Transforming this property was a true labour of love for me. After all, I live here with my partner and children!
A tiny footprint is embedded in the driveway. This print was left by my son when he was a baby. As our family have grown, the house has grown with us.
Originally the property had an unusable sloping garden. The semi was small (only two bedrooms) and in a very dilapidated condition.
Bricks were falling apart, there were cracks in the walls and some of the structure had rusted away. This place needed a lot of love – and that’s exactly what it got.
Downstairs I removed a cramped bedroom. This allowed for a cascading timber staircase and a sleek laundry. Upstairs, three new high-ceilinged bedrooms provide ample personal space for everyone.
The most dramatic changes were ones I made to the kitchen, living and dining rooms. These were at the rear of the property and were north-facing. We knocked the walls down and created an enormous light-filled dining and living space.
In this area, framed glass and large sliding doors now open onto a timber deck and levelled garden. I love cooking, so having a good amount of space to do this – as well as lots of room for entertaining – was important.
My partner and I made a dining table from MDF and painted it gunmetal grey. We’ve had 25 people sitting around it. We love our house and would be very sad if we ever had to leave.
