Will Kirk has opened up about his family life in the countryside after leaving his flat in Peckham and relocating to a Victorian house in the Surrey Hills. Appearing on Tuesday's episode of Lorraine, the antique furniture restorer was on hand to promote The Repair Shop's Remembrance Day episode, when he was asked about his personal approach to DIY. After presenter Lorraine Kelly noted that Will and his wife, Polly Snowdon, were in the process of renovating their rural home in Farnham, the father-of-two joked that his family have "So many wellies, you wouldn't believe," now that they've left London.
© InstagramQuizzed about his DIY efforts at home, Will told Lorraine: "I can't sit still really. When I'm not in the barn, then I have to be making or doing something. So, that's the fireplace in our bedroom," he pointed out, while a video of his latest restoration played on-screen. "All those bits there I got online second hand, all part of that don't throw away furniture culture [and] ethos. And they were really cheap, and they're authentic to the house as well, so I love getting hands-on."
Will Kirk's move to the countryside
Will, who moved to Surrey "about a year and a half" ago, frequently shares before-and-after transformations from his spacious property on Instagram. Speaking with House Beautiful in October, the TV star and woodwork expert revealed why he and his wife, Polly, decided to move with their three-year-old daughter and one-year-old son to the countryside.
© Will Kirk / Instagram"I spent 39 years in London, and I thought that's where everything was, but having kids changes your priorities," he told the publication. "Now we've got more space and fresher air. Home is becoming more important. When I'm not working and surrounded by people, it's where I can be with my family to switch off."
Will noted that since moving, he's set his sights on renovating the living room and dining room first. "I knocked through a wall, reinstated the ceiling roses, I've built fitted units, shelves and cupboards, taken up the carpet and sanded the floors," he explained.
"I've done all the work myself, apart from taking the wall down. I whacked it with a hammer just to say I'd done something, then left it to the professionals!"
According to The Repair Shop star, he and his wife have opted for a neutral colour scheme, while accessorising with colourful cushions and artwork. A firm believer in supporting his local high street rather than shopping online, Will has become particularly fond of the department store, Elphicks, in Farnham. When he's looking for second-hand buys, the furniture restorer has also sourced pieces on Facebook Marketplace, including a cast-iron insert for his bedroom fireplace, which cost just £40.
Will's recent discovery
Back in September, Will was left in "total amazement" after discovering an Anderson Shelter in the back garden of his Surrey home. Addressing his followers on Instagram, the TV star revealed what happened after mowing the lawn and removing overgrown bushes with the help of his grandpa.
"It was only after cleaning the mess that I realised there was a very strange, mysterious hole between the raised bed and the shed," Will recalled. "After moving some of the earth from the top, I realised there was another layer of metal and stone. Braving the mice, the spiders, the cobwebs, I decided to take a peek inside with my camera, and I could not believe what I found inside. Now, to my total amazement, it seemed to be some sort of Anderson shelter. The estate agent had no idea it was there when we bought the place, my neighbours never knew that it existed."
Noting that he was "so excited" with the discovery, Will later told House Beautiful that he was still deciding what to do with it, musing: "I'm probably going to fill it in and turf over it."
