Originally, we’d put in an offer on a house the next street over,’ says Shani. ‘By the time that fell through, we’d already fallen in love with this area of north London, and knew this was where we wanted our first proper family home.
‘Luckily, this house came onto the market almost immediately and we snapped it up. It had already been converted back into a single dwelling after decades as flats, but the renovations were cheap. The kitchen was flimsy and much of the Victorian character inside had been stripped away, but we saw that it had lots of potential. It was filled with light and the bedrooms were all a good size. We were happy to take our time to transform it into the home we wanted.
Sociable living
We started off by renovating the ground floor. By removing the unnecessary doors and widening the entrances between the kitchen, dining room, and sitting room, we opened up the downstairs to create an open-plan, sociable environment that suits our way of living. We love having people over, but the dining room is a relatively small space, so we plumped for a big table with a long bench seat, which easily accommodates plenty of dinner guests. Going open-plan is ideal for family entertaining and cooking altogether, especially at Christmas.
Making white work
This story is from the January 2021 edition of Style at Home.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 2021 edition of Style at Home.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
How to claim back LOST MONEY
Editor of Money Week.com Kalpana Fitzpatrick advises how to reclaim money that you might have lost track of
Plan the perfect BATHROOM LAYOUT
Whatever the size and shape of your bathroom, nail a layout that works for you and your family
Ellie's choice: A HOT WATER TAP
Free up kitchen worktop space by replacing the kettle with a multitasking tap that provides hot (and cold) filtered water
'Now we have fab SEA VIEWS!'
Three separate rooms have been turned into one stylish kitchen-diner by Ellie Rimmer, filled with colour and personality
Try a speedy STYLE UPDATE
Use a long weekend to perk up your home with these easy decor ideas and quick fixes
Be creative WITH COLOUR
Brighten up your home with the latest paint techniques and colour combinations
'My new build is a TALKING POINT'
Determined to dispel the stigma that all new builds are bland, visitors to Cotty's home are wowed by how she's added character into every room
'Our redesign adds VITAL SPACE'
A well thought-out extension and renovation has created a charming family home that's testament to Amy and Jamie's hard work and creativity
'We went over to the DARK SIDE'
Ditching its dated interior for a bold and dramatic palette, Alana's new-look home is now brimming with personality
'This house has always BEEN HOME'
When Donna inherited her late parents' home, she realised it was the perfect blank canvas to create the Nordic look she loves