I appreciate my home much more
After an electrical fire damaged most of her lovingly restored house, Laura Cave has worked tirelessly to make it a bright and beautiful family home again
Laura’s beautiful home has risen like a phoenix after a fire ruined her reno
MY STORY
We bought this house because we liked the area and the schools nearby. It was a good size and, although the original features had been stripped out, we saw its potential to be a lovely family home.
As well as redecorating, we extended at the back to create an open-plan lounge and dining room. It was all looking so lovely but then in 2018, the fire happened.
Luckily we managed to escape in time, but the fire, caused by an electrical fault, had taken hold in the hallway and had spread into the back. Most of our wooden furniture was saved, but flooring and carpets had to be ripped up, and sofas and soft furnishings binned. The house had to be rewired, walls replastered and underfloor heating replaced before the redecorating could start, 10 months later. As the insurance company would only replace like-for-like, it was just easier to choose the same things as before.
I’ve slowly added pops of colour to the rooms since the fire, inspired by homes
I’ve seen on Instagram and in magazines.
I’m pleased to say we’re now very happy in our home again. It was a really stressful time, and the process of getting our house restored was tough, but I now appreciate my home so much more.
‘Since the fire, we’ve added so much more colour and pattern’