FAMILY AFFAIR

Holly Dormon and Matt Haswell called on parental expertise to tackle a run-down 1940s house

Parental help made a big difference to the transformation of a 1940s property in Surrey

Having already completely renovated their previous Victorian house, Holly Dormon and her partner Matt Haswell relished another project, and when a run-down 1940s house came on the market at a very reasonable price it was too good to miss. ‘My dad’s a builder and has always encouraged me to take a few risks,’ says Holly. The couple went to view the property and found it hadn’t been touched for decades, but it had a large footprint and a big back garden to extend into.

‘We took Dad back for a second viewing and he was able to see how we could reconfigure the space and create an open-plan area downstairs and, with a rejig, make the most of the upstairs,’ says Holly. ‘With Dad’s seal of approval, we put in an offer and placed our house on the market. It was only a week before Christmas and everyone thought we were mad, but we couldn’t let the house go!’

The couple then lived with Matt’s mum for almost a year while planning permission came through and building work got under way. ‘When the work finally started on the house there was no way we could have lived there with our two young daughters Ava, now eight, and Elise, five,’ says Holly. ‘We had to start from scratch

– at one point it was just a shell with very few internal walls.’

With the help of Holly’s dad Neil and his team of builders, the house was eventually transformed. ‘We decided to steer away from the original ground-floor layout suggested by the architect,’ says

Holly, ‘as it didn’t seem to make the most of the space when the builders started to put the walls back in. It cost us some time but other than that, the renovation couldn’t have gone better’.

The whole of the downstairs has now been extended and reconfigured to create a large open-plan area housing the kitchen, dining space and a living area. ‘We’re so delighted with the new layout and the impact it has when you walk in,’ says Holly. ‘The pitched roof gives a real sense of drama and I love the different zones we’ve created, each with their own personality – perfect spots for entertaining and practical areas for us to spend time as a family.’ Upstairs, the loft was converted into two bedrooms and a shower room for Ava and Elise, and a wall in the master bedroom has been knocked through into the box room to create a small en suite.

Since moving in, the house has been decorated in warm greys, pinks and blues, with pops of colour everywhere. ‘I wanted our home to feel inviting and be interesting to look at,’ says Holly. ‘I have lots of antiques and vintage pieces, which I display all over the house.

‘It’s been a real renovation journey and our home is now unrecognisable from the house we first saw,’ she continues. ‘I’m so pleased with the changes we’ve made, not just the big ones but the small ones, too. They’ve given the house an abundance of character. It perfectly suits our growing family and there’s not much more we could want or need – that’s unless another project comes along!’

lessons learnt ‘Be prepared to challenge a decision if it doesn’t seem right – it’s good to trust your instincts and change your mind’

DINING AREA ‘This is a great space for when we have friends over – I can cook but still socialise,’ says Holly. Diner 125 light fitting, £929, Original BTC. The Tolix-style metal chair, £69, Cult Furniture, is similar

KITCHEN The stainless-steel worktop is functional with an industrial aesthetic. Solid-wood units, price on request, Benchmarx. Custom-made stainless-steel worktop, MPM Engineering. The T-bar pull handle, £14, SDS London, is similar. Steel doors and windows, price on request, Fabco

LIVING AREA ‘It’s the interesting smaller pieces, like these Arturo Rhodes paintings, that make a home unique,’ says Holly. Aissa sofa, from £3,020, Sofa.com. Koldby rug, £180, Ikea. Artwork, arturorhodes.com

MASTER BEDROOM ‘I love the softness of the pink against the darker colours,’ says Holly. Lucy king-size bed in Armour velvet, £1,150, Sofa.com, is a good match. Washed linen duvet set in Dusky Pink, £80, H&M. Macramé dreamcatcher, try Etsy

BATHROOM Holly has indulged her love of colour and vintage items to add interest here. Bath base painted in Palmerston Pink eggshell, £69 for 2.5L, Mylands. Parquet Charcoal floor tiles, £44.80sq m, Neisha Crosland at Harvey Maria

ELISE’S ROOM This teepee makes a fun den for Elise and doubles up as a place to store her cuddly toys and cushions. Teepee tent with floor mat and pillows in Candy Star, £95.20, Fun with Mum

AVA’S ROOM The high sleeper bed makes good use of space here. Christopher midsleeper treehouse bed, £499, Noa & Nani. Pompon cotton rug in Grey, £47.99, Maisons du Monde