'We've made the most of every inch of space'

With a blended family of six, Laurie Hale has maximised every opportunity for storage in her compact home without sacrificing on style

Although this three-bedroom terraced house in Chilwell, Nottingham, was stuck in a 1970s' time warp, Laurie Hale wasn't put off by the outdated decor. 'I wasn't afraid of buying something that I could put my own stamp on,' says Laurie. "There was old-fashioned panelling everywhere, Artex ceilings and small wooden kitchen cupboards teamed with dark terracotta floor tiles, but the views overlooking fields at the front were a big plus. I also loved the staircase, as it has a spacious high ceiling, and the way it curved around was a bit unusual.'

SETTLING IN

Nine months after buying the house, Laurie's partner Jonathan moved in, and the pair married in November 2022 after having their son Jude, now three. With three children, and Jonathan's 10-year-old son, Elias, staying over part-time, the house now had to accommodate a blended family of six, rather than a family of three. "The children all get on great. The girls share a room, and the other bedroom has a cabin bed for Jude and Elias,' says Laurie. "There's so much storage for such a small house, with a cloakroom, downstairs toilet, upstairs laundry room and lots of cupboards, which makes it work for a big family.' When she and her daughters first moved in, Laurie focussed on the bedrooms before embarking on bigger changes downstairs.