REAL HOME
‘It’s really important to
create a sense of visual
continuity, especially
when decorating
smaller properties.’
wonderful blank canvas.’ She and Nigel
had renovated several properties over
the years, so they weren’t put off by the
challenge. ‘We’ve got a good team of local
builders and tradesmen and Nigel is also
very handy,’ says Christina, who took on
the job of managing the project. She and
Nigel decided to do as much stripping out
as possible by themselves, to keep their
costs to a minimum.
The apartment’s dated décor was
rather dark and dreary, so Christina’s top
priority was to make it feel more light
and spacious. ‘I wanted to create a lovely
large open-plan living space on the lower
floor, with the kitchen and dining area
flowing into the living room,’ she says. In
order to achieve her goal, she decided to
tweak the layout by swapping round the
existing kitchen and guest bedroom, and
taking down the partitions between the
kitchen-diner and living area. She then
commissioned a local carpenter to fit new
painted kitchen cabinets to her design.
‘The old kitchen was very dark and poky,
so the new open-plan layout works really82 August 2019 http://www.yourhomemagazine.co.uk
The tall oak cupboard is one of
Christina’s favourite pieces, and so far
she’s resisted the urge to paint it. ‘I’ve
moved house so many times and this
has always come with me,’ she says.
‘I’d never even think of getting rid
of it.’This open-plan kitchen has high
ceilings and large windows that make
it feel airy and spacious. Christina
chose pale grey laminate flooring
from B&Q to co-ordinate with the
décor and keep the scheme looking
light and bright