natural evolution
The ever-changing interior of this County Durham detached tells its owner’s style story
After selling their respective homes to buy a property together, Claire Ramshaw and her husband Keith faced the age-old quandary of location versus space. While Claire had lived in a Victorian house outside County Durham and Keith had owned a new build by the coast, they both wanted to be closer to the city for work.
Claire was working for Persimmon Homes at the time, so the pair decided to take advantage of her staff discount and bought a four-bedroom detached house on the outskirts of Durham. ‘We got more for our money and were able to upgrade worktops, spotlights, tiles and appliances,’ says Claire.
Straight away, the couple applied for planning permission to build a garden room extension at the rear. This meant installing a steel beam where double doors once led to the garden and digging foundations in winter. ‘Keith’s quite handy so he took on the work himself, with help from a bricklayer friend and an electrician,’ explains
Claire. ‘We wanted to maximise the light but also retain a bit of privacy, so only two of the three walls have windows, and we fitted shutters and a glazed door at the side. We tend to use the front sitting room more in spring and summer, and the garden room in autumn and winter as it’s cosy with the woodburning stove.’
When it came to the decor, Keith was hands-on while Claire had the ideas. ‘I’m quite a creative person, which was enhanced when I was studying theatre costume at university,’ explains Claire. Many of the illustrations she did during this time have been framed as artwork around the house. ‘After my studies, I rented lots of different places in London but I always redecorated as I need to feel happy at home,’ she adds.
Over the years, the pair have replaced the carpets upstairs and fitted a mixture of laminate and tiled flooring downstairs, which is more practical since they had their daughter, Ava, now nine. Claire admits her interiors style has changed considerably since buying the house, and she has redecorated some of the rooms several times. ‘My style used to be quite ornate with bold colours and wallpapers,’ she says. ‘But now I have more artwork on display, use different textures and have embraced the trend for dark walls.’
More recently, Claire’s approach to decorating has been to spend more on investment pieces, such as sofas and furniture from stores including Barker & Stonehouse, Graham and Green and Cox & Cox. Then when it comes to accessories and furnishings, she mixes up the look with high-street finds.
Her next project is revamping the kitchen by painting the doors grey and adding copper handles. She’s also considering replacing the bath with a walk-in shower and laying Moroccanstyle floor tiles in the hall. ‘I’m lucky that Keith and I have a fantastic creative partnership,’ says Claire. ‘This has enabled us to create a home that we both feel equally proud of.’