Wanting a change of pace and to improve their work-life balance, Chloe and Phil, decided to use their renovation experience to downsize, and in the process, turn an unloved wreck into a relaxed, family home. Together with their two children and cat, they moved to a slightly smaller house for an easier life.
‘We were living in what we thought would be our forever home; a six-bedroom Victorian house that we’d spent seven years renovating. But I had some health issues which made us reconsider what was important in life.’
‘I went part-time at work and we bought a smaller house – a four-bed Victorian end-of-terrace in Warwickshire – to reduce our mortgage.’
‘I loved the location of this place, directly opposite the park, and although it needed a complete cosmetic update, it had good “bones” and plenty of potential to extend so that we wouldn’t miss the amount of space in our previous home.’
The double-fronted entrance leads to a self-contained living room on the right and through to the snug on the left, which is in the middle of the house. This leads through an archway into the extended kitchen-diner with doors out to the garden.
Upstairs are four bedrooms; two on either side of the family bathroom, with the main bedroom overlooking the park and one of the kid’s rooms overlooking the garden.
‘We ripped up the ugly swirly carpets and painted over the orange walls, and while the roof was being replaced, an expense thankfully we had budgeted for, we removed the chimney breast in a bedroom, creating a more usable space.’
‘The kitchen was initially in the middle of the house but it was obvious that by utilising the side return and repositioning the kitchen to the back, we could create a sociable family diner.’
‘We replaced the bay with metal-framed doors and as there were two bathrooms upstairs, we transformed one into a fourth bedroom.’
‘We’ve done renovations before and know how disruptive it can be so we know pre-planning is key. I’m a great believer in making mistakes on paper at the start of a reno to prevent too many surprises, but it’s impossible to factor in every possibility. The foundations kept flooding because of bad weather, which delayed the build.’
‘Also one of the skylights broke on installation, and the wait for a replacement was stressful as the room had to be waterproof before the plasterer could come. But the worktops were fitted while we were on holiday and coming home to see my vision come to life was a great moment.’
‘I like a calming, neutral palette, but that’s not to say that I don’t use colour; I just choose muted tones that won’t overpower a room.’
‘Our last home had lots of blues but I wanted to reflect the beauty of the park opposite in this house so went for beiges, greens and wood tones, with the odd pop of rust to add interest. Hopefully the result is going to stand the test of time, and not feel dated in the near future.’
The open plan kitchen diner
‘We commissioned a local joiner to make the kitchen. It was about the same price as the big kitchen companies but gave us so much more freedom with style, colours and layout.’
The kitchen units have been painted in Drop Cloth Modern Eggshell, £85 per 2.5ltr from Farrow & Ball.
‘I didn’t think the space would work with chairs on both sides, so the joiner made the bench with storage inside, which also works well as flexible seating – people can shuffle along to accommodate more guests.’ Topped with cushions, the bench seat also provides space for storage
The striking pendant over the dining table is the Titou woven rattan lampshade, £379 from La Redoute. The dining chairs are the Clyde wooden dining chairs with Latte fabric, £169 each from Cult Furniture.
The cosy snug
‘This room was initially going to be my office, but having the extra space works well as an overspill from the kitchen if we have parties, especially as the living room is slightly cut off from this side of the house.’
The cosy chaise is the Söderhamn Gransel natural colour chaise longue, £380 from Ikea. For a similar rug, try the Eras checkerboard rug, £109.99 from La Redoute.
This side of the snug houses the washing machine. Here, an arched doorway adds interest.
The living room
‘Colour fashions come and go, so it’s easier to choose a neutral base and update a scheme with new cushions and accessories.’
The roomy sofa is the Tallulah four-seater Split sofa, £1,599 from Sofology.
For similar made-to-measure shutters, try Blinds 2go.
Children’s rooms
‘I wanted panelling to frame the bed, so I drew the design on a piece of paper. I then attached the panels myself, adding the picture ledge which can be changed up.’
‘The panelling came on a roll with felt backing so I just glued it onto the wall. It was a bit too orange for my liking so I whitewashed it with white oak-effect varnish.’
This crisp white bedding is the Signatures Merida embroidered duvet cover, £60 from La Redoute.
The bathroom
‘We had a large Victorian bath in our old house but it was only ever used twice, so when it came to planning this room, we decided to replace the bath with a large shower and vanity.’
‘If I did this room again, I’d put large tiles in the shower and smaller ones above the vanity.’
The master bedroom
‘I used leftover paint from the living room to paint the ceiling and took the opportunity to add a ceiling rose too, which makes the space feel cosier.’
The couple’s bed is the Madara Retro king-size bed, £699 from La Redoute, while the large pendant shade overhead is the Risbyn pendant lampshade, £17 from Ikea.The tallboy is the Sienna five-drawer rattan tall chest of drawers, £129.99 from VonHaus.
‘It was tricky to position furniture because one wall has a chimney breast, two walls have large bay windows, and the last wall has the door.’ A slimline dressing table neatly fits into an alcove, keeping floor space clear.
FOCUS ON… Shutters
- FORM AND FUNCTION Being both practical and elegant, window shutters provide privacy and offer a layer of warmth and protection. Solid panel designs are generally cheaper but adjustable louvres allow you to easily control the amount of light entering a room.
- DIFFERENT STYLES As well as classic full-height shutters, styles include tier-on-tier designs, where the top and bottom sets open independently of each other. Café-style shutters cover the lower part of the window and are a popular choice in kitchens. Sliding systems are perfect for bifold doors and solid shutters work well in period homes with front-facing bay windows.
- CHOOSE A MATERIAL Wooden shutters have timeless appeal and can be customised with paint or stains; however, they are expensive and require maintenance. Plastic shutters are an affordable option but there is less choice to customise and they are not as durable as other materials. Vinyl shutters are waterproof, making them suitable for bathrooms, and are often cheaper than their wood counterparts, but don’t have the natural look timber gives.
All in all, Chloe and Phil are positive they made the right choice to downsize. ‘Choosing the right house means we haven’t sacrificed much space since downsizing, but we definitely have a better work/life balance,’ she says.
To follow Chloe’s updates, take a look at her Instagram @cotton_and_zinc.
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