1
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4
S
triking a balance between minimalism
and warmth is a tricky task for any
homeowner, but add four small children
into the mix and you’d be forgiven for
giving up on style altogether and heading
straight down the ‘practical’ route. This hasn’t
been the case for Rosemary and Justin Bickers,
who – over the past six years – have turned
an unloved doer-upper into a beautiful haven
for their family, which includes Alfie, seven,
Tom, six, Daisy, four, and Dorothy, six months.
‘We had been searching for the right property
for over a year,’ says Rosemary. ‘My late father
had been hoping we’d stay close to my family
home and he was delighted when we found
a house just 10 doors down from it.’
Although the property was in need of a
complete overhaul, Rosemary wasn’t fazed.
She had grown up on the road and over the
years had been in many of the neighbours’
houses, so had seen how they had been reworked.
It also helped that Justin is an electrical
contractor specialising in lighting solutions.
The first room to be tackled was the kitchen.
‘It was really dated,’ says Rosemary. ‘It was going
to be a big job, but we had to be practical and
do it on a budget and in stages as there was so
much more to be done in the house.’ New
electrics and plumbing, plus replastering and
repainting throughout were also on the to-do
list. After careful planning and budgeting, it was
decided that phase one would be to extend out at
the back and into the side return to get a bigger
kitchen and also a cloakroom. The old cabinetry
was replaced with pale-grey, Shaker-style unitsdesign advice ‘Before you renovate, live in your house for a while – you’ll better
estate eggshell, £62
for 2.5L, Farrow & ball.
ercol originals loveseat,
from £900, heal’s. the
Shorty locker in blush,
£129, Mustard Made.
garland, from a
selection, tea and Kate
4 DINING ROOM
Including a sofa in this
space makes it a
flexible living area.
The table and benches
can be moved against
the side wall to make
more room when
entertaining.
For a similar table
and benches, try the
Fjord rectangle dining
table and bench
set, £349, Made.com.
the Auburn sofa
in black Indigo,
£699, west elm,
is similar1 fAMIlY ROOM
Rosemary chose a
vintage-style floral
wallpaper to create
a cocooning feel,
but the modular
sofa keeps the
look modern.
Peonies wallpaper, $195
a roll, rifle Paper Co.
Camden corner sofa
with chaise, from
£1, 499, John Lewis &
Partners. Low Jinx
coffee table, £375, Loaf.
the Loft floor lamp in
white, £146.25, only
home, is similar
2&3 KITCHEN
The shelving unit is
a piece Rosemary
upcycled with a lick of
paint and the Ercol
bench is a place to
relax with a cup of tea.
Shelf in Purbeck Stone76 | 25bh AuguSt 2019