WINTER WONDERLAND

It was a long time coming but Johanna and Deniz Safer finally found the right house and set about transforming it into the perfect setting for magical family get-togethers

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Johanna Safer loves to decorate her home for Christmas. There's a rustic wooden sledge and a Christmas tree at her front door, and inside, candles provide a glowing welcome to the family for festive celebrations. But at one stage, Johanna thought they'd never find the right house, let alone be ready to host Christmas there.

It was such a challenging journey that my husband Deniz and I had almost given up hope,' says Johanna. "Thankfully, fate intervened.'

Back in 2017, having renovated their first home in Bexley, Kent, Johanna began getting itchy feet. Although she was still enjoying living in their Victorian house, a chance online glimpse of an unusual cottage with a moat caught her eye. A rollercoaster 18 months was to follow, when the couple bought and lost the moat property, sold their house, lost that buyer and sold again.

By that point, we'd decided to move, but couldn't find a single house that ticked all our boxes,' says Johanna. We didn't want the upheaval of another major project, but were loath to buy a house that someone else had renovated.' After months of searching, she agreed to an estate agent's suggestion of going on his mailing list. "The very next day, he sent an email and I couldn't believe my eyes,' Johanna recalls. The house looked perfect.' After immediately setting up a viewing, the couple were so impressed that they went back the following day and sealed the deal.