'I like to mix up OLD AND NEW'

Temi Johnson has decorated her beautiful home with unique finds and a vibrant colour palette that lifts the spirits all year round

- LAURIE DAVIDSON

Designing my home was a life-changing move for me,’ says Temi. ‘It cemented my decision to pursue a career in interior design full time and led to me appearing on TV’s Interior Design Masters this year.

‘It was love at first sight when we spotted this house and we were thrilled it came in within our budget. At the time, I was living with my husband on a narrow boat while we saved for our mortgage, which is funny as when I first met Benoit I remember being distinctly unimpressed by the fact he lived on a boat and saying I wouldn’t be joining him. Fast forward a few years and I’d not only moved onto the boat, but also found that I really enjoyed living on the water. It was that time that actually led to us buying our house in this village, as we used to take the boat into the Hertfordshire countryside in the summer and always said that when we bought a house, it would be here. In fact, in a funny turn of events, we somehow ended up living right next door to the boat yard we used to take the boat to for repairs!

Instant attraction

This house has good links to London, yet you feel like you’re in the middle of the countryside with the nature reserve, canals and the river all on your doorstep. It wasn’t only the location though – I knew I wanted a house with two double bedrooms, which this place has, plus we’ll probably consider a loft conversion at some point and the second bedroom is large enough that it can potentially lose some space to a staircase if needed.

Challenges ahead