'I love schemes brought to life with texture'

After the initial shock at the size of the renovation needed wore off, Lisa Rees got to work revamping her 1920s home, first tackling the issues and then making it her own

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When Lisa and Paul first moved in together - when Lisa's son, Elliot, was nine the couple originally moved into what had been Paul's parents' Victorian cottage. We totally renovated it, but I really wanted a home that we could choose together. So, after nearly 20 years together, we began to look for our forever home. As Elliot had moved in with his girlfriend, we didn't need a big house, and I immediately fell in love with this place the moment we stepped through the door,' says Lisa. 'I loved the large box bay window in the living room, but I particularly loved the stairs and original floor tiles in the hall, which reminded me of my first home when I was 21.'

SEEING THE POTENTIAL

The couple had to look past the old-fashioned decor, though. 'An elderly woman had lived here for decades and hadn't done any updates, so there was floral wallpaper everywhere, even on the ceilings. But the house felt light and airy and, to be honest, having experienced noisy neighbors in the past, it being detached was a real bonus.'

SURPRISE SURPRISE