MODERN RUSTIC

Michaela Shoebridge and her husband Lee have updated their dated 1980s bungalow to create a calm, relaxed home in the heart of Yorkshire

- ALICE HUMPHRYS

As first-time buyers we were keen to find a project we could develop over time, ideally in a quiet, rural spot,' says Michaela Shoebridge. We'd been renting locally for two years, keeping a keen eye on properties that were coming onto the market-and this four-bedroom bungalow, in the countryside on the outskirts of Hull, was perfect. We loved that the rooms were well proportioned and logically laid out on one level. It had a generous footprint, large back garden and bags of potential to extend and add value.'

The property had been built in the 1980s and although it needed updating, it wasn't in bad condition. The majority of the house had been decorated in magnolia, apart from a jazzy red kitchen! The layout had a cohesive feel, however, with all the rooms leading from an L-shaped hallway. One side opens into the living, dining and conservatory area, which has a central fireplace to create a divide between them, with the kitchen and utility room accessed from the dining area. On the other side of the hall are the bedrooms, study and family bathroom.