Welcome to my home

We had rented for many years, so buying a house was really exciting,’ says Katie Seidler. Discovering this detached Victorian house in St Albans, she and her husband Russell fell in love with its spacious rooms, which included three bedrooms, a bathroom and an en suite, plus an extended kitchen and converted loft. ‘We call this house the Tardis, because you can’t tell how big it is from the outside.’

‘We loved the original features, like the windows and the fireplaces, but the decor needed updating. It was a project that wouldn’t involve ripping down walls, though, and I could see how quickly we could make a difference to it simply by painting, creating designated spaces and adding in some personality.’

‘The first thing we did was to change the floors to a light oak to bounce the light back into the house,’ says Katie. Travelling overseas to Copenhagen regularly for work, Katie was inspired by the monochrome decor there and was keen to inject some Scandi style into her home. ‘I really wanted the house to look pared back, but with lots of design features and unique finds from my travels. I wanted to mix it up with soft natural wood and minimal Danish-style accessories,’ she says.

The biggest job to tackle was the kitchen. The couple replaced the old grey granite worktops and removed wall units they could do without, to open up the space. Then the walls were tiled and a new sink, hob, extractor and shelves fitted. ‘It wasn’t major work, but it really transformed the space from a bland kitchen to one with more style,’ says Katie. ‘It’s the best house for entertaining, as everyone always ends up in the kitchen! We’re so pleased with how the house has evolved since we moved in.’ Follow Katie on Instagram @hello_haus.