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Q&A with My Tiny Estate
Set up by Dean Poulton and Borja De Maqua, @mytinyestate is a popular Instagram account that shares their home renovation journey of a country house estate in Warwickshire. With an impressive estate stretching over 2.5 acres, My Tiny Estate’s journey of restoring an English estate and gardens is also followed through the TV show Saving the Manor broadcast by HGTV and Discovery Plus.
From inspiring kitchen renovations to a recent Servant’s Kitchen redesign, Dean’s and Borja’s DIY ideas have gained wide recognition from Architectural Digest, House & Garden, Elle Decor,
Grand Design Magazine, and many more.
And today, they joined us to share the story about the Greenhouse, for which the iconic duo chose Otto Tiles & Design’s natural bejmat terracotta (unglazed) and bejmat dark green tiles.
Your estate covers 2.5 acres and includes different areas and buildings that you have been renovating over the past few years. Can you tell us how the idea of the Greenhouse came about and your inspiration behind the design?
We have wanted a greenhouse for many years and it took until now to find the perfect place to position it. We always wanted a stunning greenhouse. We spend a lot of time in the garden and why should you compromise on these key spaces. A greenhouse is the heart of the garden.
With Dean’s architecture background, it’s very practical to be able to plan and visualise the flooring design! How long did the process of designing the flooring pattern take you?
Dean spent many hours mocking up different layouts for the tiles. It’s so important to get the basis of the design right before you start laying. We wanted a tile layout that wasn’t too complex (as we were installing it) but complex enough that people go wow! Although it wasn’t until we started installing it that we realised the tiles looked ‘wow’ without any particular pattern at all!
When choosing the tiles, what were the design values that you were keen on weaving in the
greenhouse?
For us we are very set on our material choices, we love natural materials. Our logic with this is
they are timeless. They wear naturally and as they wear they just get better! Yes they need a bit more care with sealers but it’s not that hard… old fashioned linseed oil works a treat!
“We just loved the bejmat terracotta tiles, we have used terracotta in the past but the cut of these and the colour difference of them made them really pop”
Which Otto Tiles & Design tiles did you choose and what was about our tiles that particularly drew your attention?
We just loved the bejmat terracotta tiles, we have used terracotta in the past but the cut of these and the colour difference of them made them really pop. Tie that with the glazed green tile (our favourite colour) and it gave a slight Mediterranean twist to a traditional English terracotta.
What was the most challenging part of building the Greenhouse and what was the most enjoyable one that you will always remember?
Never install a greenhouse haha! Always pay for someone to do it… it’s just not as fun as we thought it would be. We do everything ourselves but sometimes we put our hands up and say ‘yes that would have been money well spent’. Obviously the best part is dressing the space, it always is! Sourcing plants or growing things from seeds is the fun part.
Borja, during your visit to the Otto Tiles & Design showroom, you mentioned that when unboxing the tiles with your mum, you noticed that some had seashells in them. What was your first reaction?
Yes we loved that! If you are picking natural materials, expect them to be that! We loved the impurity of these tiles, each with their own little story and imperfections. That’s what truly makes a unique floor.
