The Master Mix

When Sharon O’Connor stumbled across her Sunbury-on-Thames home, she was determined to mix things up and give the place her own spin

- Zoe Richards

As resident upholstery expert on the BBC’s Money for Nothing makeover show, Sharon O’Connor’s philosophy is that lovingly restored furniture creates the statement your home deserves. No surprises then that her home is something of a masterpiece when it comes to upcycling. Sharon’s characterful Victorian terraced cottage in Sunbury on-Thames is brimming with her thoughtfully renovated creations alongside a collected mix of accessories and personal treasures. She describes it as “a mish-mash of styles”, but there’s no doubting the discerning eye behind it.

The fact that Sharon even stumbled across the hidden gem she now calls home was a stroke of good fortune. “I was already renting a workspace around the corner and I decided I’d like to be closer to it,” she recalls. “This was the first property I viewed, and the sign on the front door just happened to be my lucky number. I knew I had to live there.”

A real haven from the outside world, the property is tucked off the main road on a pretty, secluded pathway. Once upon a time, the area was surrounded by apple orchards and Sharon’s home was one of the worker’s cottages. Its garden is located at the front of the property and in the summer it’s a space where Sharon comes to “decompress” and share a gin and tonic or two with her partner Jonathan. The collection of bottles on display in the dining room reveals that the couple are gin fans, and particularly keen on a local drop such as Silent Pool. Inside, the house is infused with vibrant energy. Not only from Sharon’s playful design touches but also from her two lively Romanian rescue dogs – Ruby and Reilly.