‘I KNEW WE’D FIND THE LIGHT’

After convincing her husband to take a chance on a gloomy, outdated Victorian farmhouse, Emma has now created a fabulous, light-filled home

An all-white backdrop has given Emma’s farmhouse a new lease of life

Ihad already remodelled and redecorated this quaint, red-brick farmhouse in my head before my husband, Hendrik, had even been inside,’ says Emma. ‘While I fell for the property hook, line and sinker, Hendrik’s reaction wasn’t quite as

enthusiastic. On first look, he thought it was dark and cramped, and he hated the dated interior, and to be fair, it looked like it hadn’t been touched in 20 years. The main problem for both of us, however, was how gloomy the place felt. Bringing in more light was the way forward!

Persuasive plans

I knew we could open up the ground floor by knocking the kitchen-diner, central passageway and sitting room into one airy, multifunctional space. Alongside that, I envisaged replacing the tatty bathroom suite, installing modern, energy-efficient windows, and redecorating the house from top to bottom. By the time we got home, I’d convinced Hendrik the undertaking would be worth it.

Jump start

When we got the keys, we still had two months left before our rental contract was up, but we didn’t want to lose any time. We started work ourselves before moving in, tackling layers of old paint on the skirting boards and dado rails, as well as stripping away the faded wallpapers and carpets. Then, we replastered all the bedrooms, ready for decorating. It felt like we spent every single day endlessly sanding and painting. That summer was gorgeous, but I don’t remember relaxing outside in the sunshine once! It was relentless, but we definitely learned a lot. Once we moved in, we got to

grips with knocking a lot of the downstairs into one big space that we’d want to spend most of our time in. Then, we replaced the back door and small windows with floor-to-ceiling glass that looks out onto the garden. It fills the space with natural light and adds a contemporary edge that suits the open-plan design.

Keeping it simple

I wanted all the walls painted white, as I think it maximises the bright, open feel and creates continuity throughout the house. It’s flexible and inexpensive, and you can layer whatever you like on top. I’ve brought in colour and texture through lots of lush houseplants, warm wooden furniture and fabrics, and accessories in simple, soft patterns.

Bright ideas

Creating light was the priority. But it took a lot more than just white walls and knocking everything through to banish the gloom. All the old wooden windows were rotten, and we wanted low-maintenance replacements with

‘SLOTTING DECORATIVE TILES INTO THE PANELS OF THE OLD KITCHEN DOOR MAKES A STRIKING AND TOTALLY UNIQUE DINING TABLE’

minimal frames and maximum glass. As UPVC would have jarred with the traditional red-brick exterior, we picked an aluminium style with very slender bars. We swapped the two back windows for vertical glass panels, which really boost the light as well as bringing the garden inside. The entrance is still a bit dark, but we’ve inserted a glass panel between the living room and the hall, which helps encourage light to the front.

Budget stretcher

With an entire house to renovate and furnish, I had to get creative when it came to making the most of our budget. I shopped around carefully, avoided pricy designer brands, and re-used whatever I could. Having the same grey floor tiles throughout the whole ground floor and both bathrooms too was a cost-effective choice, as I negotiated a really good deal for a bulk buy.

Kitchen decisions

There was no way we could afford to replace the whole kitchen. Instead, I upgraded the work surfaces, bought a new oven, and tiled the splashback myself with the leftover bathroom tiles and grout. The original cabinets were made-to-measure and still in good nick, so I spent about £900 on a professional spray paint to give them a new lease of

‘LOOK FOR PARED-DOWN, LOW-KEY PIECES THAT OFFER FUNCTIONALITY AS WELL AS ADDING STYLE TO A ROOM’

life. Creating flexibility in the living space was really important to me. The tiled floor, inspired by the floors in Hendrik’s parents’ farmhouse in France, makes it easy to move the furniture around. Our modular sofas work really well together, or we can use them as separate seats depending on what we need. We do rearrange the furniture from time to time, and I teach yoga from home, so I just push it to one side when I have a class here.

DIY converts

If we can’t find exactly what we want for the house, Hendrik and I will have a go at making it ourselves. Since watching the joiner build storage for our surf gear in the utility room, Hendrik has made lots of items, including the lovely corner bench in the living room. I designed and made a suspended wooden tray and shelves for the bedroom and bathroom, just using leftover wood and heavy twine. Between us we turned the old kitchen door into a one-off dining table. It seats four comfortably and we made a separate extension piece, which we use if we’ve got more guests over. It’s satisfying to know we’ve been able to keep costs down, while filling our house with personal touches at the same time.

Hard work paid off

We put a lot of effort into the house and I love the way it’s turned out. It was a challenge to get it right, researching everything from windows to lighting to taps. There were so many options, sizes and prices – we had to really think carefully about what we wanted and needed. Now, I love what we’ve achieved and there’s room to evolve in the future.’

‘IF YOU CAN’T FIND EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT HAVE A GO AT MAKING IT - YOU’LL SAVE MONEY AND END UP WITH SOMETHING ORIGINAL’

COMFY SPOT ‘Hendrik pulled out a bulky, built-in cupboard and made a neat wooden corner bench in its place’

LAYER UP ‘I’ve accessorised with pastel stripes and crisp checks that lift the white walls and add interest to the neutral sofas’

MIX AND MATCH ‘We chose natural wood and painted metal as linking features, then sourced high-street chairs, stools and a bench to create a relaxed vibe’

EASY UPDATE ‘To stay on budget, we painted the green cabinets a clean white and chose wooden blinds for a chic, no-fuss treatment’ STYLE SWAP ‘I replaced the stainless-steel splashback with brick-style tiles to give a fresher look’

ILLUSION OF SPACE ‘I opted for a simple, open wardrobe in the guest room to chime with the airy feel of the house’ GUEST RETREAT ‘I love the modern four-poster – the clean lines make the room feel tranquil’

SMART DESIGN ‘The new sliding door, fitted by Hendrik, is a brilliant space-saver’ BALANCING ACT ‘Space for bedside surfaces was limited, so I devised this chic hanging tray from a kitchen worktop offcut’

LAYOUT REJIG ‘Through trial and error, I found the bed worked best under the window, which left the fireplace as a focal feature’ COST SAVER ‘To save money, I repainted the tongueand-groove panelling and Hendrik retiled the floor to give this room a new lease of life’

DOUBLE UP ‘Twin hand basins were top of my wish list, so I was thrilled when I found these keenlypriced options online’