Last night saw the first episode of Kirstie’s Homemade Home, in which Kirstie Allsopp does up a house in deepest Devon, using, where possible, local materials and craftspeople, and her own enthusiastic but untested craft skills.
So what did you think? For what it’s worth, I think it’s refreshing to have anything on tv that isn’t about making money from your home. I’m not nearly fresh-faced enough to believe that the programme will do anything to change the way we think about our homes – we’ve all invested too much (financially and emotionally) in the whole housing process for us not to look at a house as an investment, even if it’s a long-term one. And with savings rates being as low as they are, many of us still think it’s best to sink hard-earned cash into property rather than put it in a bank.
That said, having done up six houses myself, it’s great to see someone approaching a renovation in a way that doesn’t involve a) trip to DIY store, b) trip to giant furniture store to buy roomset and c) trip to supermarket to buy ubiquitous products to accessorise with. I’m not knocking any of these approaches – we all go to Ikea, for example, because their furniture is cheap, just about stays together AND you can buy a whole room’s worth of furniture that looks really quite good together. The only hassle is getting it through the check out.
However, that kind of room, while stylish, swish, modern and, importantly, affordable, is never going to be unique, individual and one-off – and that’s what really makes a home interesting. And while I don’t want to put anyone out of a job at these bigger high street or retail park stores, I do think it’s high time we all supported local British craftspeople who work really hard, for little profit and almost no national recognition. And if the show does nothing else but to inspire us to think a little bit more imaginatively about how we design and decorate our homes, it will have done a good job.
What do you think?
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Some interesting comments on the previous post – http://blogs.channel4.com/4homes/2009/04/16/get-crafty-with-kirstie/
Enjoyed the show last night. Whilst Kirstie is somewhat more privileged than others – the ‘getting inspiration from my parents home’ segment was rather amusing – I liked her enthusiasm and applaud the sentiment of the show – why buy when you can make/find.
(Having a nice large landrover and friends that just happen to be seamstresses helps as well.)
Would have liked her to mention the Freecycle movement: http://www.findaproperty.com/displaystory.aspx?edid=00&salerent=0&storyid=22783
Hi Gareth – yes I thought Freecycle would have been worthy of a mention. Kirstie does, however, bring them up in the video interview that’s on the right hand side of the Kirstie’s Homemade Home main page – http://www.channel4.com/4homes/on-tv/kirstie-s-homemade-home/index.html
Great Programme really enjoyed it.
looking forwards to the rest of the series.
Covered a wide range of ideas.
Made being Frugal!! “fashionable”
i thoutht it was fantastic! i have learnt so much already, looking forward to the other episodes.
loved every minute of the show.never thought I would see Kirstie haggling at markets.Her hard work and determination paid off.The end result of her kitchen was fantastic.
As much as I admire the enthusiasm of Kirstie, as much as I admire the premise of making something out of nothing and so on, and as much as I think it’s good to dream and have aspirations, I think it should be remembered that not everyone has Kirstie’s seemingly bottomless pockets, and that you can have a handmade home for much less than she spends. Isn’t it about time, especially in these days, to have a more realistic programme, something like Anne McEvitt’s ‘Style on a shoestring’ I think her book is called. Someone to show you that you can achieve a certain look, without spending £50 on an ebony doorknob for heavens’ sake, and going to the extreme of handmade wallpaper…. that is just so unrealistic for the majority of people, and totally OTT and unessential. I get it that she wants to make the house as beautiful as you can, but I thought the idea was to show you can have pretty things without spending a fortune. Guess it depends on how you define a fortune!
Wonderful programme about making things yourself, using materials, be creative with ‘throw-away’ things, learn to ‘make do,’ recycle etc etc.
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love it love it. cant wait till next week
It is the first time I use this feedback. I have had my ‘junk shop’ since 1972 and I am so glad to see a programme which ‘ makes do’ with the abundance of materials and ideas of the past.One thing I would like to suggest learn knitting the continental way!!!
Kirstie, you really have inspired my customers and created such interest in the art of knitting. I own a wool shop and your program is certainly the topic of the moment . Customers who have never knitted and are now hungry to learn. Thank you for the inspiration!
I have watched every episode with great interest as I am a skip invader and a collector of knick knacks as well. So when tonight’s episode ended and Kirstie asked for people who are interested to take part, I jumped at the opportunity to contact you since I have been wanting to decorate my house for some time and am totally lost for ideas. Please let me know if you would be interested to consider my plea.
Well done Kirstie.
Lita
Hi Lita, should you wish to apply to be on the show, you can find out how to apply here- http://www.channel4.com/4homes/on-tv/kirstie-s-homemade-home/appear-on-kirstie-s-homemade-home-09-05-07_p_1.html
What a surprise to see my Quilts on Kirstie’s programe at Vanessa’s house and other items I have made, I really enjoy the show and what an inspiration for other people to have a go at making their own crafts.
i loved the quiltsand would like to have a quilt (1954) wedding present recovered
at present mauve stis!!. do you have details of these brilliant people in the bucks area and approximate costs
many thanks
Really have enjoyed this series don’t want it end, so inspirational, learned to sewn and knit as a child and since recent retirement have picked up the needles again. After seeing the patchwork last night am now looking for a course. Great show Kirstie, let’s see more of the same.
There’s definitely been an interest in Kaffe Fassett’s fabrics since he was featured on the programme last week – we’ve been selling patchwork and quilting supplies since 1990 and were delighted to see quilting being promoted on Channel 4 last night. Love the program.
Its just fantastic that Kirsty is helping to make fashionable the idea of ‘making something out of nothing’. I started a business 2 years ago showing people how to do just that with old furniture and household items – and everyone who attends our classes are commenting positively about the programme. With a well known personality such as Kirsty behind ‘British Craftspeople’ we all stand a chance of surviving . Hooray, at long last it looks as though good sense will prevail! Go Kirsty go.
As a retired interior designer and my other half a retired set designer, nothing’s new……but what springs to mind when watching Kirsty is…. its not what you do its the way you present it. well done Kirsty
Great programme, inspiring uses of colour, with materials and flowers etc. Sorry its ended, well done!
From a feminist historic point of view I found the ‘timing’ of this programme slightly worrying. I am old enough to remember the 1950’s post war era and the government ‘propaganda’ which tried to ‘encourage’ women out of the labour market, where they had significantly contributed even in traditional ‘male’ jobs during the war, and back in to the home in order to provide jobs for the boys in a time of economic hardship.
Great praise to Kirstie and her team. It is really helpful to all to see that it is possible to be creative with a limited budget. As a recycler and contemporary craftsperson, anything that raises awareness of handcrafted and recycled materials is even more important in these straitened times. I am in the process of squeezing myself into a smaller house and excercising my abilities as creatively as possible. Anyone out there doing floorcloths as I am researching these for my ‘new’ victorian property. Goodluck with the upcoming series.
Kirstie your programme was full of joy for
me – reminded me of the war years when
I was a child – learning to knit and the
pride of knitting balacavas for the soldiers and scarves for my dolls. Undoing jumpers and reusing the wool.
Making our own cardboard weaving board
- so much colour and enthusiasm. I do
so look forward to the new programme
and hope that you will awaken many
people to the fun of being productive
and inventive plus a sense of achievement on a personal level. You might try visiting some local craft shows in your show, they have been neglected somewhat due to the ’same same’
designs available.
I really loved the last series, and look forward to the new one! I thought my work may be of interest: I am a recycled textiles designer.I create Interior (and fashion) accessories using a textile I developed called Eternal Lace. This is a handmade lace, using waste plastic bags instead of traditional yarns.
You can find innovative craft on the Crafts Council Website.
Thanks Laura. It’s probably worth you contacting the show’s makers (via http://www.channel4.com/takepart) just in case they want to feature you in future!
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