CREATE COHESION
Repeat similar tiles in both the kitchen and bathroom to create a link between the upstairs and downstairs spaces It was a short trip for the removal van when Mary and Nick Howe sold their small semi in Redcar to buy a larger house on the same road. ‘My husband wanted a detached house that we could rip apart and do from scratch ourselves,’ says Mary. ‘But we loved the area, so didn’t want to move far.’
Although it was 12 years ago, Mary remembers the viewing well. ‘It was freezing and I noticed the curtains were blowing on the inside, as the wind was coming through the windows,’ she says. ‘The walls were covered with lining paper and there were Artex ceilings everywhere, but it had a lovely feel.’
While Mary was heavily pregnant with their first son, Fyfe, the couple lived amid the chaos of a major renovation. As well as a new roof, windows and central heating, the house was re-plastered throughout and given a new kitchen and bathroom. However, after living in the house for eight years, the pair had become frustrated with the layout. ‘Originally, we thought the shape of the house was unique, but once we’d had a baby we realised we wanted practical, not quirky,’
