Not the best planning really, being up in the Lakes with no wi-fi and your phone going bonkers with people telling you that Rocky is famous. Of all the Sundays for our Airbnb Experience to be reviewed by the Sunday Times, it’s the Sunday when we’re half way up a hill. A pretty hill, granted. But more pertinently, a remote hill without a router.
Back in June, interiors journalist Katrina Burroughs, who writes trend and property pieces for the Sunday Times Home section, came up to Manchester to attend one of our Airbnb renovation days. Katrina joined in with nine other home renovators and B2L landlords looking for interiors inspiration and building tips, on the most beautiful sunny day. After the walking workshop, we ate lunch outside under the vine, had a bit of a Q&A with specific questions and individual conundrums, and then our guests pooled off, buzzing with enthusiasm and ideas. Well, we hoped so anyway. Most guests leave a review pretty much straight away and we’ve got some crackers over the summer, but with Katrina it was different. We didn’t actually know when we’d be able to read what she’d thought!
Thank goodness… (as we’ve found out today)… she liked it!!
I know some people think that we’re absolutely insane to invite people along as we bare our reno souls, when we’re still only 2/3 of the way through our build and renovation. And yes, when it’s a Friday night after a long week and there’s still Saturday’s lunch for ten to sort in a makeshift kitchen and a building site to vac, maybe we feel a little insane too. What makes it worth it is when guests who arrive at 10am a little jaded by their own reno’s, or over-faced by the build ahead of them, or who’ve lost their interiors mojo, or have just started on their property journey, then leave at 2pm (or usually more like 3!) reinvigorated, re-energised and full of enthusiasm. We try to show guests that it’s totally normal to make mistakes, to feel the fear, to not know everything and to sometimes feel disheartened, but that good renovations take time, commitment and passion. And each one is completely unique and should be treated as such. They don’t even need to cost a fortune, with heaps of ways to save and buy smart, as we have here. 
NB From above – using decoupling membrane isn’t quite as straightforward as the sentence above…but it is great, so get some advice from your local tiling supplies store on your specific application.
A HUGE Moregeous thank you to Katrina and the Sunday Times Home team for taking a chance on us and exploring this new way of sharing skills and knowledge.
Both Mr M and I, and Rocky obviously, are massively appreciative of this chance to share what we’re doing and you never know, it might encourage lots more renovators to share their homes too. Or, maybe it’s just us who are potty enough to do this. Either way, if you fancy finding our a little more then take a gander HERE, or if you already know you want to come visit us, then book HERE.
I also just need to stress that Builder Cat is extremely put out at the Rockster’s new found fame, especially, as she has cattily pointed out, he’s only been around since last summer and she’s been the gaffer on this site since Day 1. The next photo shoot must, and she repeats, must include absolutely no gingerness at all. And also, he needs to get the heck off that table as if she isn’t allowed on there, why is he??!
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