Over the years Tina Atkins has turned her love of homemaking into a successful business, Liberty Bee. Taking inspiration from her travels across the UK and Europe, Tina has steadily grown her brand whilst maintaining a busy family lifestyle.

TEST Tina’s open plan kitchen and conservatory is a great space for entertaining

Tina’s open plan kitchen and conservatory is a great space for entertaining

TEST Rather than tucking them away in a cupboard, Tina’s neatly labelled Kilner jars – lined up on shelves above the worksurface – ensure that dry ingredients are always to hand

Rather than tucking them away in a cupboard, Tina’s neatly labelled Kilner jars – lined up on shelves above the worksurface – ensure that dry ingredients are always to hand

TEST Tina’s beer bread mix, which she sells through Liberty Bee, is a surefire hit with guests. “There’s bicarbonate of soda in the mixture and that’s activated by the beer, which works in a similar way to soda bread, causing it to rise without the need for yeast. It’s delicious and really quick to make, providing you have some beer to spare, that is.

Tina’s beer bread mix, which she sells through Liberty Bee, is a surefire hit with guests. “There’s bicarbonate of soda in the mixture and that’s activated by the beer, which works in a similar way to soda bread, causing it to rise without the need for yeast. It’s delicious and really quick to make, providing you have some beer to spare, that is."

TEST Daughter Liberty’s riding rosettes are proudly on display in the kitchen

Daughter Liberty’s riding rosettes are proudly on display in the kitchen

TEST A velvet sofa tucks neatly into an alcove by the kitchen window

A velvet sofa tucks neatly into an alcove by the kitchen window

TEST Daughter Liberty’s room. Above the bed hangs a French sash window that has been sign written

Daughter Liberty’s room. Above the bed hangs a French sash window that has been sign written

TEST The family bathroom

The relaxing family bathroom

TEST The master bedroom is a cosy space tucked into the eaves of the house

The master bedroom is a cosy space tucked into the eaves of the house

TEST All around the house there are unique looking ‘finds’ that are available from Liberty Bee

All around the house there are unique looking ‘finds’ that are available from Liberty Bee

TEST The kitchen opens into the conservatory which looks out into the garden, with its rows of neat vegetable beds. Tina has brought a touch of the outside in, filling large terracotta pots, wooden trugs and troughs with geraniums, climbers and trees

The kitchen opens into the conservatory which looks out into the garden, with its rows of neat vegetable beds

TEST I can see that the combination of a good eye, a well designed brand and a lot of legwork are behind Tina’s success, although she’s modest about the process; “I buy what I would like in my own home,” she says simply, “which often means that items meant for sale end up staying in the house!”

I can see that the combination of a good eye, a well designed brand and a lot of legwork are behind Tina’s success, although she’s modest about the process; “I buy what I would like in my own home,” she says simply, “which often means that items meant for sale end up staying in the house!”

TEST Tina has brought a touch of the outside in, filling large terracotta pots, wooden trugs and troughs with geraniums, climbers and trees

Tina has brought a touch of the outside in, filling large terracotta pots, wooden trugs and troughs with geraniums, climbers and trees

TEST The benefit of running a home and garden business from home means that Tina always has beautiful and useful items to hand

The benefit of running a home and garden business from home means that Tina always has beautiful and useful items to hand

TEST Bertie the Labrador sits patiently amongst a new delivery of old wooden pear crates which Tina intends to use to display Liberty Bee products at fairs and shows

Bertie the Labrador sits patiently amongst a new delivery of old wooden pear crates which Tina intends to use to display Liberty Bee products at fairs and shows

TEST Wooden apple crates have been cleverly repurposed to provide a double nesting box; hand-beaten copper poppies provide interest in the garden all year round, even when all the summer foliage has died back

Wooden apple crates have been cleverly repurposed to provide a double nesting box

TEST Hand-beaten copper poppies provide interest in the garden all year round, even when all the summer foliage has died back

Hand-beaten copper poppies provide interest in the garden all year round, even when all the summer foliage has died back

TEST A trio of Serama chickens, one of the smallest breeds of chicken in the world, explore a recently emptied vegetable bed; cosmos fronds provide a rich sea of greenery dotted with pink and white petals

A trio of Serama chickens, one of the smallest breeds of chicken in the world, explore a recently emptied vegetable bed

TEST Cosmos fronds provide a rich sea of greenery dotted with pink and white petals

Cosmos fronds provide a rich sea of greenery dotted with pink and white petals

  • words:
  • pictures: David Merewether
  • styling: Lucy Fleming

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