Salford is the latest area to join a popular trend for posting house renovations on social media, particularly Instagram.

It’s a clever way for owners to document their progress as a keepsake, provide inspiration for others and receive tips on tricky decisions.

Salford residents and trainee architects Aimee Williams-King and Joseph O’Brien are posting about their first home and first renovation story on their Instagram page @our_home_on_coronation_street

They decided to share on social media after enjoying content on similar sites and thought it would be good way to keep friends and families updated. Having such a well-known address has helped too.

Using social media for inspiration

Aimee and Joseph have definitely felt that support from followers of their site during the renovation project.

Aimee said: “Recommendations and inspiration are such big things when completing a house renovation, especially during lockdown and the Instagram community have really helped with that.

“We have had such a great reaction and so many lovely comments. People have been helping us make decisions on various things as we are so indecisive.”

Social media has made the renovation project much easier by giving them direct contact with the people whose houses they are taking inspiration from.

She said: “With Instagram, you can so easily contact the person whose account it is and ask about a product or how they did something. People are so helpful.”

Copyright: Aimee Williams-King and Joseph O’Brien

Using personal experiences

The house has certainly been a labour of love. But it has also served as good practice for their future careers as architects.

Aimee said: “We have both been in architecture for eight-and-a-half years so far. I think that experience makes our expectations for this project higher.

“On a daily basis, we are involved with such amazing buildings, all done to such a high standard. It also makes us think outside the box with decisions to be made as we are surrounded daily with new ideas.

“We’ve done everything ourselves, except fitting a new boiler. We also plan to do as much as possible ourselves going forward. We are certainly learning loads of new DIY skills.”

The impact of Covid on their renovations

However, the journey has not been smooth sailing for the past year due to Covid-19 and lockdowns.

Aimee said: “Covid has certainly slowed us. It’s taken longer to get quotes and deliveries but we also haven’t been able to have any family up as we initially planned. Having said that, Joseph was furloughed for a while so he did manage to make a start on stripping three storeys of woodchip wallpaper. There have definitely been pros and cons.”

Copyright: Aimee Williams King and Joseph O’Brien

Despite the journey being less than easy, especially for a first house and first renovation, they are not dismayed by the experience and are already planning future projects.

“I have fully embraced living out of boxes and being surrounded by dust, I am loving it,” said Aimee.

“Some days and weekends you just want to lie about in the chaos and have a day off from renovations but other days you feel so motivated. On the whole, we have loved it. Although we still have big plans to complete for this house we will definitely do another.”

Being chosen as a TV location

While still under renovation, the house was also chosen to be a filming location for a new Sky One psychological thriller series.

Aimee said: “They haven’t come to film yet, but it’s exciting. We can’t wait to see what they do with the space.”

 

 

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