Customer Stories: Hannah's DIY Garden Transformation

Discover how Hannah transformed her family garden with a vibrant corner patio using Kensington Beige outdoor porcelain tiles. Follow her how-to DIY tutorial with tips and tricks she’s learnt along the way, and why she chose these durable porcelain tiles for her garden makeover.

Molly - Interior Designer & Creative Director

For DIY enthusiast and home renovator Hannah, aka @little_edwardian_semi, transforming her Edwardian semi-detached home in Manchester has been a decade-long labour of love. Alongside her husband and while balancing busy family life, they have taken on a series of ambitious home improvement projects, from fitting their own kitchen to re-plumbing the bathroom.

Most recently, the couple turned their attention to the garden and set off creating a stylish patio lounge area - a project that put Hannah’s impressive DIY skills (and determination) to the test!

Hannah’s passion for DIY and bold design shines through every aspect of her home, embracing dopamine decor through colour and vibrant accessories and furnishings for a dynamic, uplifting look – something she was also keen to extend into her garden.

“I really love to encourage people who follow me on social media to be brave with colour, and to give DIY a go as you can save so much money, as well as the sense of achievement from doing a job yourself.”

"I had a vision for turning the bottom of our small garden into a patio and seating area with a pergola. The whole project was designed and constructed by my husband and me - I saw it as a challenge!" Hannah says. "It was incredibly hard graft, but I'm so pleased and proud of how it turned out.”

_{Follow Hannah's DIY guide on how to lay porcelin paving, step by step.}

So, when it came to weighing up paving options, choosing the right aesthetic was, of course, key for Hannah. But with two young boys and a busy household, they needed a reliable choice that could stand up to wear and tear while being practical to clean.

"I've noticed a lot of people on social media are using porcelain tiles outdoor because of their modern aesthetic but also their durability," Hannah shares. "I chose the Kensington Beige Antiqued Porcelain Paving in 90x60cm, and they’re absolutely beautiful—exactly what I was looking for."

Their aged stone effect and warm beige tones created the perfect foundation for the patio, while their anti-slip and scratch-resistant properties made them ideal for a family-friendly space.

"I love the colour and texture of these Kensington Beige tiles and also chose them because they are non-slip and scratch resistant. I can also confirm that they are extremely durable; we drilled holes through them to attach the pergola post brackets and had to use a very strong drill bit. The tiles didn't crack while we were doing this either. They look amazing!"

Now complete, the patio and pergola area has become the family’s favourite spot to relax and unwind in the summer months. Her DIY journey not only saved on professional installation costs but also resulted in an immense sense of achievement, making the project all the more meaningful.

“It was very easy to order the tiles, and the delivery was especially quick,” she says. “The tiles arrived well-packaged and in perfect condition. I’ve received excellent service from Stone Superstore from start to finish, and I would definitely use them again.”

Be sure to follow Hannah's home rennovation journey over on her instagram and tiktok pages, for DIY tutorials and simple design tips. And if Hannah’s transformation has sparked your own garden makeover, explore our range of outdoor porcelain tiles and start planning your dream patio today.