Monday – Thank you, Thank you so much. I read all my instagram messages, but it’s going to take a while this time, I’m overwhelmed by all the lovely comments & hugely touched. 🙏😘 So It’s a huge privilege listening to your son give a speech at your wedding, which is one reason Ben & I are looking so cheery in this picture taken by @catherinebradleyphotography. I share a great deal on here and so appreciate all the kind & interesting comments, but I felt our wedding should be private, and luckily on the day it was. Unfortunately it turned out that there was an unseen pap, so I have released a couple of our own pictures. The upside is that at least I get a chance to thank publicly some of the lovely people who worked so hard, at such short notice, to make our wedding pretty special, amongst them the ladies @oscardelarenta who put sleeves on a dress I bought in the sale two weeks ago 😳, and it’s not all about the girls, Ben had a new suit made by the amazing @josephdarcystudio, Thanks so much Jack. Carla @teasmelondon who always works miracles, Harriette and her amazing team @studioviola_ who did the flowers so beautifully, @marbleprivate for whom nothing was a problem @mountstreetprinters whose patience & wise advice is extraordinary, @juliabellmakeup who didn’t know it was my wedding until she met me @theconnaught two hours before, and all the home team who make everything we ever do possible, and without whom nothing would occur, and of course The Reverend Stephen Coleman and Rosslyn and Richard at The Grosvenor Chapel who made the whole thing happen in the first place. To marry in the same church that my parents and grandparents married was always my hope and luckily I already know that we did live happily ever after ❤️. (as ever, these thanks are totally genuine and no discounts were sought or offered)
This Englishman in New York was a real charmer, he’s only a year old! We bumped into him wandering round interiors stores, luckily both of us think this counts as a dream holiday. It’s cold & bright and we’ve been biking around and taking in the sights, I could never get bored of New York. 🍎 #englishmastiff #newyork
We bought Meadowgate as a ruin just before Oscar was born, 16 years ago, for almost as long we’ve spent every August Bank Holiday here with many friends & their kids. This is where many of them had their first taste of independence, walking to the beach alone or going rock pooling and returning safely with their treasures, this year there are only 5 kids with us, and they aren’t really kids at all, the others are working, travelling or studying, living independently as they should be. It is our job to raise our children to leave the nest, the enormous cost of nests aside 🙄. I knew that we were becoming a more risk averse culture in the U.K. and the US. My time is Switzerland has taught me a lot there, as in Japan, children walk to school alone and are encouraged to learn early to be self sufficient, and trusted to make sensible choices. I knew that wasn’t happening as much at home and I was interested by the walk of @jonathanhaidt and others who see a link between less freedom & trust and more mental health concerns amongst young people. So when I said Oscar had done what so many, many young people did after O Levels, and now after GCSEs, and gone inter railing, despite being Summer born and therefore young for his school year, I knew some people might think 🤔, but I thought his trip was inspiring, and it never occurred to me in a million years that a call from children services would be involved, it’s been a huge shock, not least for Oscar. But I hope the silver lining to this cloud is that everyone stops & thinks about the freedoms we had as children, and ask what harm could be done, not by the freedoms, but by the restrictions and fears we are imposing on our kids.
We bought Meadowgate as a ruin just before Oscar was born, 16 years ago, for almost as long we’ve spent every August Bank Holiday here with many friends & their kids. This is where many of them had their first taste of independence, walking to the beach alone or going rock pooling and returning safely with their treasures, this year there are only 5 kids with us, and they aren’t really kids at all, the others are working, travelling or studying, living independently as they should be. It is our job to raise our children to leave the nest, the enormous cost of nests aside 🙄. I knew that we were becoming a more risk averse culture in the U.K. and the US. My time is Switzerland has taught me a lot there, as in Japan, children walk to school alone and are encouraged to learn early to be self sufficient, and trusted to make sensible choices. I knew that wasn’t happening as much at home and I was interested by the walk of @jonathanhaidt and others who see a link between less freedom & trust and more mental health concerns amongst young people. So when I said Oscar had done what so many, many young people did after O Levels, and now after GCSEs, and gone inter railing, despite being Summer born and therefore young for his school year, I knew some people might think 🤔, but I thought his trip was inspiring, and it never occurred to me in a million years that a call from children services would be involved, it’s been a huge shock, not least for Oscar. But I hope the silver lining to this cloud is that everyone stops & thinks about the freedoms we had as children, and ask what harm could be done, not by the freedoms, but by the restrictions and fears we are imposing on our kids.
We bought Meadowgate as a ruin just before Oscar was born, 16 years ago, for almost as long we’ve spent every August Bank Holiday here with many friends & their kids. This is where many of them had their first taste of independence, walking to the beach alone or going rock pooling and returning safely with their treasures, this year there are only 5 kids with us, and they aren’t really kids at all, the others are working, travelling or studying, living independently as they should be. It is our job to raise our children to leave the nest, the enormous cost of nests aside 🙄. I knew that we were becoming a more risk averse culture in the U.K. and the US. My time is Switzerland has taught me a lot there, as in Japan, children walk to school alone and are encouraged to learn early to be self sufficient, and trusted to make sensible choices. I knew that wasn’t happening as much at home and I was interested by the walk of @jonathanhaidt and others who see a link between less freedom & trust and more mental health concerns amongst young people. So when I said Oscar had done what so many, many young people did after O Levels, and now after GCSEs, and gone inter railing, despite being Summer born and therefore young for his school year, I knew some people might think 🤔, but I thought his trip was inspiring, and it never occurred to me in a million years that a call from children services would be involved, it’s been a huge shock, not least for Oscar. But I hope the silver lining to this cloud is that everyone stops & thinks about the freedoms we had as children, and ask what harm could be done, not by the freedoms, but by the restrictions and fears we are imposing on our kids.
New Year, New… Series! 📺🎉Kirstie and Phil are back for another fantastic series of Love It Or List It. We will be tackling everything from cramped kitchens to smart utilities, chaotic spaces to sneaky side extensions! Tune in Wednesday 8th January, @channel4 8pm #LIOLI #LoveItOrListIt #KirstieAllsopp #PhilSpencer #channel4 #rtrp #2025 #newseries #explorepage
Happy New Year, I hope 2025 brings health & happiness for all those you love. I took these yesterday when I woke up, except for the last one, which was last night. The fashion for chalets is often furry rugs & modem furniture but I’d never manage to pull that off. This little chalet is full of our favourite things, including a dresser bought from the @lacquerchest, many finds from @fountain_antiques_honiton, a sofas a covered in @bennisonfabricsuk that I snapped up at their amazing annual sale and a couple of my favourite cushions from @mirandawilles I hope you love it as much as I do. Thank you for following me & taking an interest in this mad life of ours. This year it is 25 years since @c4locationsofficial hit our screens, quite a thought 😳
Thank you for watching @loveitorlistituk on now, Wednesday 8pm on @channel4, and Thank you for all the kind & interesting comments, everyone of which I read, hearing what you think is everything. ❤️
Weekend picnics are a big part of our life out here, a few mates, a boat and a barbecue. Ben & the boys can cook all sorts on our little portable number, and we just stand around chatting and taking in the view. Utter bliss. Sending many Blessings & Best wishes for a Merry Christmas from my family to yours. xxx
On Monday Ben & the boys headed for Harbour Island without me, after a week in bed I was still feeling absolutely lousy and couldn’t get on a plane, but now I’m here and so grateful to be feeling well enough for shop decorating with @indiahicksstyle and a boat trip with the @beaconhillbahamas crew, an unbelievable first day. This year had been really crap, to be frank, and in many more ways than I will bore you with, but I have so much to be Thankful for, and I am determined to enjoy the immense privilege of this place, and a whole chunk of time off during the dark days of January & February when there’s not enough light in the UK to be filming good home shows. So be prepared for this account to be super cheery 😘 xxx
All New @loveitorlistituk on @Channel4 at 8pm every Wednesday, I hope you love watching it as much as we loved making it. Sending loads of love to @philspencertv at the same time, he’s having a ball in New Zealand, again!
No, we’re not buying an @astonmartin 😂 but when you have 5 days free just to wonder about your favourite foreign city you can do all sorts of things you wouldn’t usually do. I’m afraid my New York pictures really aren’t very good, but we had so much fun, we bicycled all over the place on @citibike and went into all sorts of weird & wacky shops, New York is particularly good at specialist shops and everyone is so friendly & helpful. I must mention @trailfindersofficial who we booked this trip with just 3 days before our wedding 😳 and everyone at @fsnydowntown who didn’t know me from Adam and couldn’t have been cheerier or more helpful, because I stay in a lot hotels for work I tend to shy away from them when on holiday, but I’m now a huge fan of this one. We also had some amazing meals at @balthazarny @theodeonnyc @minettatavernny & @pastisnyc all the work of @keithmcnallynyc, despite being a Brit, his restaurants are New York to their core, if you are planning to visit this wonderful, wonderful city do include at least one of his establishments. Fingers crossed, we’ll be back soon. (As ever these mentions are genuine and no discounts were sought or offered. Also I’m no fashion plate but for those who have asked in the past boots @penelopechilvers bag @anyahindmarch Coat @insidejigsaw all from a while ago but I know they have similar this year. 😍 #newyork
Can you believe it? Just 16 days until Christmas! 😵🧑🎄🎄 Get in the festive mood with me tonight at 5:30pm on @Channel4, where Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas is full of holiday magic and creative ideas. Will you be watching? 🎁
Can you believe it? Just 16 days until Christmas! 😵🧑🎄🎄 Get in the festive mood with me tonight at 5:30pm on @Channel4, where Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas is full of holiday magic and creative ideas. Will you be watching? 🎁
I bow to no one in my passion for The West Wing, it is my go to show, Bay was born the night the last two episodes went out in the UK, luckily I worked for @channel4 so they found a way to get me a copy of the finale. But until today I had never been to Washington, and now I have. What a day it was, the intrepid traveller and I scooted & biked all over the place and had an absolute ball. Back to work & school tomorrow, but a brilliant end to the Summer. 🇺🇸 #TheWestWing #Washington
This is our 10th year in Harbour Island, I bought this tree at the last moment on the eve of our first Christmas here, it’s a rusty old thing now and every year I think about get a posh, bushy, pre-lit one, (real ones out here cost a fortune) but I can’t quite let this one go. This year I have treated myself to two mini trees for inside the house. Every year I add a few decorations. Some are from competitors on @kirstieshandmadechristmas, some are locally made, some come from other travels. It’s a crazy mixture with a very vague tropical theme, but every one has a story. See if you can spot any you’ve seen on the show. 🌲🌲🌲
This week, every day at 5.30pm on @channel4 you can dive into Christmas with me & my merry band of crafters at the amazing @dumfrieshouse. The lovely team at @raisetheroofproductions have done a cracking job with this show, I hope you love it 🎄🎄🎄🎄
Sorry for the very serious face 😂 no idea how all those make up influencers do their stuff, but I need to get in more practice 😜 anyhow, Heather gave me this mascara from @byterryofficial, my lashes have been rather pathetic lately, and it really does the trick. (obvs not an ad)
Sorry for the very serious face 😂 no idea how all those make up influencers do their stuff, but I need to get in more practice 😜 anyhow, Heather gave me this mascara from @byterryofficial, my lashes have been rather pathetic lately, and it really does the trick. (obvs not an ad)
Sorry for the very serious face 😂 no idea how all those make up influencers do their stuff, but I need to get in more practice 😜 anyhow, Heather gave me this mascara from @byterryofficial, my lashes have been rather pathetic lately, and it really does the trick. (obvs not an ad)
… and we’re back!🎉 Catch the brand-new series tonight at 8pm on @channel4! 🏡🔨 Join @kirstiemallsopp and @philspencertv in Chester when they take on the colossal challenge of a draughty three-bed Victorian Semi. Carl and Katy have called it home for seven years, but with two kids and a new work-from-home setup, Carl is ready to move on. Katy, however, believes the house still has plenty of life left. Will they love it, or will they list it? #LIOLI #LoveItOrListIt #KirstieAllsopp #PhilSpencer #channel4 #rtrp #newseries #explorepage
This is the brilliant @arireidproperty I think she’s the next thing in property promotion. My OH asked her to showcase his amazing late Mum’s house which is now, sadly, for sale. Ari also popped into @lacquerchest Gretchen’s amazing shop which is still going strong. ❤️
Boxing Day in Harbour Island is all about Junkanoo, the most amazing example of community creativity, music, craft & energy you’ll ever see, one day they will let me do a show about it. Then it was a boat, plane, taxi, plane, taxi, plane and…no not a balloon, that was just what we saw outside the window when we got up this morning in very snowy Switzerland 🇨🇭
Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas, filmed here at Dumfries House, is now available to stream in full on All4 🎄🕯️🌟 Tune in to learn more about the work of @kingsfdn , and meet some of the wonderful staff who make the festive season here on the estate so magical.
