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AT HOME WITH

and brass theme in their glamorous downstairs home. We will have to move at some point –
shower room, while a complementary scheme this is a terraced two-bed, and we’d love to
creates a glossy look in the new kitchen/diner. have a detached house with more bedrooms
one day. We absolutely love the house and the
“I don’t know if I have a ‘style’ exactly,” says street, so we wouldn’t move for a good few
Nicole. “If I see something I like, I just try to years yet, but I will most likely be devastated
imagine how I could make it work in my space. when the time does come!”.
I think your first home isn’t supposed to be big
and grand and ‘out of this world’, it’s supposed And two years down the line, Nicole has
to be homely and imperfect, and something to some sage advice for buyers setting out on
look back on fondly.” their own property journey: “It’s so important
to not compare yourself to anyone else or
Renovation complete, the couple happily put yourself in a tricky situation trying to get
settled into their home, in an area they adore. something that is out of your reach. Your
“We love that you can walk anywhere, and home doesn’t have to be perfect; it just must
we’re also on a bus and tram route. We can be perfect for you.”
walk into the village in ten minutes, and we’re
very close to a supermarket, with great schools Wise words indeed.
nearby. It’s quiet, peaceful, safe and it feels like

13 weeks after getting the keys, which is and give more of an indoor-outdoor feel.
almost unheard of but shows how important We renovated the bathroom and decorated
your tradespeople are in making everything everywhere, removing old carpets and painting
run smoothly. We did, however, learn that every room to bring it in line with our tastes.”
whatever you think the cost will be, add at least
£500 to that. We underestimated the price of Speaking of taste, Nicole and Jamie’s new
materials, especially since Covid and Brexit.” home was speedily brought up to modern
standards, with the couple opting for a relaxing,
As part of the renovation, Nicole and Jamie neutral theme throughout the property, using
made major changes to the property, which warm shades of taupe and beige, including the
had great bones but needed updates, with shade Chiapas by GoodHome, along with soft
faded interiors that the couple couldn’t wait textures and dark wooden floors to create a
to modernise. streamlined yet cosy finish.

“Basically, we stripped the whole house back “I know everyone has their opinions on a beige
to brick walls and bare floorboards and started aesthetic,” laughs Nicole. “But everything
again! That included boring things like moving about my life is colourful and fun and busy, so
the boiler, rewiring and updating the plumbing, I think that there’s nothing better than coming
but we also made some big changes to the home to a relaxing, calm environment. It also
layout. We moved the kitchen from its original leaves a lot of room to play with decor, without
location into the extension, and then divided worrying about clashing colours or prints, or Corstorphine Hill
the old kitchen space to make a utility and a making the space too busy.”
downstairs shower room. We also took away a
wall of windows in the extension and replaced The interiors aren’t completely beige; the pair
them with bifold doors, to open up the space went for a luxurious grey marble, matte black To see more of Nicole and Jamie’s renovation, check out their Instagram @overthegateof38.

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