draughty,’ says Jessie. ‘The sitting room faces
north and we found it cold and unappealing.’
Another disadvantage was its dimensions.
‘The house is only two rooms deep and it
began to feel quite poky.’ The couple agreed
it was time for a radical rethink.
Then fate took a hand. ‘I’m really
interested in design and I came across a
house in a magazine that struck me with its
easy elegance,’ says Jessie. ‘I looked up the
designer, Stephanie Dunning, and discovered
that she lived only 40 minutes’ drive away.
It seemed quite serendipitous.’ Jessie and
Allan soon decided to enlist Stephanie’s
help to create a beautiful yet practical home.
‘W hen Stephanie visited, she
immediately had ideas and we ended up
redoing the house from top to bottom,’
says Jessie. One of the first tasks was to
reconfigure the layout, to help make thehouse feel larger. The kitchen was an urgent
priority. ‘It was badly laid out, which made it
hard to cook,’ says Jessie. Stephanie tweaked
the space to create a well thought-out
arrangement of bespoke cabinets and
a central island unit. She also helped the
couple re-envision under-utilised spaces
elsewhere in the house. ‘When I showed
her the cellar, she immediately saw its
potential and suggested building a showerbAThROOM
Situated in the cellar, this shower room is
an invaluable addition, especially when
Jessie’s two grown-up sons come to stay.
Joinery in Acqua Viva oil gloss, £34 for
750ml, Paint & Paper LibraryhALLWAY
A smart coat rack and
shelves help keep the
ground floor clutter-free.
wool Cord gesso runner,
£54.55lin m; thick Stripes
border in grey, £24.70lin m,
both Alternative FlooringDINING AREA
The new layout includes this
welcoming space, perfect
for entertaining.
byron dining chairs, £599
for two, heal’sKITChEN-DINER
Blush-pink walls and gold pendant lights
create a glamorous backdrop for cooking.
Larger Percy pendant, £190, Pooky, is a match.
walls in Light Peachblossom intelligent
matt emulsion, £50 for 2.5L, Little greene94 | 25bh AuguSt 2019