 didn’t spend more on finishes. Small margins made a big difference.” This is now a large yet homely space, with the Stanley range in the centre creating a ‘broken-plan’ layout. The kitchen cabinetry is constructed from solid timber and the worktops are Silestone. At just 20 cm in depth, Sharon feels these are “more contemporary, less blocky,” than thicker countertop slabs. Although Sharon’s original budget didn’t stretch to upstands and splashbacks in the same stone, she realised that the cutting out of her countertop had left sections which could be used for these marginal areas; and at a comparable cost to tiles, adhesive and employing a tiler. enny pinching doesn’t always pay off,” says Sharon. The eye-catching “lovely, dewy, sorbet-pink,” kitchen cabinetry was a significant decision by Sharon, especially as Jer was against the colour choice at first. ut now he loves it laughs Sharon. Colour is an important feature throughout the house and Sharon embraced the process of finding a colour palette suitable for a period building that brings it up to date, adding character and reflecting them as a family. Yet even Sharon wasn’t committed to colourful interiors at first. nitially overwhelmed she lacked the confidence to choose bolder colours. “I was considering painting everything white,” says Sharon. “I was very conscious of not wanting to undermine the character or integrity of the house.” Then Covid presented her with another opportunity; to take an online interior design course through the Create Academy. It was a revelation and Sharon began sharing ideas


56 www.sbhonline.co.uk


on social media uickly finding herself in a community of like-minded people willing to share and discuss ideas. The online design course also encouraged Sharon to look beyond decor to more fundamental aspects of a major home renovation, such as room layouts and plumbing plans. It was a big undertaking, but Sharon, who teaches geography, is accustomed to thinking spatially. Working on basic graph paper, she reconsidered every room in the house, including the bathrooms. Both of these were ripped out and Sharon thoughtfully reconfigured the compact spaces of .  . metres to include both a bath and a freestanding shower. “They now feel larger and more luxurious,” says Sharon. “They are much more pleasant to use.” Sharon was also inspired to make the counter- intuitive decision to reduce the number of bedrooms from five to four. A bit of light detective work revealed that the fifth  a bo room  had the same floorboards as the room next door. It was located on a landing at the turn of the traditional staircase. Again, knowing the building so well paid off. “We had the luxury of knowing what is great about the house – and we had the keys,” says Sharon. By removing the partition walls and allowing an existing window to illuminate the staircase, Sharon returned the landing to its original condition; a bright and generous space where their two daughters now do their homework. “It was always about the light,” says Sharon. “The movement of light is important. Everything that I tried to do in the farmhouse was about merging the function of each room with its natural light.”


Another unexpected space is the snug. This nov/dec 2024


SHARON’S TOP TIPS


* Don’t be afraid to embrace colour. Our


Instagram account @now_and_then_home shows how we’ve used colour to inject our home with personality whilst maintaining a colour palette that cherishes the age of our home.


* Source your team based on their experience


working with properties similar to your own. There would have been little point in hiring a team with no experience of older properties on our project.


* Stretch your budget using preloved decor and


materials. reloved items in our build included: all kitchen appliances, the back door (stable door style), and 70-80% of our furniture. There are often also wonderful bathroom fitures and fittings available preloved.


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