ABOUT ME I'm Antonia Kiddy, 40, and I work for the Positive Birth Company. I live here with my husband Sam, 42, director of a wholesale fishing company, and our two sons Solomon, seven, and Atlas, five.
OUR HOME A four-bed detached property in Torquay, Devon, built in the 1920s. We bought it in 2013.
WHEN WE MOVED IN The property hadn't been touched since the 1970s.
The kitchen was small and closed off, there was flocked wallpaper on the walls, shagpile carpet on the floors and an avocado bathroom suite.
AND NOW The kitchen and dining rooms have been knocked through, creating a lovely open-plan space.
STYLE TIP Coffee table books are great for inspiration, sourcing new ideas and helping you see how things you already own can be reworked and given a fresh look.
When we first saw our 1920s home in Torquay, South Devon, it’s safe to say we needed a fair amount of vision,’ admits Antonia. ‘We’d been renting a one-bedroom flat and were keen to find a bigger property and start a family.
The whole house resembled a bad 1970s sitcom, with walls covered in flocked, shiny peach wallpaper, a sea of pink shagpile carpet, and Artex covering every ceiling. There were also sinks in each room, the kitchen was small, dark and cut off from the rest of the house and, to top it all off, the bathroom had an avocado green suite!
Plus side
However, there were some plus points that really sold the house to us. First off, it was in a great location, close to the sea and directly opposite Sam’s wholesale fishing business, which meant he’d have no commute and we’d be able to spend more time together.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der September 2022-Ausgabe von Style at Home.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der September 2022-Ausgabe von Style at Home.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
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'We wanted an Art Deco Vibe' - Helen took her bathing space from cramped and dated to family-friendly, with a classic retro-inspired look
Inheriting a typical 1930s layout of rectangular bathroom and a separate loo along the corridor wasn't really suitable for us,' says Helen. 'And with a teenager and a younger child, we knew we had to change things quickly after moving into our house in April 2022.
How to Save More Money -Editor of MoneyWeek.com Kalpana Fitzpatrick shares easy tips and tricks for spending less
Editor of MoneyWeek.com Kalpana Fitzpatrick shares easy tips and tricks for spending less. Recent research shows that around a third of consumers are focused on immediate finances and unable to think about future savings.* If you're struggling to save or just not sure where to start, then these tips and tricks will help.
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