'I instantly knew where the trees would go!'

Going full on with festive decor was still the plan when Jackie Camm and her family downsized to their new country cottage-style home

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Downsizing was the obvious solution for Jackie Camm and her family when her husband, Dave, was made redundant. 'We wanted to make things financially easier and fell in love with this house straightaway,' says Jackie. 'It's very different to our last home, which was a five-bedroom, open-plan property with large rooms, but we loved the cottage feel of this place and it gave us a chance to try something new.

Having more small rooms also suited the family, as the children were spending more time with their friends, so the three separate living areas gave them all space to socialise independently. The fact that the house didn't need any building work was an added bonus, as was the new kitchen the previous owners had recently installed. 'It's a style I would have chosen, and the beautiful blue range was left behind, which was an extra win,' explains Jackie.

MAKING A MARK