‘the place was falling apart’
Jenny hadn’t anticipated how much renovation work her Leicestershire Thirties semi was going to need
When our house search began in early 2014, my husband Darren and i knew we wanted a spacious family home in need of a little work that we could make our own,’ says Jenny. ‘We spotted this property on rightmove, and it appeared to tick all of our boxes.
Despite being cluttered and painted in a cocktail of garish colours, it had the potential to become the home we had in mind. However, we soon realised that the work required was more than cosmetic.
Starting from scratch
We received the keys in February 2014 but the house was far from ready, so Darren and I moved in with my parents while the renovation took place. We gutted almost the entire property. We ripped out the kitchen, the bathroom and the carpets, taking it more or less back to its foundations so we could first focus on fixing structural damage.
The house comprises two parts, the original Thirties building and an extension which was added about 10 years ago. The newer rooms, including the sitting room/ playroom, just needed a decor refresh, but the older part of the house was an entirely different story. It had damp, so our first big task was stripping walls of paper and plaster to apply a treatment.
But that was nothing compared with what we found in the kitchen, behind the units. Only after removing the cabinets did we realise to our horror that there was no insulation, and that you could almost see straight through the wall to the outside! And the disappointment didn’t end there, as the gorgeous wooden floorboards we hoped we’d be able to restore and keep in place were, in fact, rotting, and had to be removed. It quickly dawned on us that most things in
the house, including the light switches, door knobs and light fittings, were faulty or damaged and needed replacing.
Making changes
Keen to create the home we’d had our hearts set on, despite the setbacks, we quickly called in professionals to sort the insulation – or lack thereof – in the kitchen. We had the walls plastered, concrete poured where our wooden floors would’ve been, and an electrician friend popped over every Saturday morning for weeks to fix the wiring.
Only when the property was structurally sound could we begin giving the interior a facelift. We found our ideal kitchen units – which we decided to buy in two shades for a contrasting look – in Ikea, and replaced the bright yellow walls with a more subtle grey shade and decorative tiles. We chose Farrow & Ball paint for both the family room and the sitting room/playroom, and hung statement wallpapers – a complete
‘glam up a plain and boring wall with an on-trend botanic al print wall paper to create maximum impact’
contrast to the neon orange Seventies scheme that was in place in both rooms.
Thankfully, the upstairs required a lot less work than downstairs, though we did decide to knock two smaller bedrooms into one and we extended and converted a cloakroom into an en suite. But even though the work went to plan, it wasn’t without a few minor dramas. One day, Darren and I were decorating the main bedroom when the handle came off the door, locking us in the room. We were alone in the house – and Darren suffers from claustrophobia. In the end, we had to phone the police to ask if a nearby officer could break in and let us out!
Feeling thrifty
The renovation taught us a big lesson in budgeting. Working as a fashion merchandiser means it’s my job to source items at the best price possible so I’m a pretty savvy shopper, but I had to be patient to get the pieces I really wanted for the house. I purchased many items, such as our American fridge-freezer and the glass drinks trolley in our family room, second-hand from ebay, and used both mine and Darren’s staff discounts (I work for Next, and Darren for Ikea).
We restored what we could, including the original wooden doors, to save cash, and constantly browsed the bargain corner at Ikea, where we’ve found many a gem. I also like to find indie brands on Instagram, where I share photos of my own home and its transformation at @mrsjennyswift. Nifty decorating techniques, such as papering a single wall or alcoves, and using stickers to
‘Ignore trends unless you genuinely love them – What’s on trend one minute Will be outdated the next’
‘Don’ t worry about what other people think– it’s your home, and it only matters that you love how it looks’
pep up a plain wall have also helped us to save a little money here and there.
From house to home
I’m beyond proud of all we’ve achieved in what was a really run-down property. We were both working full-time throughout the renovation, which meant a lot of late nights on site, driving between houses and living without a lot of our belongings. We also got married the same year, which made life very hectic, but unforgettable.
I’d say the kitchen has been our biggest achievement. It’s undergone a huge transformation, and has become my favourite room in the house. I’ve always wanted to have a kitchen big enough to accommodate a dining table for family meals, and finally I have one. Next on our to-do list is to build a porch, as our hall is minuscule, and then tackle the driveway. We’re not 100% finished yet, but we’ve come a really long way, and completing those last little tasks will be the icing on the cake.’