Why I Created Hand-Painted House Portrait Decorations
For me, creating illustrations is about more than just making something beautiful—it's about telling stories, capturing the meaning behind the moments and places that matter most. Our homes, filled with memories, laughter, and love, deserve to be celebrated in a way that goes beyond a photo or a fleeting gift.
When I started out, I created hand-painted Christmas baubles, personalised with names written in calligraphy. They were popular and sold well, but something didn’t feel quite right.
In this blog post, I’ll share the story behind why I started creating my hand-painted house portrait decorations. I’ll also take you through the process behind making each piece, and how sustainability is central to what I do.
‘Thoroughly delighted with the Christmas decoration. Fantastic service from Imogen from start to finish. Indeed, we were so delighted with the decoration that we commissioned her to do a bigger painting of our house!!’
Julian, Masham
The Story Behind the House Portrait Decorations
Although my personalised Christmas calligraphy baubles were well received, I quickly realised they didn’t align with my vision. They lacked personality (despite being personalised), and I felt they didn’t reflect the illustration focus of my business. As I looked around, I saw many talented makers doing similar things, and I wanted to create something that was more unique—something that felt truly personal.
As well as this, these early baubles didn’t match my sustainability values. After some research, I discovered that they were mass-produced in China, and I knew I could do better. I wanted to create something that was not only personalised but also carried meaning, individuality, and was made in a more responsible way.
I looked at what people love most about my work—house portraits. Homes are filled with memories and are places we hold dear, so I wanted to create something that celebrates that. That’s when my house portrait decorations were born. At the same time, I found a way to source ceramic decorations that were made here in the UK by another independent maker, using clay from Stoke-on-Trent and fired in an electric kiln powered by renewable energy. The silk ribbon is from another UK small business, ethically sourced and hand dyed in the UK.
This shift felt much more aligned with me and my business, and I was proud to offer something with a lower environmental impact. To deepen that impact, I also decided to donate a portion of the profits to The Thousand Year Trust, a charity dedicated to restoring the UK’s temperate rainforests and one that is close to my heart.
I am delighted that my bespoke house portrait decorations have been featured in publications like Country Life Magazine, Country Homes & Interiors, Inside Kent and Wealden Times magazines.
The Process Behind My Bespoke House Portrait Decorations
Here’s how I handcraft each decoration from start to finish:
1. Place Your Order
Place your order via my website. I release the decorations in batches of 10 to reflect my limited stock and capacity. There is a waitlist ready each time the house portrait decorations sell out and people on this list will be contacted first, as soon as new stock is available. I ask for a 4 week lead time, although this is reduced to two weeks nearer to Christmas and I will always try and get the piece to you on time, so please let me know if you have a key date in mind.
When you place the order, you will also be prompted to let me know if you would like hand lettering on the reverse of your decoration. This could be an address, a memorable name or message.
2. Sketching Your Home
Every decoration begins with a photograph of your chosen house or building. Once your order is placed, you can send me your photograph(s). Once received I then carefully sketch the unique architectural details onto the ceramic disk, ensuring it reflects its character of your home or place. If it is particularly complicated or you need me to change any of the details in the photo, I might send a sketch for approval before continuing to the next step.
3. Ink & Painting
Once the sketch is done, I add the ink outline with a fine-line pen to pick up the key features of your home. Then I bring the building to life with intricately detailed acrylic paint, applied directly onto the single fired ceramic decoration. Each tiny brushstroke is applied with care, ensuring that the finished piece reflects the charm and character of the home.
4. Hand lettering
If you have requested hand lettering, once the illustration is dry, I turn it over and sketch out the writing, checking carefully from your wording. I then hand write in modern calligraphy style in a fine-line waterproof ink pen. The pencil lines are then rubbed away to reveal the finished lettering
5. The Final Touches
Each decoration is finished with a hand-dyed silk ribbon, packaged in recycled tissue paper and nestled carefully into a little box made from 100% recycled materials. The result is a unique gift of a beautiful decoration that’s ready to hang, whether it’s on a Christmas tree, a wall, or as part of your year-round decor.
Why Sustainability Matters
Positive environmental impact is a core value in my business. Moving from mass-produced baubles to handmade ceramic house portrait decorations allowed me to create something I’m proud of, knowing that every step of the process—from the UK-sourced clay to the eco-friendly firing process—has a lower environmental impact.
By donating a portion of profits to The Thousand Year Trust, I’m able to contribute even more to the protection of our natural environment. This charity is dedicated to restoring temperate rainforests, an ecosystem that has a critical role in supporting biodiversity and combating climate change. When you purchase a house portrait decoration, you’re not only celebrating a special place—you’re also supporting vital conservation work right here in the UK. I would love you to read more about the wonderful work they do.
A Meaningful Gift That Lasts Beyond Christmas
While these house portrait decorations make beautiful Christmas gifts, they’re also designed to be cherished all year-round. Whether you’re celebrating a new home, wedding anniversary, giving a housewarming gift, or commemorating a place filled with memories, these pieces are more than just decorations—they’re a way to capture the heart of a home or place you hold dear.
They also make wonderful unique corporate gifts to surprise and delight your clients, capturing their attention and creating a lasting impression.
‘We ordered a house portrait decoration from Imogen for our Christmas Tree last year and it was so beautifully made and captured our cottage perfectly. Such a talented lady and thank you so much again Imogen for being fab to work with too.’
Sarah, Robertsbridge
A Unique, Thoughtful, Sustainable Gift
At the heart of my work are stories, and the belief that the most meaningful gifts are the ones that last, both in memory and in craftsmanship. It is the stories that we tell as pass on through generations that bind us together and create a deeper connection with our past, present and future. My hand-painted house portrait decorations are more than just ornaments—they are a way to celebrate home, connection, and love in a thoughtful and sustainable way.
If you’d like to order your own house portrait, make sure to join the waitlist. I can’t wait to help you celebrate the places that mean the most to you.
