Interiors Influencer Emma Jamieson started her account after buying her dream home, Linden House, a Victorian villa near Liverpool. The house needed a full renovation and modernisation and so Emma began documenting the work under the handle @lovinglinden. Her home is now used as a location house and Emma co-runs @lovemyinsterior. We ask Emma to tell us the secrets to making a house Insta-ready...
Did you live in your house while you renovated, how was that with a young family?
We moved in to Linden House in January 2018 with our 3 boys. We promised ourselves we wouldn’t jump straight in to the renovation so we could get to know the house and the changes we’d like to make. I was itching to start but we managed to wait until September. At first it was really exciting! I was so keen to rip out the dated carpets and decor and try to uncover or reinstate some of the period features of the house. Si would come from work and I’d have started pulling off wallpaper/tiles/ the front step just for a sneak peek at what was underneath. I’m not going to lie though, the mess was really hard to live with - for me anyway - the boys were thankfully oblivious and just accepted it as normal. I used to go to my Mum’s and take refuge a lot.
What motivated you to start an interiors account in Instagram?
I was following lots of accounts on my personal Instagram page and would spend hours looking for inspiration for our house. I wanted to document the changes we made and keep a memory book of the renovation. Instagram was the perfect way to do it. The more time I spent on the app the more friends I made so it was like asking your mates for advice or showing them what you’ve been up to when you completed a room or made a bit of progress.
Your house always looks immaculate, what is your secret? Where are all the toys / clutter !!
I promise you now our house is never as tidy as my squares on Instagram. It is certainly never all tidy at the same time. The photos are only a capture of a moment in time and we are a messy family! There is ALWAYS a pile of stuff behind where I’m standing to take the photo - it’s very rare that I can just take a photo without moving / rearranging stuff. There are always shoes everywhere!
One thing I will say about the changes we’ve made is to include lots of storage in every room. We’ve added floor to ceiling wardrobes in each bedroom and the kitchen and utility are full of cupboards! I always say our house is clean but it may not always be (never is completely) tidy.
Favourite place for Homeware Shopping, do you shop vintage / second hand?
I love shopping! Online or in person - it’s my favourite pastime - apart from eating! I love scouting out vintage pieces from Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree and EBay and save outlet sellers of some of the brands I love so I get alerts when something new is listed.
I once rescued a GPlan sofa from going in a skip when I was on the school run!
I like Billy Hunt and vinterior for antiques. I’ve just bought a new bookcase for the snug that was made for the University of Birmingham in 1927 - how cool is that? Our en-suite bathroom chandelier is a vintage Murano glass disc light - it’s the standout piece in there and that’s what I think you get when you buy a vintage / antique / secondhand item - a talking point. I love a Homesense fix as it’s like you’ve won a prize when you find something in there because there’s often only one of each item. I also love Anthropologie, Graham & Green, Cox & Cox, Garden Trading and good old Etsy for more artisan pieces. I could talk forever about this so I’ll stop now
Your outside space is spectacular, what is your favourite room in the house?
I love the outdoor room in our garden. It’s given us such a usable space, day or night, even when the weather isn’t great. The fireplace is gorgeous - my brother in law seriously knocked it out of the park with the brickwork. I thought he might kill me when I asked for them to be laid in herringbone! My other favourite spot is the kitchen - I’m all about being where the food is and we’re so lucky we have a log burner and comfy window seat to relax on in there.