When Mel and her husband, Chris, were first married, Mel was renting a house in Manchester, and Chris would travel from his army base in Suffolk to see her every weekend. 'But with his retirement looming after 25 years, we decided it was time to buy a forever home together,' says Mel. As both Manchester and Suffolk were out of the couple's budget, they decided to widen their search, finally choosing to concentrate on The Potteries, as there are several National Trust properties in the area, where the couple both hoped to find work.
'At the time we needed three bedrooms because Chris's children stayed every other weekend, and our brief included a Shaker-style kitchen with butler sink, Minton tiles in the hall, and lots of period features. Luckily, the estate agent came up with the goods and found this place, which ticked all the boxes,' says Mel.
REFRESH WITH PAINT
The couple's new home was full of bright yellow walls, blue banisters and heavy curtains that blocked out all the light so, Mel explains, 'the first job was painting the whole house white, as I wanted to create a bright, airy feel.' After that, she created a mental list of jobs that she wanted to do to update her new home, starting with the kitchen. 'I loved the freestanding design but felt the original dark wood looked too heavy, so I decided to give the room a budget makeover,' she says.
This story is from the June 2024 edition of Your Home.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 2024 edition of Your Home.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
'Our dream home was three years in the making!”
Temi Lorant and husband Eugene made sure not to rush into renovating this run-down semi, taking years to plan the perfect extension and a put-together decor look
'I added homespun charm to this Victorian terrace'
Inspired by working in National Trust properties, Mel Green has filled her home with heritage colours, vintage furniture and handmade accessories
'I decorated this house twice to find my style'
Kayla Reynolds initially followed trends to decorate her new build, but soon realised she preferred the classic country look, so gave every room a timeless makeover
8 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE UPGRADING YOUR WINDOWS
Give your home kerb appeal while making it warmer and more energy efficient in time for winter by tackling old or outdated windows
Hot Summer patterns
Heat up your schemes with four ways to use this season's trending prints
Cafe culture
Unleash your inner barista and serve up the cafécore aesthetic in your kitchen
Foliage chandelier
Give your dining area wow factor, like Sarah, with this striking yet simple faux foliage and LED candle chandelier
Southern cider
Wow at your next summer party with this easy-yetimpressive cocktail. It has mellow whiskey flavours and a lively finish from lime juice and sparkling cider
In your garden THIS MONTH
Pull up a garden chair, breathe in the glorious scents of summer and plan of all the gardening tasks to complete
'I doubled my living space with an outdoor room'
Sarah Brooks swapped a dilapidated shed for a showstopping open summerhouse, decked out with stylish home comforts to bring the inside out