Home For The Holidays

Olga Prinku and Andrew Wright turned a jaded Sixties property into a light-filled space, future-proofed for family Christmases

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Excitement was tinged with anxiety when Olga Prinku and her husband Andrew Wright received a phone call confirming that their recent bid on a Sixties house had been successful. ‘We couldn’t quite believe we’d finally settled on somewhere,’ explains Olga. ‘Although we wanted our own home, we were lucky to be living quite comfortably in a relative’s property. With no pressure to move, what started as a temporary solution had turned into a three-year stint.’

The couple had returned from working abroad to the Northeast, to be near Andrew’s family. With their son Matty just a baby, they began searching for a family home. ‘We didn’t have a particular style in mind, just somewhere with plenty of light and outside space so we could enjoy the rural life,’ Olga explains.

Their hunt ended when they found a Sixties house tucked down a quiet lane. It had only one previous owner, and although the property had been well loved, it was extremely dated. ‘There were patterned wallpapers, an avocado bathroom suite and the main bedroom had a pine sauna cabin,’ says Olga. ‘The secluded location is very special, though, and the space flowed well.’