We’ve all been doing our best to take the challenges the pandemic has brought in stride, and with the light finally shining at the end of the tunnel, we’d like to take a moment to reflect with one of our favourite homeowners, Natalie Blake (@Natalieblake on Instagram)!
Natalie started a big redecoration in her beautiful Bloor garden right as lockdown began, and she has some heart-warming insights to share with us about her design journey, and how keeping her fingers green helped her mental and physical wellbeing.
Finding a New Passion
“I never knew I would be a garden lover until lockdown made me appreciate just how important having a lovely outdoor space is and now quite frankly I’m obsessed!”
“When I bought my house I was concentrating mostly on the interior. Initially, I’d kept the exterior simple with the original patio. I used some raised beds and basic plants, and I had some turf laid to tidy up the space, and that was enough for me.”
“I decided that once I had the bulk of the interior styled, I would look at doing a makeover of the garden. I really wanted to get some outdoor furniture to take advantage of the south facing garden I have. It’s such a sun trap, and when it’s hot, it’s hot! Perfect for sunbathing and BBQs.”
“I decided to extend the modern, Scandi feel of my interior into the outdoors and go for outdoor porcelain tiles. I then found a landscaper and drew out with him what I had been thinking and got booked in!”
“The landscaper suggested I got LED lights installed into the raised patio area on the design which was right up my street, so I got an electrician around to install some exterior plugs. The electrics were installed and the building materials arrived, so I was all set for the big makeover and I was pretty excited to see the result!”
A Bump in the Road
“Having a garden makeover begin just before a worldwide pandemic wasn’t exactly great timing. I had a half-finished patio for 8 weeks!”
“However, it also meant that I eventually had a beautiful outdoor space to enjoy when the world became even more locked-down. I honestly think throwing myself into glowing up the garden and spending time outside really helped me cope, during months of separation from friends and family.”
“I spent hours outdoors painting fences and sleepers, planting different flowers and stringing up solar lights, and I realised pottering around in the garden really positively impacts my mental health.”
Reconnecting Outside
“People love coming over for food and drinks in the garden and I love hosting.”
“I’ve realised that my garden is an extension of my home, and I’ve become just as exterior obsessed as I am interior obsessed. I can’t wait to see how it continues to develop over the years.”
“I couldn’t be happier with my new-found love for the garden! I’ve learnt what plants do well in what areas, I love to buy lanterns and outdoor accessories, and I even have someone who regularly cuts my lawn for me!”
“Now we are getting back into the warmer months, I’m loving being outdoors again and making more improvements to the garden. My Instagram (@natalieblake) is full of pictures of my garden as I continue this new-build journey from house to home. I feel really proud, looking back at the progress I’ve made on both the inside and the outside of my Bloor Home.”
Coming Together
We’re thrilled that Natalie had such a positive experience with one of the gardens in our new-build homes – and we’re always happy to see how you’ve been turning the blank slate of a Bloor home into your very own! One of the big perks of a new build is that you’re free to style it however you wish; we build to a five-star standard, but the finishing touches are all you.
Everyone’s mental health can be improved by going outside, taking on a new hobby, and staying in touch with others. That’s why we strive to build more than just houses: we build communities. If hearing Natalie’s story inspired you to get gardening, or if you just want to stay up to date with the Bloor Homes community, you can visit our community page here!
As we safely and carefully return to business as normal, we’re still here for you. Visit us here to browse our developments page or arrange a safe 1-2-1 appointment with one of our friendly sales advisors here.