An Interview With Helen @acornbarn
A L T E R M E H O M E A N E C D O T E S
an interview with you ;
This weeks interview is with Helen @acorn_barn_conversion
A stones throw from the beautiful market town of Buckingham (not too far from our little studio!) Helen & her husband live in a quite corner of the Buckinghamshire countryside, in their lovingly restored and converted barn; Acorn Barn.
Not originally on the cards, Helen fell in love with this derelict barn after stumbling upon it on rightmove - despite missing the concealed bid deadline she and her Husband made an offer - the barn, with crumbling bricks and holes in the roof was there’s to renevate and give a new lease of life.
This wonderful red brick barn, dating back to 1898 came with planning permission and the unrivalled setting of the countryside;
“Myself & my husband were originally looking to buy a modern house to renovate and rent out, but when I saw a derelict barn for sale on Right Move, with planning consent, in the perfect location, we decided drive over and have a look.
Although the barn was just crumbling bricks with a roof full of holes, we could both see the potential of making a beautiful forever home.
The barn had gone to sealed bids the week before, so we thought we had missed the deadline, but we contacted the estate agents, made a cheeky offer & they accepted!”
From handy tips and tricks, styling hacks and even baking Helen’s home account offers so much inspiration and we were so excited to learn a little more about the person and the home behind the squares!
“My favourite space in the barn has to be my kitchen. I was very lucky to be able to design the kitchen from scratch, using all my ideas to create my dream kitchen.” - We find it so interesting that lots of you often say your kitchen when asked this question; it really is the true heart of the home!
We are obsessed with Helen’s timeless kitchen and love how this was designed so thoughtfully to fit her dream kitchen criteria!
Instagram; full of beautiful interiors accounts is a space that Helen enjoys discovering and finding inspiration and, with an eye for wonderful one off pieces Helen also visits antique and second hand shops to inspire her home décor choices.
"I find my inspiration from all the beautiful home accounts on Instagram. I also love to wonder around antique & second hand furniture shops for ideas & to find one off pieces.”
We asked Helen what she feels makes a house a home;
“A home to me is somewhere you can completely relax. I love to decorate my home in warm, neutral colours to feel calm & cosy. ”
“My favourite piece of furniture is my beautiful antique wooden bench, which I inherited from my grandparents..” - A wonderful piece of furniture that holds memories as well as creating a beautiful focal and seating area in Helens home. We are honoured to see our Secret Garden cushions have pride of place here, a lovely choice to compliment the rustic wood.
Most of us have a favourite spot at home. It could be where we unwind after a long day or simply a space that feels most like “ours.” Whether it’s a quiet corner, a sunny room, or a well-used seat, it’s where we feel most at ease.
With that in mind, we asked Helen to share the part of her home she connects with most—and here’s what she told us...
“My favourite space in the barn has to be my kitchen. I was very lucky to be able to design the kitchen from scratch, using all my ideas to create my dream kitchen.”
There’s something endlessly fascinating about stepping beyond the curated squares of Instagram to discover the real homes—and real people—behind them. Known for her beautifully styled interiors and thoughtful design choices, we were excited to talk to Helen about her best and worst home decisions and more… From treasured heirlooms to clever styling tricks, her approach is both personal and inspiring;
Your favourite home purchase?
There have been so many recently as we have not long finished our renovation, but if I had to choose it would be our sideboard which we purchased a couple of weeks ago. Grateful for plenty of storage and a great piece to style with too.
Worst home decision / purchase?
My worst home decision was the colour of the windows. I had to make a quick decision, during the renovation & thought, from the samples, I’d chosen a pale creamy colour, but when they arrived they were very white & looked more like UPVC windows. I’m hoping we can have them resprayed in the next few years.
Helen’s favourite piece(s) from our collection?
One for fun we asked Helen - Looking at the design / fabric of our cushions, which would you be if you were a cushion?
“If I were to be a cushion, I would be a Secret Garden cushion, as this is my favourite, classically neutral fabric & was the first cushion I bought from Alterme Home.”
Alterme Home have some beautiful pieces, but my favourites would be your cushions & table linens.
One for fun - Looking at the design / fabric of our cushions, which would you be if you were a cushion?
If I were to be a cushion, I would be a Secret Garden cushion, as this is my favourite, classically neutral fabric & was the first cushion I bought from Alterme Home.
We love Helen’s cushion personality choice(cushion to the right)! The fact that this was Helen’s first Alterme Home cushion is just so lovely to hear and we are always so grateful to her and your support to our little business.
It has been so wonderful to get a to know a little more about the person behind the squares on Instagram, and hope you have enjoyed reading a little more about Helen’s home and style. If you enjoyed our blog then we’d love for you to share your cushion personality below too!
Thank you for reading, we hope you are loving the new interview series for 2025 on our blog & we would be so grateful if you could pop a comment below & subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to hear about new blog posts, offers & more!!