IN TOTAL harmony

A GENTLE SCHEME OF SOFT COLOURS, TEXTURED FABRICS AND WOODEN ACCESSORIES HAS GIVEN CHLOE AND PHIL'S DOWNSIZED HOME A LAID-BACK, WELCOMING FEEL

- LISA MOSES

Kitchen

'We commissioned a local joiner to make the kitchen. It was about the same price as the big kitchen companies but gave us so much more freedom with style, colours and layout."

BUY THE KEY PIECES

Skinny Shaker units painted in Drop Cloth by Farrow & Ball, price on request, Russell Vessey Joinery. Layon brushed brass handles, £3.90 each, French Furniture Fittings

Wanting a change of pace and to improve their work life balance, Chloe and Phil decided to use their renovation experience to downsize, and in the process, turn an unloved wreck into a relaxed, family home.

WHY DID YOU WANT TO MOVE?

'We were living in what we thought would be our forever home: a six bedroom Victorian house that we'd spent seven years renovating. But I had some health issues which made us reconsider what was important in life. I went part-time at work and we bought a smaller house to reduce our mortgage. I loved the location of this place, directly opposite the park, and although it needed a complete cosmetic update, it had good "bones" and plenty of potential to extend so that we wouldn't miss the amount of space in our previous home."

WHAT MAIN CHANGES DID YOU MAKE?