'We Had To Make Savvy Choices With Our Small Budget'

After lots of renovation work, the Jaulins put together a simple, modern look on a shoestring

Keep it consistent Emma and Hendrik laid grey floor tiles throughout the ground floor and painted the walls white. ‘White is flexible and inexpensive,’ says Emma. ‘We chose low-maintenance things in a mix of old and new. This is an easy home to live in.’

BUY THE KEY PIECES

Dwell tiles, £44.88sq m, Tileflair. Ypperlig bench, £35; Hektar floor lamp, £39, both Ikea. Hipster dining chair, £79, Cult Furniture. The Circular mirror with shelf is similar, £35, Tesco Direct

Having fallen for a quaint, red-brick Devon farmhouse, Emma Jaulin had a battle on her hands to persuade her husband Hendrik it would work for them. ‘His first impression was “No way!”’ she says. ‘He thought it was dark and cramped. Once we left, I started explaining how the ground floor could be opened up to bring in more light. By the time we got home, he was convinced. We’d seen nothing else with so much potential.’

The house had barely been touched for 20 years, and had tired decor and old-fashioned fixtures. Once Emma and Hendrik moved in, they stripped away the old carpets and wallpapers, and tackled the layers of old paint on the skirtings, dado and staircase. ‘We spent every day sanding and painting,’ says Emma. ‘Although it was summer, we didn’t relax in the sun even once. It was horrible, but we definitely learned a lot!’