The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated home working in the UK, with some taking it a step further and establishing full-blown businesses from the comfort of their own living room.
In our Where I Live series, the ECHO will explore one house from across the region each week, with the owner giving us an insight into how they've made their house a home.
Katie Hulme and Mark Scroggie, both 31, drove all the way to Wales to view a show home after reserving a plot in St Helens. They finally moved in October 2021 and had no idea the space would soon provide a livelihood for them both.
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Sick of her commute on the M62, childcare professional Katie - who was a nanny for 12 years - decided to build a cabin in the garden. The idea evolved into 'Wildflowers', a nursery that she runs from home.
Katie told the ECHO: "We bought off plan, so we didn’t have a clue how big our garden would be. The idea to do the cabin came one evening and less than six months after that conversation Wildflowers was open."
She added that "it took a lot of long hours" to ensure the space was safe for little ones: "We would come home and go straight into the garden to paint or decorate the cabin, after it was fully insulated and boarded. Mark was also building our mud kitchen, water tables and vegetable patches.
"I was risk assessing and childproofing our home. Putting up safety locks and ensuring everywhere was safe and secure. I was also concerned with making sure each child had a peg to put their coats and bags on in our hallway so they had a space in our home where their things belong."
The couple's handiwork has also changed Mark's life, who now has his very own side hustle. He said: "Everyone was asking Katie where she got her mud kitchen from and when she said I made it, I was asked to build custom ones. It just went from there.
"People saw my page and the other projects I have done and started asking me to do panelling, like in our kitchen."
Elsewhere, Katie said her and Mark's living space "is far from finished". Their décor is neutral, with cool greys and whites throughout providing a relaxing break from the bold colours of Wildflowers. Mark's work in the diner has created a trendy feature wall that works well with the herringbone floor and modern kitchen.
Katie added that her "favourite rooms" in the property are the kitchen and the couple's bedroom
"In the kitchen we have panelled the wall where our dining table is and this really transformed the space. In our bedroom we have also panelled the wall behind our bed, it definitely added some character to our new build. Our bedroom feels really calm and bright."
Would you like to be included in the ECHO's Where I Live feature?
We'll be taking a look inside a different property each week. If you're splurging on a renovation, trying your hand at DIY to save money, or have a passion for interiors, let us know.
Please email your name and details to storm.newton@reachplc.com
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