INSIDE KNOWLEDGE
With a focused approach, one couple used their expertise to reinvent a neglected 1930s house
‘I wanted a slightly industrial feel with lots of plants, colour and copper accents’
Jojo Donnelly and Alex Gale knew they had found their ideal family home when they viewed this 1930s property in East Molesey, Surrey – all they had to do was secure it. ‘It was May 2014 and the housing market was going mad,’ says Jojo. ‘This was the first place I viewed, but because I was an estate agent at the time, I’d seen a million and one properties, and knew exactly what I wanted. The location was brilliant, in a private road that backs onto a field, and it had the potential for us to do a side, rear and loft extension.’
When they found themselves up against four other offers, and then in a contract race with another buyer, Jojo and Alex drew on their professional expertise. ‘As estate agents, we knew how it worked. We used all our knowledge of the sales process and our contacts to speed up the process, and managed to exchange within four weeks. Even so, it was very stressful – especially because I was pregnant with Amelie. The house was a former rental property, but perfectly livable in,’ says Jojo. ‘Everything was a shade of beige and cream, the paintwork needed attention and there was old laminate on the floor, but it wasn’t too bad. The central heating only covered half the house, so my dad had to help me fit electric heaters into the walls.’
With such large-scale renovations, the couple had to apply for three different sets of planning permissions for the loft, first floor, and side and ground floor extensions. ‘The plans were initially rejected but the second time round we were in luck,’ Jojo says.
Their builders, Masterbuild & Design in Teddington, worked to a tight budget, set and managed by Jojo. ‘My job at the time was to value houses, especially ones that had just undergone work, so I had a good idea of how much it should cost. I also knew how important it was to negotiate. I went to four different tradespeople, found the one I liked the most and then made sure I got the best product for the best possible deal,’ she explains. ‘When the work finally started, it was so extensive that even rooms we weren’t going to touch had to be replastered as all the ceilings crumbled.’
With gaping holes in the roof and across the back of the property, and a house full of builders, Jojo then found out she was pregnant with
Arthur. ‘I decided it was time to move in with my parents,’ she says.
The builders predicted the project would take five months, but it ended up running 12 weeks over schedule due to a delay on the planning permissions. But the most stressful setback was the Crittall-style windows and sliding doors that frame the dining and kitchen area. ‘The windows were the worst bit,’ says Jojo. ‘They take so long to make and, in the end, the kitchen arrived before they were ready. It was the middle of winter and I had a new kitchen and a massive hole at the back of the house! Then, when they finally did arrive, the frame was half a metre short. Fortunately they were able to resize them in a few days.’
Once the renovations were finished the space was transformed. Downstairs, the industrial-style kitchen with exposed brick, grey cabinets and gunmetal-grey radiators is warmed up by botanical prints and bright accessories in the living and dining areas. ‘I wanted a slightly industrial feel, with lots of plants, colour and copper accents,’ explains Jojo. ‘It’s a mixture of everything I love.’ The galley kitchen, conservatory and dining room were opened up to create one big living area. Upstairs, the space has more than doubled, with two bedrooms, a box room and a bathroom giving way to three bathrooms and four double bedrooms. ‘I also shopped around for furniture and accessories to stay within budget – a lot of our lighting is from Aldi, and H&M Home is great value for money. You really don’t have to spend a fortune to create something that looks good.’
It’s not just the footprint of the house that’s changed. After Arthur was born, Jojo’s experience of doing up her home inspired her to set up A Little Arty with her sister-in-law, which specialises in home decor products and helping others style their properties. And her favourite feature in her own home? ‘My bedroom is the space I escape to,’ she says. ‘I absolutely love the deep green on the wall and the serenity it has given the room. The view overlooking the field is so tranquil and calming that even the children are happy just to sit on the bed and watch the sun come up.’