OwnersAmandaArkellis an
interiordesignerwithherownblog
(homeattheheart.com),andsheand
herhusbandSteverunCobraRibs,
a boatbuildingbusiness.Theyhave
threegrown-upchildren,Joshua,Tom
andHannah,a cockapoocalledBella
anda cavapoocalledButtons.
HouseOriginallya two-bedroom
Thirtiesbungalow,thefamily
extensivelyremodelledit into
a five-bedroom house.S
eeingalltheirdreamsandthehardworkthey
hadputintobuildingtheirfamilyhomego up
insmoke,justfiveyearsaftertheyhad
completedthefinishingtouches,was,obviously,utterlyheartbreakingforAmandaandSteveArkell.
Country-lovers,they’dmadethedecisiontomovefrom
theoutskirtsofChristchurchinDorsettothecentreofthe
coastaltown.‘Thechildrenweregrowingupandwewere
acarridefromthecentre.Wewantedtobewithinwalking
distanceofthingsforthem,butsomehowretaina senseof
rurallife,’saysAmanda.‘Wewerealsokeentodoanother
housemakeover.We’dconvertedourprevioushousefrom
abungalowintoa biggerpropertyandit wassuch a great
success,wewantedtodoit alloveragain.’
Thefamilysoldupandrentedinthetownuntila suitablebungalowcameupforsale.Atfirst,theestateagent’s
descriptionwasmetwithblanklooks– AmandaandSteve
simplycouldn’tpicturetheproperty,althoughit turned
outtobeonly 100 yardsfromthehousetheywereliving
in.‘Itwasanunassuminghousewiththefrontdooratthe
side,twobaywindowsanda verylargeroof.It hadn’t
madeanimpressiononusatall,butwhenI sawtheroof
space,I instantlyknewit hadpotential,’saysAmanda.But
it wasthegardenthatclinchedthedealforher.‘Despite
the neighbouring houses, it was completely private;all>
AT HOME WITH...FamilyroomBifold
doorsopenontothesheltered
garden.Sofa;rug, both
Sofa.com.Lamp, Jim Lawrence