am definitely going to try this! x

[@andreaspachinger1752]

We have floating stairs (so no handrail) which means the kids hold on to the wall when they go up or down. You can see the handprints all the way up the staircase 😬. xx Andrea

[@katie_ellison]

Ah yes we have just wall on the other side and the kids put their fingers all over it so we have marks too x

[@Kate-hg6mg]

First of all you can buy grout pens which might help? We have just bought our first home and its bodge job central. We have the same doors as you but like you they didn't treat them and they look awful now. Shame cos I love the colour but think we will have to pain them! Also your hair really suits you! X

[@katie_ellison]

There was loads of bodge jobs in our house before we changed them too! 😆 and that’s such a shame about the doors cause they are lovely! Maybe you could sand them down a little bit? But even so they’d look nice painted I’m sure! X

[@blondeenigma3882]

Plant leylandii conifers for fast growing hedging. You do have to maintain the height of them legally because they grow very tall. The carpet on the stairs is far too light for heavy traffic - something darker or with a tiny pattern is much more practical. You can get animal print carpet which would suit your decor and it looks amazing on stairs alongside wooden floors.

[@mkquinn6078]

Hi thank you for this I was wondering if you lived in the house while getting the work done? Just sand the door a little and you should be fine. Check in your local deco shop. Love your bathroom

[@nikkijohnston2891]

This was really interesting, I would love to change all our doors similar to yours are your door frames white and doors like natural wood ?

[@katie_ellison]

Yes they are white! I really like the look of the natural door against a white door frame :) x

[@picur01]

Hey Katie, Lovely video again, thanks for the advice. Just a quick one about the stand alone bath. I want a big one in our new house in the kids’ bathroom, my only worry is cleaning. Can you get all around it to clean it? I would want them similarly to yours very close to the wall. Thank you in advance :)

[@katie_ellison]

We’ve left enough space each side that we can clean it, although it’s very tight at the back, but you can get down there with a mop just! X

[@gemmarogers1942]

It's always best to remove the varnish from the woodwork before you paint it. Undercoat and then top coat. This would have prevented it from chipping off so easily, hope that helps.

[@gladtobefreeagain7375]

The white stair millwork brightens the area & it can be maintained with some effort at minimal expense. You can sand the hand rails and newel posts. Use a door and trim alkyd paint (glossy) in white or light grey for contrast. Give it a few days to dry then polyurethane top coat for durability if you like the look of the paint. Only metal stands up to years of children's hands and metal handrails aren't cozy. Even varnished wood shows wear and dirt and has to be refreshed.

[@mariagoncalves5246]

@@gladtobefreeagain7375 gtt

[@mariagoncalves5246]

@@gladtobefreeagain7375 t6gt

[@rosemaryjanerichmond]

Golden hop is a gorgeous fast climber for trellis to provide privacy. Very fast hedge is dogwood which can be trained as a floating hedge by encouraging growth from a small number of ground branches so u don’t lose ground space. Curly willow tree is fantastic for privacy n grows fast but will need tree surgeon every 5 years to control height

[@katie_ellison]

Ah thank you so much for your advice!

[@sithukyaw9019]

Love your vids and they motivate us to renovate our house. But as first time buyers it will be a few years down the line. For the garden privacy, will bamboo trees be an option? As you have raised bed, you don't need to worry too much about whether the bamboo is spreading or clumping. The former varieties grow thicker and taller within a few years.

[@katie_ellison]

A few people have said bamboo I think that is definitely one to think about. Thank you :) x

[@user-ib4bo4kx2l]

just came across your channel and i am obsessed! As someone who wants to do the same thing you did in the future (buy a house and renovate it top to bottom) is the reason that it took you 3 years to do because of costs (i.e. pausing the renovations to save money) or simply because thats just how long the works would physically take. Also at the risk of sounding too intrusive, can i ask how much the whole house renovations cost? you have such an amazing eye to detail!

[@katie_ellison]

Yes mainly a cost thing really and not wanting to do too many things in one go! :)

[@Jo4167]

Your house is gorgeous ❤️ I do the same too much time on insta looking at interiors makes me wish I’d done some things differently. Your bannister would look lovely with the rail sanded right back and varnished to match your doors. Xxx

[@katie_ellison]

I think it would look really nice like that- I can't decide whether to keep it white and just repaint it the main spindles that have chipped, or go for something different. x

[@Jo4167]

Katie Ellison it’s tricky isn’t it! I’ve just done ours and repainted it white, I couldn’t decide what to do so went safe lol

[@veronicaodonnell2893]

For your grout - a mix of bleach and water in a spray bottle. Possibly 1/2 and 1/2 or stronger. Spray and leave for 10 mins or so and clean off with water. I do this every coup;emir months and it brightens the grout.

[@katie_ellison]

Ah perfect thank you so much for the advice, that's brilliant.

[@adampowers6423]

Paint that banister black! It’ll look very smart

[@katie_ellison]

I'm thinking about it, I reckon it would look good :) Thanks.

[@karenelliottxx]

Katie, tree wise... 🌳... you could still change them. People will buy trees that are in the ground like yours. There are loads of plants people have dug up for sale on Facebook. You can then replace with new ones that are bigger/better growing!

[@katie_ellison]

Thanks Karen! Maybe we should think about changing them for some slightly bigger ones. Although I’ve sort of got used to it now x

[@ibs4477]

Your home is soooo nice, your bathroom is actually gorgeous! where do you get you wire quote signs? x

[@katie_ellison]

Thanks so much Izzy! I get them from a lady on Instagram called @morethan_just - she’s brilliant! X

[@jessicapinto3817]

Hi Katie, what is the wood of the kabinet in the corner of your living room? I love that look. Is that a certain stain? TIA

[@mettamia2008]

Here's a hint for the grout... make a white vinegar and water mix (50/50). Spray it on and leave it for 5-10 minutes. It will remove any staining. You can have the grout sealed after cleaning.

[@katie_ellison]

Ah that is brilliant thank you so much for the advice!

[@ccluvslv1501]

Try using sugar soap wipes on the doors, our dining table is unfinished oak and I use them on the table to remove any marks

[@katie_ellison]

Ah perfect thanks so much for the advice! x

[@abunchahooey]

As far as the trees go, do you have a tree available called Arborvitae where you live? It’s a conical shaped evergreen that grows fast and tall and provides a natural screen. Google them, there are different types. I wouldn’t feel a bit bad about taking out the slow growing trees you planted, although I’m sure they’ll be pretty some decades from now. 😂

[@leeannelicense7892]

We have the exact same colour French connection sofas from DFS but instead of two sofas we went for one bigger/longer “L” shape. We’ve had it for 18 months and ours too has bobbled but not to saggy. Ours gets stains/marks on it from 3 kids spilling stuff. I can get them off with fabric/carpet cleaner though. I find them quite comfy too. Ours just seem to be taking a battering from the kids (7, 6, 1).

[@katie_ellison]

I think that's the thing isn't it? They will always take a battering when they have young children so they are never going to look like they did in the show room. I do find ours quite comfy, just not as comfy as ones where you sort of snuggle into them. L Shape sounds nice cause then you can stretch your legs out. I love the look of them still. x

[@hrighton90]

Hi Katie, loved this video! Can I ask what colour the paint is behind you in the bedroom? It is absolutely gorgeous! 😍 Definitely gained a new follower from this video! 💞 Xx

[@katie_ellison]

Hi Hannah thanks so much for subscribing! The paint is Warm Pewter by Dulux :) x

[@lisaschreiber2893]

completely off subject but I wanted to say your hair looks amazing

[@katie_ellison]

Thanks so much Lisa! :) x

[@NicholeGoodland]

I really am pleased you did this video. We are currently doing an extension and a whole house renovation. We are spending a considerable amount of money and of course want to get things right. I was just wondering what size bath did you go for as this has been niggling at me about getting a smaller bath rather than a larger one? x

[@katie_ellison]

I’m not sure what the bath size is and I’m not at home, we are on holiday. I can measure it once I’m home, but just gone on to the website and the company is no longer trading! X

[@sallykodua2990]

Just plant a few clematis and honeysuckle up your fence/trellis, it’ll help within a year or 2 and will screen the top of your fence perfectly x

[@katie_ellison]

Ah thanks so much for the advice Sally! x

[@charlottem7453]

Our white painted staircase looks exactly the same, it gets so grubby and grimey. Wish we had left it wood as it was quite light and would have matched our doors which are like yours (we also should have varnished ours straight away but didn’t 😂😭). We nearly bought a sofa we loved, then saw a great tip to search on second hand selling sites to see how the sofa looks after time. It looked horrendous so we got a different one! X

[@katie_ellison]

That's such a good hint about the sofas not sure why I didn't think of that! I wonder if I could completely strip ours back- I'd be a bit scared to try though! x

[@clareoliver628]

I love your internal doors, would you mind if I asked what they are called and where you sourced them? Thanks!

[@katie_ellison]

Of course I got them from a local timbers merchant but the manufacturer is XL Joinery- if you type XL joinery doors into google so many places do them. x

[@carianin5293]

Love your kitchen

[@katie_ellison]

Thank you :)

[@lapernice6978]

Garden..- how about a pergola and putting roses, vine, wisteria or clematis...?

[@trishamcelroy2311]

My biggest regret in my home was the carpet in the sitting room. I hated it from day 1, it was too light in colour and shows up every mark. My hubby says it has to stay and a year and a half later I still hate it but it's still down. I want to put wood down, but my hubby says it's too cold. We can't agree so the carpet will have to stay for ever, haha! We also have the same problem with the grout with similar looking tiles to yours. It's tough when you spend a lot of money and then find these problems after! It happens to everyone I think, trial and error :) xx

[@katie_ellison]

I definitely think everyone has something they have done in their home that didn't work out quite as effective as you would have hoped for! I don't make a habit of renovating houses so I was bound to not get it completely right! x

[@trishamcelroy2311]

@@katie_ellison I sometimes think that the ideas in my head don't always work out as I imagine haha. Also living with the changes for a while can show you where mistakes were made. (expensive to change though) :) xx

[@midlife_minimalist]

Clean the tile with water only - ideally a steam mop. Cleaners will contribute to the grout getting dirty as will using too much water - you end up pushing the dirt from the tile into the grout. Have it professionally cleaned and sealed and that will make it easier to keep clean long term. Oh and try a magic eraser on the grout

[@katie_ellison]

Thank you so much for the advice! I really appreciate it, I have a few magic erasers so I will give that a go x

[@tracyryder5711]

I would keep the spindles white but change the bannister back to the original colour x

[@katie_ellison]

That could definitely work. Thanks x

[@desertgirl6216]

clean your grout with a white sponge. It takes number of sponges but it doesn't remove the grout. When the room is finished you can always seal the grout. Supposedly you should be sealing your tile floor every six months

[@katie_ellison]

Thanks for the advice!

[@frankeddine]

Stunning! Everything! Please could you tell me where I could get the star pattern tiles of the floor and shower in your black and white bathroom? I have been looking for a similar online but can't find your exact one

[@katie_ellison]

They are from a company called Fired Earth :)

[@frankeddine]

@@katie_ellison Thanks very much! For whoever wants to know more details these cute star design tiles are called Sorrento Nizza and as Katie said they are from Fired Earth

[@shafiaz4230]

Lovely home 😍

[@katie_ellison]

Thank you :)