A new look

Retired couple Les and Julie Graves realised they were much closer to having the perfect home than they imagined

- Alexandra Pratt

HOMEOWNERS Les and Julie Graves

LOCATION South Cornwall

PROJECT Exterior renovation of 1960s coastal property

BUILD ROUTE Project manager and subcontractors

BUILD TIME 6 months (Feb - Jul 2020)

BUILD COST £150,000

VALUE Unknown

Anyone buying a 1960s property on a prime coastal plot might be inclined to knock down and replace. Yet when Les and Julie Graves bought their Cornish home seven years ago, they simply redecorated. “We thought about rebuilding, but the more we lived in it, the more we loved it,” says Les. “The layout we wanted we already had and knocking it down would just be wasting money!”

The exposed location, though, means weather conditions can be harsh and the property soon needed some attention. Les and Julie decided that their central goals should be longevity and minimal maintenance, plus making the property more modern, with “a wow factor”.

FRESH LOOK