Little Stone Cottage On T'Hill: Inside the 300-year-old Leeds cottage with 140,000 Instagram fans
Over the past five years, writer Donna has cultivated a devoted social media following, sharing home improvement tips and chronicling the renovation of her 300-year-old cottage on the outskirts of Leeds.
Her Instagram account, Little Stone Cottage On T'Hill, launched in March 2019 and has since amassed over 139,000 followers. It features stunning reels and photos of tablescapes, gardening projects, interior design, and the occasional picture of her husband, Jason, and their two dogs.
Born and raised in Leeds, Donna and Jason moved to the cottage in 2012, leaving behind the hustle and bustle of the city for a quieter life.
"We fell in love with it the moment we walked through the door," Donna told the Yorkshire Evening Post. "The previous house had a driveway, four bedrooms, everything under the sun – and this had nothing."
Although the cottage had been upgraded in the past, Donna saw great potential to make it her dream home.
"It had a beautiful historic stone fireplace wall in it with a deep inset. But the downstairs was so tiny that, over the years, one project at a time, we knocked [the wall] down and made it into an open-plan living space downstairs, flooding with light.
"Then we continued upstairs and just reconfigured the whole thing maximum potential for size and space and light."
In 2019, Donna decided to document her home renovation online, and it didn’t take long for her audience to grow.
"I noticed everyone's putting all their renovations online, so I thought: 'Why don't I put my little cottage on Instagram?'
"Luckily, we had taken enough photos documenting our journey through the decade – before and afters etcetera – allowing me to at least kickstart something."
Her account quickly gained traction.
"I was really excited when I hit my first 1,000 followers quickly. And then after about a year and a half, the numbers started to gradually increase.
"There were times when the count would drop a bit, but it would eventually go back up again. It's a gradual process, but you have to put in the work to see results."
As her audience expanded, so did the expectations.
"The bigger the audience, the more work you need to do at home. Now we've nearly finished. I still would like a little extension at the back, but it's just we've thrown a shedload of money at it.
"But, I mean, the home looks wonderful, really cosy, but respectful for the age of the house as well."
Today, her Instagram boasts around 139,000 followers eagerly awaiting her next update. Through daily videos and posts, Donna showcases her latest crafts, flower decorations, home improvements, and ongoing renovation projects.
"I'm not one of those people that live my life through social media," she explained. "It's more about the house, the chickens, the garden, the dogs."
Over the past twelve years, Donna and Jason have transformed the ground floor into an open-plan kitchen-diner and lounge. Upstairs, they created a small but charming en suite and are currently working on an office space.
Outside, the once-overgrown garden has been turned into a beautiful green retreat, though the couple has more plans in mind.
"We would ideally like to add a small glass and oak extension at the back of the house, as we have a lot of terrace space.
"A lot of the garden doesn't even get sat in because it's raining. It's a beautiful space that we could be using all year round, but we can't."
For now, Donna is focusing on her latest project: 20 Days of Spring, where she documents the process of preparing her outdoor space for the warmer months.
"Every year you have to do the same thing over again," she laughs.
Despite the ongoing work, Donna feels deeply connected to her home.
"It feels like the cottage is part of us, and we're a part of it. I know we're just custodians now that we own it, but hopefully, it's got quite a few more 100 years in it for more births and more stories."