Modern redesign

A neglected terraced house with a garden full of weeds, crumbling walls and time-warp interiors wasn’t quite what Kate had in mind when she stepped onto the property ladder.

“I was looking for a doer-upper, but by that I meant something that needed a bit of basic TLC, perhaps some new kitchen units and bathroom fittings and then decorating,” says Kate. “I certainly wasn’t looking for a major building project!”

But with a limited first-time buyer’s budget and a bit of encouragement from her father, she found herself the proud owner of a mid-terrace, two-bedroom house that hadn’t been modernised for more than 40 years.

“An elderly lady had lived there on her own and nothing had been done for decades,” explains

Kate. There was no