This owner planned her home well ahead of moving day, and by enlisting some help from family and friends, her makeover was done in a flash
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Exterior

Image credit: Colin Poole
This three-bedroom Victorian terraced house in Gosport, Hampshire, had multi-coloured kitchen tiles, a yellow living room and purple main bedroom that weren’t to the owner’s taste. The dark bathroom also needed a refresh.
‘Now, the look is classic but contemporary, with country elements in calm neutrals and relaxing greens,’ the owner says. ‘And we’ve given the bathroom a period-style makeover.’
Living room

Image credit: Colin Poole
‘I don’t stick to one particular style, instead I’ve got quite a few favourites,’ says the owner. ‘ I adore the country look, but I’ve included glamorous hotel-chic, rustic and Scandi elements in my home, too. I like my surroundings to feel calm and relaxing, so I use lots of neutrals, especially greys, which I love, with touches of colour on top. I tend to go for soft, pretty accents and nothing too bright or distracting.’
The front room has an elegant, grown-up feel, which was inspired by the grey Chesterfield-type sofas. ‘I’m very organised and I created spreadsheets to keep track of my spending,’ she adds.
‘Once I’d chosen something, I’d trawl the internet to find the best deal. I do nearly all my shopping online, especially on budget-friendly sites like eBay and Gumtree, and I’ve always got my eyes open for sales and discount codes,’ the owner says. ‘I’d also think about whether I could upcycle or make a similar item myself.’
Get the look
Buy now: Beatrice two-seater sofa, £1,159, DFS
Buy now: The Fernandez floor lamp, £69, Iconic Lights is similar
Kitchen

Image credit: Colin Poole
Buy now: Laura Ashley Artisan Eeu De Nil ceramic tiles, £55 per m sq, Homebase
Buy now: ‘BAKE’ wire sign, £55, Notonthehighstreet.com
Buy now: The Gaston fisherman’s pendant light, £79.99, My Furniture is similar
Bedroom

Image credit: Colin Poole
The owner planned the master bedroom around the gorgeous metallic wallpaper. ‘It’s quite opulent and decorative, with an Art Deco flavour,’ she says. She splashed out on the this fabulous wallpaper from Tapet-Café – ‘I think it makes the bedroom,’ she says. The budget was balanced out by the mirrored bedside tables, which were ex-display and a real bargain from Dunelm.
The bedroom floor was already painted, so the couple kept it. ‘Even though it’s not my ideal finish, I love the light, bright effect,’ says the owner. ‘But it’s a challenge to keep it looking perfect!’
Get the look
Buy now: The Neston bed, from £680, Willow & Hall is similar
Buy now: For similar try Rasch Gatsby fan pattern paper, £12.99 per roll, I Want Wallpaper
Bathroom

Image credit: Colin Poole
The couple’s biggest project has been updating the bathroom, which they didn’t tackle immediately. ‘We kept the simple white basin and loo, but pulled out the old bath and the tiling around it, and replaced them with mirror tiles,’ the owner says.
She found a fabulous freestanding bath, complete with taps and feet, on Gumtree. ‘It was a real bargain, although we had a nightmare getting it into position – it was so heavy, and we wrestled it halfway up the stairs before we thought of taking the feet off!’