Grand DESIGNS

Sophia and Nic Fanciulli transformed a run-down Victorian house into a wonderfully unique home

- MARISHA TAYLOR

Leaving London and taking ona renovation project in the Kent countryside was something Sophia and Nic Fanciulli had always envisaged. 'We loved our life in Notting Hill, but wanted to find a home in the country with land that we could extend and build on,' says Sophia. 'After discovering I was pregnant with our son, Leo, there was no better time to move.'

The couple's search focused around a picturesque, commutable town in Kent near to where Nic grew up. 'An estate agent sent us listings as they came on to the market, and when we saw this run-down three-bedroom Victorian house with half an acre of land, we knew it was perfect for us,' says Sophia. 'It attracted lots of attention, but after a hasty viewing and offer that went to sealed bids, the property was ours.'