Laura Hamilton, 44, practices what she preaches, and not only has she found her own ‘Place in the Sun’, she’s also getting stuck into DIY renovations at her family home in Surrey. Amid her busy schedule, the mum-of-two talked HELLO! through her current projects, including an exciting new wallpaper collection. 

Laura’s Surrey life is split between school runs, home renovations and filming for her Property with Laura Hamilton YouTube channel, but she’s also recently bought a holiday home in Spain. Her Mallorcan dream didn’t go quite as planned when she discovered significant foundation issues which had to be fixed before she could proceed with her transformation. The A Place in the Sun star also admitted the location has made life more difficult. “Having renovated over 20 properties in the UK, I went into it thinking it would be a fairly similar process in Mallorca, but it’s not at all. There’s a lot more red tape, and getting permissions can be a very slow process, which has definitely been a challenge.” 

Daughter’s design flair

Her two children, son Rocco, who was born in 2013 and daughter Tahlia, born in 2015, “show an interest” in the renovation fun at their family home. “They enjoy getting involved in little projects and seeing how things come together,” reveals Laura. “Tahlia is probably more into design than Rocco. She creates a mood board and has quite an opinion on design and colour. I think it’s such a great life skill to have, and it’s lovely to share that creativity with them.”

“Tahlia is probably more into design than Rocco. She creates a mood board and has quite an opinion on design and colour.”

If you’re feeling inspired by Laura’s hands-on approach, you are not alone! Her 16,000 subscribers love tuning in to see what she’s up to and gain skills and confidence for their own renovations. “Don’t be afraid to have a go yourself,” says Laura. “YouTube is such a great place to watch and learn, and it’s incredibly satisfying (and cost-effective!) when you can do things yourself. And remember, mistakes happen, it’s all part of the process.”

Wallpaper whizz 

Wallpapering wasn’t something Laura had to Google though, as it was a skill she picked up while filming a Channel 5 makeover show. Now, she’s a dab hand! “I love using wallpaper in spaces where you want to make an impact so places like living rooms, bedrooms, and hallways. I have wallpapered my entire hall with a panel-look paper and it looks so realistic,” she revealed.

The design lover now has her own I Love Wallpaper collection, and she explains that she “took inspiration from my travels, my own homes, and the trends I see people loving right now” for the designs. Our personal highlights are the scattered leaf print and the groovy Tessellation pattern – so chic!

How can you be a wallpaper pro just like Laura? “Preparation is everything, make sure your walls are smooth and ready before you even start and that you have the right tools,” she advises. “Secondly, take your time measuring and lining everything up properly. It makes such a difference to the final result. This can sometimes be tricky with a difficult pattern repeat.” Finally, she adds: “Don’t rush it. It’s one of those jobs where patience really pays off!”

When disaster strikes on A Place in the Sun 

“It’s amazing to be part of something that’s been loved for so long,” gushes Laura as we chat about the show’s 25 year anniversary. “My favourite thing is absolutely helping people find their dream homes. I love property, people and travel so it really is the perfect job for me.”

“It’s amazing to be part of something that’s been loved for so long” 

Although it’s the dream gig, filming doesn’t always go to plan, and Laura recalls hair-raising moments like “getting locked out of a property and the keys being accidentally left inside in America to the heavens opening in Italy and all of the crew vehicles getting stuck in a mudslide”.

Laura’s hidden illness

Behind-the-scenes Laura has been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), which causes excessive bruising and bleeding. She reassures us that it hasn’t affected her filming, however, her wardrobe has been adjusted because of it. “I am certainly conscious of certain outfits I wear to cover up my bruised legs and arms,” she tells us. Adding: “I know that it flares with stress so I’ve learned how to manage it and listen to my body. It’s made me more aware of the importance of looking after yourself, which is something I don’t take for granted anymore.”