A London Property Is Converted Back To A Home
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Some renovation projects are a real labour of love, where you need to transform every single part of the home to create a truly special place.
The home of @thehomeeditof24 is one of those amazing renovation projects; the large home had been split into two flats previously, so Michelle and her family went through the painstaking task of converting it back into one large family home.
We love the wonderful period features, where the style and colours are in-keeping with the period of the home, whilst still being contemporary.
Michelle shares here renovation advice, including how they managed to live in the property through much of the renovation.
The rear of the home which shows the three levels and the large extension
Can you tell us about your home and renovation project?
We always wanted to live on this road, but we never thought we could afford to and also properties never come on the market here. When they do the waiting list is as long as my arm.
I was doing the school run one day and saw the for sale sign...and one thing led to another.
As I said they never come up, and it turned out it wasn't a house, it was two flats. So we bought two flats that were previously a house (years before), then the owner had lost his wife so changed them to flats and had sold the top one.
The man had sadly died and the daughter sold it to us as we promised to put the house back to how it should be, which I hope shows.
The stunning hallway creates a grand entrance
How long did the work take and did you live in your home during the renovation?
We completed in March 2017 and had to move into the top floor flat.
It was three bedrooms (only two were usable), kitchen, bathroom and lounge. I have four kids and a husband 😂. We started the work in May 2017.
We ended up with the front room as a bedroom for all 6 of us and only had the bathroom, sink, washing machine and microwave.
It was a really hot summer, the back of the house had been taken down and shut off with tarpaulin and the windows were fixed shut with scaffold poles. We had no garden so I think that was probably the worst part when I think back to the actual build.
We stayed there until September but as there was no roof and it was starting to get cold, we ended up moving in with a friend until December.
The builders were amazing. They always kept me updated and I went there most days. We really all got on well which helped massively.
When we moved back again in December 2017, it wasn't carpeted and we still had a bathroom to renovate, but had run out of money.
We had turned the house into a 3 story home with 6 double bedrooms, 2 dressing rooms, 4 bathrooms, two front rooms, a study, utility room and large kitchen family room.
The bedroom is classic in style, in-keeping with the period of the home
What was the most challenging part of the renovation?
The most stressful part was 100% the money worries. You can't budget for a job like this accurately because of the age, size and the problems that happened along the way that were out of everyone's control.
The walk shower - we love those tiles
Where is your favourite place in your home now?
I think my most loved room is the kitchen as it's the hub for the family.
My favourite room is my darker front room where I've put lots of antiques and taxidermy in there, to create a grand Victorian drawing room feel.
The kitchen is striking with the dark blue units
What would be your biggest piece of advice for anyone about to start out?
Whatever you have budgeted, be prepared to really have to dig deep, beg, borrow or steal 😂....it is so worth it in the end.
Be decisive. If you go with your gut you won't go wrong. I don't regret any of my choices.
Lastly have the biggest utility room/space you can possibly fit to work into your plans!
The lounge with the antiques, which is such a relaxing space
If you are thinking about a renovation project in the near future and need some help finding an architect or architectural designer, we can match you with the most suitable ones for your project.
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Published: February 18, 2021
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