After living in London for 25 years, we were able to sell our two-bed Victorian flat in Beckenham and buy a 1930s home in Leeds that was ripe for an overhaul,' says Russell.
'We wanted a different pace of life and you certainly get more for your money up north. My husband, Paul, is from East Yorkshire and I went to Bretton Hall, an arts college near Wakefield, so we both knew Leeds pretty well.
We've always loved the style of 1930s houses, so after the first lockdown we booked viewings for six properties in the hope of finding a blank canvas to renovate. This semi-detached property in the suburb of Gledhow was the first one we looked at and had been on the market for a year.
The proportions were a bit challenging as the kitchen was tiny and it had a massive sloping garden with two huge sycamore trees making it very shaded.
Families had obviously been put off by the kitchen and unusable garden but we could see beyond that and fell in love with the street.
Building the dream
Although we could have been mortgage-free and gradually done up the house over 10 years, as we're both still working we chose to continue with a mortgage and use the equity from our flat to get everything done how we wanted.
Originally, we'd envisaged having a wraparound extension which would have given us slightly more space, but the planning rules changed so we scaled it back to fall under permitted development. We were able to extend by three metres at the rear, which gave us a large kitchen-diner and seating area without losing too much of the garden.
Then a side extension was built for the utility and cloakroom. It worked out better in the end as the dead space between the rear and side extension has been used for a barbecue area with pizza oven.
Denne historien er fra September 2024-utgaven av Style at Home.
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 September 2024-utgaven av Style at Home.
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
'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.
What's for DINNER TONIGHT?
These tasty dishes can be made ahead of time and saved for those busy nights when there's no time to cook
Something for THE WEEKEND
These chocolate desserts are perfect for dinner parties (or for a special treat if you've had a tough week at work)...
Plant bulbs now for A SPLASH OF SPRING COLOUR
Brighten your garden come spring with a two-tone display of tulips - autumn is the perfect time to plant up and get busy
Living room STORAGE
Bring order to your living space with hard-working storage that looks stylish too
How to plan KITCHEN LIGHTING
Achieve the perfect lighting scheme that's bright, hard-working and looks good
Try a speedy STYLE UPDATE
Give your home a seasonal revamp with fun tricks, treats and cosy touches
Clever decorating WORK YOUR WALLS
Want to use a blank wall space for practical storage or stylish display? These ideas will give you the best of both worlds...
Give your home an AUTUMN RESET
Make rooms feel toasty and warm with plush layers, earthy tones and cosy touches