The author, TV presenter and mum-of-two, 56, lives in Chester, Cheshire
What is the first thing you do the second you walk through your door?
Say hello to our two dogs; Waffle, my 13-year-old golden Labrador and Ruby, 7, a black Labrador. Waffle will do a welcoming squeaky bark as though she’s saying, ‘You've been gone for so long, it’s so lovely to see you!’ while Ruby does a downward dog and wags her tail.
What's your favourite time of the day at home?
What I call the golden hour. We’ve got a view from our house of the River Dee, and in summer, around 7pm, the light suddenly turns a delicious, beautiful colour. At that time, I love walking down to the river or going for a stroll in the garden. I’m definitely a water person. I’ve lived by the sea before and always thought the sea was more interesting, but until you live by a river, you don’t realise how much they change - the flow, the colour, the foliage.
Where's your happy place?
My bedroom. Sleep is my addiction. Our house is Georgian with a high bedroom ceiling, and the window overlooks the river and trees, which is where I sit to do my yoga. We’ve got amazing blackout curtains, so in the middle of the day, during blazing sunshine, it’s pitch dark. It’s a really cool room.
What's on your bedside table?
Various moisturisers, lots of books, my phone and my glasses. I'm short-sighted, so can't get out of bed without them.
What do you do when you're at home alone?
My favourite thing in the world - and I don’t do it often - is having a glass of wine in the bath while reading a thriller. I read every day in the bath. I just don’t often have the glass of wine.
What’s your homeware addiction?
Onesies, which I absolutely adore but my husband hates! In the winter, come 7pm, or after I’ve been for a swim, I put on a onesie. If it's cold and I’m writing upstairs in the attic - what I call my writing room - I’ll wear clothes and put a onesie over the top. I think they look really nice!
What's your favourite homeware store?
Homesense. You find really interesting things there for a bargain price, and I love a bargain! Every time I go, I spend a fortune. I’ll go to buy a carpet and end up with dog treats or something ridiculous.
Do you have a home pet peeve?
At the moment, I’m raging about shedding dog hair. I’m in a three-week cycle of having to vacuum twice a day. The hair goes on you, the sofa, and it wafts into all the corners in the kitchen. It’s my absolute nightmare.
What chore do you adore?
Making beds. It takes so much effort, but the reward is so great. I also can’t get into my bed if I’ve not ironed the sheets. That would be awful.
Do you have a bad home habit that you'd like to quit?
Currently, I'm in a really good space because I've just finished the first draft of my second thriller, so on my desk, everything is straight and ordered. It’s the first time I’ve tidied it in three months because when I'm writing, I’m surrounded by Post-It notes and picture ideas. It’s chaos but when I'm writing, I can't lose focus, so I push the mess away. Ideally I’d like to walk into an always-tidy space!
Do you try your hand at DIY?
I have tried, but I’m really bad because I don’t have sufficient focus to finish a job, and I don’t read the instructions. I’m quite good at tech DIY though. Let’s say the Wi-Fi or heating system isn’t working, that’s my speciality. I’m like, ‘I’m going to learn this, and I’m going to make it work!’
Are you a good host?
We love having people over, not very often because we get totally carried away. We’ll do a seven-course dinner, cook a curry that needs at least 10 hours on the stove, or I’ll make four Ottolenghi recipes when - and anyone who’s cooked an Ottolenghi recipe will know - one is enough.
In the hot seat
- Shoes on or off? They’re currently on.
- Eat at table or laps? We do both, equally.
- Lighting – bright or moody? Probably a bright room.
- Quick shower or long bath? Long bath.
- Colourful or neutral? Neutral.
- Neat or creative chaos? It depends where I am in my book cycle!
- Music, radio, TV or quiet? Peace and quiet.
■ Louise hosts BBC One’s Rip-Off Britain.
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