‘I've got a passion for DIY HACKS'

Claire loved the idea of built-in cupboards in the room, but when custom-built proved too expensive, she made her own!

- MAXINE BRADY

COME ON IN!

ABOUT ME I’m Claire Douglas, 37, (clairedouglasstyling.com). I live with my husband Spencer, 40, and children Oscar, eight and Milo, three, in a 1960s three-bedroom detached house in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. We moved here in summer 2016.

MY CHALLENGE The living room was part of a 1980s extension; it had no central heating and the layout was badly planned. It felt like it had been just stuck on – it wasn’t the multifunctional family room that we needed.

MY WISH LIST We wanted to knock down the dividing wall to open the space but our budget couldn’t stretch, so we had to think of other ways to make it flow.

Although this house was in a poor state when we viewed it, we fell in love with its potential,’ says Claire. ‘The purchase process was tricky – it dragged on for over six months – and the stress just started there.

Our new home was an ex-rental and had been empty for ages. The boiler was beyond repair and the toilets didn’t flush! Basically, every room needed urgent attention before we could move in.

The work begins

We had a new boiler installed within days, and the bathroom refitted within a couple of weeks. Next was the kitchen, which we replaced within four months. After all that, it was a couple of years before we had the energy to tackle the other rooms.

Making progress

In December 2018, we started the living room by having bi-fold doors fitted. They instantly transformed the space, letting in natural light and connecting the room to the garden. A long column radiator was installed and we laid new flooring throughout the ground floor.