CLOSER LOOK: VICTORIAN COTTAGE REVAMP

When Nicola O’mara and John Merriman bought an end-of-terrace Victorian cottage back in 2015, they knew it would present them with a challenging project. “We weren’t daunted; we were excited about moving and changing our lifestyle,” says Nicola.

Among the numerous jobs were rewiring, replumbing, repointing the stone walls with lime mortar, refurbishing the sash windows and repairing the original panelling in the sitting room. The couple took on these core works with aplomb, simultaneously making significant changes to the home’s layout to revamp it and attain a more modern lifestyle. These alterations included relocating the staircase and combining two bedrooms into a master suite.

Features such as the original Delabole slate floors were reused, too, helping to ensure the pair achieved their goal of thoroughly updating the cottage while preserving its character.