'My style is minimalist meets vintage chintz'

Wowed by the period features of her Victorian home, Callieanne Major has embraced all things traditional with a dramatic yet muted colour palette and floral art

- Callieanne Major

Adding value to a ‘stepping stone’ house and using the profit to buy the type of home they really wanted was a shrewd move for Callieanne and Sam Major. ‘Our last home was a modern house built in 2000, which isn’t my style, but we bought it at a good price to do up,’ says Callieanne. ‘I’ve always wanted a period home, so I knew our next home would have lots of character.’

The couple’s next step up the ladder, a detached Victorian house in Spalding, couldn’t have been more different. ‘It was the second property we saw, but had more period features than the first one,’ recalls Callieanne, who works as a practice nurse in Peterborough. ‘Even though it had been painted all white by a property developer who’d bought it at auction, I remember totally falling in love with the high ceilings. It’s on quite a busy street, but as it’s set back with a driveway, we didn’t mind.’

With four bedrooms and three reception rooms, there was ample space for children Forrest and Millie to have a bedroom each, for Sam to work from home as a surveyor and for Callieanne to have a photography studio, where she creates artistic maternity, family and newborn portraits.

LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS

Luckily, the couple’s house sold within two weeks and their offer was accepted. ‘The first thing we tackled was the wonky living room and hall floor,’ says Callieanne. ‘My husband had to take all the floorboards up and replace the rotten joists underneath. Then we built a wall and gate outside at the front, putting trees up to make it a bit more private.’

Before decorating, Callieanne had the idea of adding wall panels in the office and living room. ‘For each panel, Sam glued three mouldings from B&Q onto the wall and then we added a decorative piece from Etsy on the top,’ she says. ‘Missing out the corners makes it easier, and it just creates a period feel.’