For a special Mothers Day post Olivia has "interviewed" her mum Pip Sandbach. She has lived with Pip and step-dad John aka Bear since moving back to Devon in 2020. Their house is in Umberleigh, North Devon and has a long garden in which the River Taw runs right along the side of it, perfect for swimming in the summer and not so perfect for flooding in the winter. Pip's answers to the Kimono My House questions are rather succinct so Olivia has added some detail!
Please give me a little description of your house and your favourite thing about it?
P - Small, open plan, full of light, chaotic and colourful.
O - This house is certainly chaotic and colourful, its situated in a place that makes it very easy for all and sundry to pop in for a cuppa so often they do. Pips collects art so every little wall has something hanging on it, whether that is a small artwork collected from a flea market or a huge painting by a local artist. In the photo above the portrait behind Pip is one I had done of myself by Wilfrid Wood, knowing full well she would find somewhere to hang it.
What is your home soundtrack?
P - This old skin by The Beautiful South.
O - It's true this song does remind me of home, in fact the whole album does. We're also partial to any Motown playlist, particularly if there is some cleaning to do.
What is your most favourite thing/hobby/activity to do at home?
P - Sitting and watching Holby City!
O - I would say drinking tea and reading magazines is high up there on the activities we do at home. A certain ritual is reading the Sunday papers, each of us with our favoured supplement and often drinking a gin and tonic.
What is a classic dish you make in the kitchen?
P - Lancashire hot pot.
O - Pip does make a very good Lancashire hot pot and I know everyone says this about their own mothers, but her roasts really are the best. In the summer when the garden is bountiful we eat a lot of tomatoes, new potatoes, corn on the cob and salads. Bear does most of the gardening and we do all the harvesting.
What would be the dream addition to your house?
P - Playroom for all the grandchildren’s things.
O - This would be the dream, it's not often a day goes by when a grandchild isn't here tearing the place apart. There are lots of baskets and cupboards all stashed with toys for all ages. Pip and John have 17 grandchildren between them with another 3 on the way this year.... so yes a playroom would be great!
Pip wears the House Kimono in Red Hen Rust and Walnut Brown - Shop Here.
Pip and John have a holiday barn on the farm - Weirmarsh Big Barn
Photos by the talented Tara Birch - her instagram can be found here.
