Dress circle

From the moment Eugenie Kelly stepped into this home, she had a good feeling about it. There were sweet leadlight windows at the front door, open fires crackling downstairs, and high ceilings that made every room feel elegant and generous. It needed work – the salmon-coloured walls and velvet curtains would definitely have to go – but there was a sense of comfort and nostalgia about the place that felt right.

It was 2006 and Eugenie and her husband Richard O’Neill