THE LAYOUT
The open-plan living room is divided from the hallway by glass sliding doors. Another glass door leads to the kitchen-dining room in the extension. On the first floor, the main bedroom has a new en suite, and there are two bedrooms with a bathroom, with two bedrooms and a bathroom on the second floor.
Even though they took a considered approach to renovating their family home, Fiona and Daniel certainly did not stint on style. Giving their interior designer a very specific brief about their taste and preferences helped them break out of their style comfort zone to create a comfortable interior with practical extras that works for everyone.
WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO BUY THIS HOUSE?
‘I’m very familiar with this area as I holidayed here with my Welsh grandmother when I was growing up. I’d always imagined coming back and bringing up my own three children here. Dan and I wanted an older house, with period features, which we could turn into a practical and comfortable family home. This property had a lovely, happy feel and great views – it’s handy for the shops and the beach – plus there were five good-sized bedrooms.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE INSIDE, AND WHAT CHANGES DID YOU ENVISAGE?
‘The interior was in reasonable condition, but just not what we wanted. Some of the period charm was missing, and everything was quite tired. The kitchen was long and narrow and we quickly realised we wanted to widen it with a side-return extension and lots of glass, to make a modern, family kitchen-diner. The other must-haves for the ground floor were a utility area and a cloakroom. We saw we could reconfigure upstairs, adding an en suite in the main bedroom, as well as a bathroom on each floor.
HOW DID YOU MANAGE THE WORK?
‘Although Dan and I are both involved in property development, we knew we just didn’t have the time to run our own renovation. I had a clear vision for the house, but felt I needed some guidance with sourcing everything and pulling it all together, so I approached local interior designer Tamsin Leech-griffiths (number8project.co.uk). She found us a great builder (greenscarpentry.co.uk), and also acted as project manager, making a huge difference and giving us a single point of contact. The extra cost was a concern, but I needn’t have worried, because Tamsin’s expertise definitely saved us more than we paid in fees.
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?
‘Stay flexible and try not to stress about small things! I’d set my heart on marble worktops, but eventually had to accept they just wouldn’t be practical. I’ve got quartz composite instead, which looks fabulous, and is robust and user-friendly. One of the floorings we loved wasn’t available, so we had to pick another, but now it’s down, I’m more than happy with our second choice. Also, the importance of storage - I planned mine in detail, so there’s a place for everything, and the house functions very easily. It makes me feel calm and relaxed, and we’ve got everything we need.’