‘It's all from CAR BOOT SALES'

Samuel’s creative use of pre-loved pieces and upcycled furniture items has turned a tired 1970s interior into a calm, coordinated home

- NATALIE FLAUM

Growing up in a cottage in Penzance, Cornwall, I couldn’t imagine not living by the sea,’ says Samuel. ‘The first time I visited Brighton I didn’t want to leave and fell in love instantly with its buzz, diversity and unique shops. Six months later, I moved here and met my husband Daniel.

We bought our first flat here four years ago, which we did up ourselves and sold, enabling us to buy this cottage. I had always wanted to live on this street as it reminds me of the Cornish cottage where I spent my childhood. Situated in the North Laines, it’s the perfect central Brighton location. We named the house after my mother-in-law, who sadly passed away the day our offer was accepted. We were lucky that we could stay living in our previous flat, as we had a couple of weeks’ gap before moving in here. The previous owners had lived here for over 40 years and unfortunately, nearly every original feature had been ripped out in the 1970s, but it ticked all the boxes and was the perfect challenge to transform into a country cottage.

Creative thinking