A CALM elegance

DONYA AND CHRIS JUMPED AT THE CHANCE TO UPDATE THIS ELEGANT VICTORIAN PROPERTY, MAKING IT A MODERN FAMILY HOME FULL OF CLASSIC TOUCHES

- MARISHA TAYLOR

Living room

'The mantelpiece, cornicing and windows are simply stunning. It's rare to find properties with such beautiful features intact.'

BUY THE KEY PIECES

Patrick sofa, £2,360; Valentin footstool, £460, both Sofa.​com. Large Gleaming Primrose mirror in Brass, £1,298, Anthropologie. Blue and white patterned lamp with shade, £295, Saks & Hart

With three young children, Donya needed more space for her family and started to look for a larger property. She wanted a home in a rural setting but still close to the local town.

WHAT DREW YOU TO THIS PROPERTY?

'We viewed over a dozen properties in South Devon; however, this one completely surprised us. We fell in love with the grand proportions and beautiful period features. It's situated in a conservation area overlooking woodlands the peaceful setting was exactly what we were looking for. The added bonus was how close it was to town, the train station and our children's schools and sports clubs.'

WHAT CONDITION WAS THE HOUSE IN?

'It was in great shape and beautifully decorated. However, the decor wasn't our style it was quite traditional. The hallway was painted pale blue with cream carpet and while it was lovely, the blue made the space feel cold, and with three children and a dog, we knew the carpet wouldn't stay pristine. The kitchen was tiny and we knew right away we wanted to open it up to the dining room."

HOW DID YOU APPROACH THE RENOVATION?