Creative wife, creative life

When interviewed about their project, Len said they’d already written the headline for their article in Home: “A little bit of budget, and a lot of Faith”.

Faith is an artist and many of her inventive ideas were implemented during the renovation project: tiles that she designed, hand-painted and baked have been used in the kitchen and bathroom, and old sash windows have been cleverly repurposed as a screen in the shower. She also reupholstered most of the furniture herself and made all the curtains.

Len, of course, also had a few tricks up his sleeve. “I even collected pebbles from a local quarry to decorate the garden!”

Burning the midnight oil, the couple finished the renovation and made massive changes in just seven-and-a-half weeks. And they weren’t the only ones to bear witness to the transformation. “Strangers often stopped and gathered around the house to see what we were doing,” Len says. “We had plenty of requests to view the house during the renovation and we obliged because it was nice to share the experience. Friends, but also strangers and people who were just curious, popped in at different times and brought us meals – our fridge was often stocked to the brim!”

Although the couple gave all the homes they rented their personal touch, this was the first major renovation they had tackled. “For once, all the energy we spent was for something that belongs to us,” Len says happily. >>

Red kitchen cupboards painted with Dulux African Adventure 2; walls painted with Dulux Rum Raisin and Silk Moire

It’s in the detail A stained-glass window, a gift from a friend, was built into the wall at the entrance. It was in storage for 10 years – but now Len and Faith have finally found the right spot for it. Tiles from The Tile House

Len and Faith removed four layers of vinyl from the kitchen floor and then tiled it using two shades of grey ceramic tiles. The gaps between the tiles are filled with silver beading. The original kitchen cupboards were restored and new ones added,...