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AT HOME WITH

been taking our time with the interiors, and not out of the budget, sometimes it’s better to do
rushing to buy furniture or décor while we get without and save up for longer, rather than go
used to living in the space. We have used a lot for a cheaper option and still crave the original
of colour on the walls, and plan to balance it – within reason, of course!”.
with mid-century-modern furniture and lots
(and lots!) of texture in the soft furnishings.” Allanah and Andy bought their double upper
hoping it would be a longer-term home, and
15 months into the journey, do the couple have now they’ve put their stamp on the place, with
any advice for anyone else considering a large- more yet to come, how do they feel about it as
scale renovation project? a place to put down roots?

“We spent a lot of time making a budget, and “We couldn’t see ourselves leaving Edinburgh,
researching tradespeople and fittings, so we and especially not this home, for a really long
knew that we were in the right ballpark. Really time,” Allanah says. “We’re excited to see how
Bathroom before and after renovation
interrogate everything at the viewing stage – it evolves through time with our lives, and to
Andy went onto the roof three times, including make lots of memories here.”
with a roofer, to get a sense of what we
“Material repair works have included were really buying, as a Home Report
replacing a flat roof, chimney repairs, can only tell you so much. Think hard
installing a new cupola, new roof about how you would use the space:
insulation, full electrical rewiring, boiler we made a list of our non-negotiables
and heating system upgrades, repairs for some of the key renovations, and
to the sash-and-case windows, and spoke a lot about what we didn’t
restoration of the original wooden floors,” want, as well as what we did. Take
Allanah and Andy had their offer accepted, and shares Allanah. “We’ve also upgraded the your time and let the home come
then found themselves in a race to sell their 1950s bathroom, which desperately needed together on your terms. It’s so easy
existing home. “It was much more complicated to be rearranged – who wants a toilet in front to look at home inspiration accounts
than buying our first property, largely due to of the window?! – and installed a stained-glass on social media and feel the pressure,
the executor’s closing process and having window that’s consistent with other properties but you need to go with your gut
a very short window to complete. Our offer on the street. We’ve taken down some internal (and your budget!). On that, if there’s
was accepted on the condition that we sold walls to create more functional space, which something you really love but it’s
our flat within four weeks – it was not yet on has made a massive difference. One of the
the market and there were some nervous biggest jobs was ironically for the smallest
moments as we waited for viewings to turn room in the flat, when we transformed the
into offers. During the process, we kept up to upstairs cupboard into a tiny, yet perfectly
date with new listings in case things didn’t go formed WC – it’s one of my favourite spaces!”.
our way, but thankfully that never happened. I
also used ESPC to see what else was for sale The property has proved to be a real labour of
that was similar to our flat, to get a sense of the love, but the couple aren’t planning on hanging
properties that ours was likely being compared up their hard hats just yet, as Allanah explains.
to by prospective buyers”. “We’re planning to start work in the kitchen in
early 2025 while we are still in the renovation
Thankfully, everything went to plan, and the headspace. As far as the other rooms, we
couple moved into their new home in June are now in the ‘décor stage’, so although the If you’d like to keep up with
2023. Since then, they’ve been carrying out rooms are still quite bare, we’re hoping to Allanah and Andy’s renovations,
extensive renovation works to modernise the have them feel more homely by the end of you can follow them on
property, and turn it into their forever home. the year. Because we’re still renovating, we’ve Instagram @housedupe.

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