'Now we have fab SEA VIEWS!'

Three separate rooms have been turned into one stylish kitchen-diner by Ellie Rimmer, filled with colour and personality

COME ON IN!

ABOUT ME I’m Ellie Rimmer, 27, an NHS worker and content creator @sevenpalm treehouse. I live with my partner, James, 28, a construction company owner, and our cockapoo Barney, in a threebedroom detached 1960s bungalow on the outskirts of Brighton, East Sussex, which we moved into in July 2022.

THE CHALLENGE We inherited a dilapidated, cramped kitchen with an unused dining room and a lean-to that was obstructing the view of the garden. We wanted to turn all the rooms into one open-plan kitchendiner, which opens onto the garden with views of the sea.

THE WISH LIST High-quality units, rich colour, accessories in brushed brass, separate zones for cooking and eating, plenty of work surface and great lighting.

We left a two-bedroom, finished flat to take on a tired bungalow where everything needed doing,’ says Ellie. ‘But we knew we’d have to go for a renovation job to get a bigger property. It ended up being an eight-month project, where we removed most of the walls downstairs and converted the loft, but it was worth it. We couldn’t have lived there while the major work was going on but, luckily, we could stay with my nan round the corner.

We’re a good team when it comes to a big project, as James is very handy at DIY and he trusts my judgement on decor and colour schemes. We both wanted a lovely big open-plan kitchen-diner as a top priority, where we could entertain people and still be able to see the sea.

Making plans