‘We'd lived in our previous house for 29 years, and after exhausting all the renovation possibilities we were ready for a new project,’ says Rosie Coulton. When she and husband Paul started their search for a new home, however, they could never have guessed they'd end up buying a new-build. ‘Our previous house was built in the 1950s and we fully expected to buy another period property, but after a visit to my nephew, we realised that his home didn't fit our perception of a new-build,’ says Rosie. ‘We were struck by the high ceilings, big windows and even the detail of the skirting boards, so we decided to bite the bullet and buy a house on the same estate.’
STARTING AFRESH
Usually, the bonus of buying a new-build is choosing the fixtures and fittings, but unfortunately for Rosie and Paul the flooring, kitchen and bathroom had already been chosen by previous buyers who had pulled out. ‘It was frustrating, as their choices weren't to my taste,’ says Rosie, ‘but as a seasoned renovator, I knew I could still make it my own.’ However, on
