'I added homespun charm to this Victorian terrace'

Inspired by working in National Trust properties, Mel Green has filled her home with heritage colours, vintage furniture and handmade accessories

-  Lisa Moses

When Mel and her husband, Chris, were first married, Mel was renting a house in Manchester, and Chris would travel from his army base in Suffolk to see her every weekend. 'But with his retirement looming after 25 years, we decided it was time to buy a forever home together,' says Mel. As both Manchester and Suffolk were out of the couple's budget, they decided to widen their search, finally choosing to concentrate on The Potteries, as there are several National Trust properties in the area, where the couple both hoped to find work.

'At the time we needed three bedrooms because Chris's children stayed every other weekend, and our brief included a Shaker-style kitchen with butler sink, Minton tiles in the hall, and lots of period features. Luckily, the estate agent came up with the goods and found this place, which ticked all the boxes,' says Mel.

REFRESH WITH PAINT

The couple's new home was full of bright yellow walls, blue banisters and heavy curtains that blocked out all the light so, Mel explains, 'the first job was painting the whole house white, as I wanted to create a bright, airy feel.' After that, she created a mental list of jobs that she wanted to do to update her new home, starting with the kitchen. 'I loved the freestanding design but felt the original dark wood looked too heavy, so I decided to give the room a budget makeover,' she says.