This petite kitchen has been given a bright refresh

Anyone who has ever renovated a period home will be very familiar with the challenges facing Julia and Jenks McColl as they set out to breathe new life into their characterful 17th-century maisonette.

‘Not a single wall or floorboard was straight,’ says Julia. ‘The entire house is beautifully wonky. I dropped a tomato in the kitchen earlier, and it rolled all the way to the other side of the room.’

The previous owners had lived there for more than 20 years, and while the maisonette had been loved, it needed some serious attention – especially the kitchen ideas.