For several years, Amy Nightingale and her fiancé, Jamie Shefford, had rented in their hometown of Brighton, along with Amy’s son, Stanley, and Jamie’s two boys, Carter and Conor, before buying a renovation project they could turn into their forever family home. ‘We were fed up with renting,’ recalls Amy, ‘and as we were thinking about having a baby, we desperately needed more space for our growing, blended family. When we finally spotted this 1930s semi-detached house, in a village on the outskirts of the city, it ticked all our boxes. We loved the area, surrounded by lots of green space, within close walking distance of the village and local school, and only a short drive back into Brighton — it felt like it had a good balance of everything.’
The house itself was in good condition, but hadn’t been updated in years and needed completely modernising. ‘I work for a new-build property developer and Jamie has his own plumbing and heating company, so we were excited to strip the house back to its bare bones and start all over again.’
Denne historien er fra February 2023-utgaven av Real Homes.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra February 2023-utgaven av Real Homes.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Side-return extensions
An efficient use of redundant outside space, extending to the side is the mart way to gain the extra room you crave and transform the way you live
Spa-style bathrooms
Prioritise self-care and put pampering on your daily schedule by taking bathroom design inspo from your favourite spa
Light & bright
Rachel's main requirements for her kitchen extension were a window overlooking the garden and space to entertain. We reveal how she made her dream a reality
Colourful kitchens
Let your personality shine with a style that makes you smile from that morning cuppa to dinner time. Don't be shy, go for bold
In the zone
Using clever design and planting, Pauline has transformed a blank canvas into an elegant, contemporary garden complete with social spaces, a cutting patch and a pond
Heart of the home
Faced with three living spaces and a tiny kitchen, Jo and Chris have devised a clever, broken-plan layout where the kitchen takes centre stage
Pre-loved treasures
Deborah has filled her south London home with character without breaking the bank, thanks to her smart shopping know-how and eye for a bargain
A new leaf
Dani Sandels embraced her passion for botanics and natural textures in the renovation of her family home, resulting in a space that delights the eye at every turn
A learning experience
Steph and James honed their home-improvement skills as they updated their old house and overgrown garden with help from family and friends -
SAGE GREEN
A calm, tranquil and fresh hue, our colour guru, Amelia, shares why you can't go far wrong with this nearly neutral
