Natalie Knowles is a Homes & Garden product writer for A Modern Kitchen, Yours Magazine, Take a Break Pets, and Modern Gardens.
Natalie is naturally an omnivore for everything lifestyle, home and culture. With brands that have been in her life as magazines and now online, getting to share her thoughts on the latest appliances, homeware, gardening accessories and products for pets really is a dream role.
After years of living on the Heathrow flight path and negotiating the delayed trains at Waterloo for her career in publishing, Natalie returned to her home county of Norfolk. She loves lazy weekend breakfasts and coffee in the wonderful independent bookshops of Norwich.
Natalie is delighted to share with you her experience of furnishing a new home. Her very relatable accounts of buying a washing machine with the ideal capacity and making the house and garden kitten-proof will inform and amuse.
Natalie’s top three realisations on the way to creating a home
• Measure every wall, window, door, and floor. The drop between the windows and floor is crucial for curtains. Is the table high enough to fit those dining chairs? Always have the dimensions to hand, you never know when you’re going to come across the ideal sofa.
• The hunt is both real and virtual. Yes, the best deals are online, but where possible, try and see what you’re buying. Visit retail parks and department stores to get a sense of the item’s dimensions. That bean bag looked tiny online... I’ve had to jettison a coffee table to make room.
• There will be so much cardboard and polystyrene packing. Be prepared to visit the recycling centre ... or build the kittens a fort!
When she’s wearing her other hat, Natalie is an accomplished artist and regularly exhibits in Norfolk. The North Norfolk coast is her happy place, though she’s going to keep her favourite beach a secret, so it remains secluded!
