'We can turn our hand to any DIY project now!'

Jo and John Tuckley upskilled themselves to renovate their home as they went along, filling every room with second-hand bargains and DIY additions to inject personality

- Zoe Bishop

Jo and John loved their previous home, but they wanted to eventually start a family and the property was far too small. We needed something that would work as our family grows, and so we both felt it was the right time to move,' says Jo. 'Plus, we'd got fed up with living under the flight path of a busy airport,' so location was a key factor, too.

Jo fell in love with this house the moment she saw it. 'I loved the diamond window as soon as we pulled up for the viewing, and I think I decided then and there that this was going to be our home! We both love period properties, so the high ceilings and Victorian fireplaces really appealed to us, and we instantly felt at home,' she recalls.

The location was also perfect, as it was only a few minutes from Jo's mum's house and John's family and, best of all, was within easy reach of both the beach and a park. "There's also a lot of good charity shops nearby, so I'm always popping to them for a good-old rummage!' says Jo. 'I love hunting for things in charity shops, antiques stores and on Facebook Marketplace - most of our house is furnished with pre-loved finds. I've also been known to find things discarded on the side of the road and bring them home to restore.

I once walked for over an hour with a massive lamp balanced on the top of my daughter's pram, because someone was chucking it out and said I could have it from their skip. I could barely steer the pram or see where I was going, but it was worth it!'

COME ON IN...

WE ARE Jo Tuckley, 34, a primary school teacher (@lovescakeygoodness). I live here with my husband John, who works in IT for a biomedical company, our daughter Emma, two, and our golden retriever Tobie.

MY HOME IS a three-bedroom semidetached home in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, which we bought in September 2019.